Today I met with Tom Malloy, a policy advisor at the DSD of the JPHD at the USCCB. I learned some really key things about American poverty and the government's role in eradicating it.
1) The government has a moral obligation to uphold the dignity of the human person. This means that the government is responsible for policy that promotes families and individuals and builds for them an environment where they are able to provide for themselves and their families.
2) The poverty rate would be increased about 45% if it were not for Government Aid
3) Government is responsible for Social Justice, creating just systems under which people can find fair work, decent housing, educational opportunities, and sufficient food. The Government also has the unique capability and money to provide charitable services to large populations in ways that could not be accomplished by the private sector alone. This is evidenced in the fact that even with government access now, a whopping 46 million americans are still in poverty. If private social services and nonprofits could reduce that number, they would do so now. The fact is they do not have the resources. Government absence from social service would lead to an increase of the poverty rate from 15% of America to something more like 25% of America.
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