The White House
President Trump has proposed expanding the definition of 'public charge.'
‘Make no mistake about it: If this proposal is implemented as proposed, it will increase poverty – and the worst symptoms of poverty such as hunger, homelessness, and early deaths – in New York City and nationwide.’
‘In many of the nation’s big cities, hunger and homelessness remain rampant. But given that Mayor de Blasio is enacting so many progressive policies to combat poverty, why are these problems still pervasive here?’
‘Condemning Neo-Nazis and Klansmen is (or at least should be) an easy first step. Yet, if we as a nation want to fully reject racism, we must commit ourselves to the proposition that every American is entitled to an equally long and healthy life.’
‘Campaigning and governing is now indistinguishable from fundraising. The vast majority of e-mails and letters that I now receive from elected officials are either thinly veiled fundraising pitches or overt ones. The last e-mail I received from Obama as President was a fundraising pitch.’
‘We should appeal to the nation’s fundamental altruism, explaining how all of us will benefit from a more inclusive America. Simply scapegoating the one percent just won’t cut it.’
Joel Berg argues that the focus on the 1 percent, and the claim by Bernie Sanders that his backers represented grassroots America, both blur the realities of class, identity and politics in 2016 America.
In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, Joel Berg takes a hard look at his allies on the Left—from Occupy to Bernie Bros—whose tactics are often less compelling than their politics.
Democrats avoid talking about poverty. Republicans back policies premised on outdated ideas about the poor. And the media doesn’t take either side to task.
Read our latest opinion blog: “Elite New Yorkers still treat homelessness as “a quality of life” issue for the non-homeless and still equate destitution with criminality.”
After two mayors who saw declining welfare rolls as an indication of policy success, HRA Commissioner Steve Banks is making progress restoring common sense and compassion. There’s still much to do.