August 15, 2011

This year's State of the Union address was only the second since 1948 by a Democratic president that did not mention poverty or the poor. And the President and Congress have not promoted a bold jobs program. "When the banks had a national emergency, they bailed them out and they found $700 billion," said Cornel West during a nine-state Poverty Tour with Tavis Smiley. “When we go to war, we find $1.3 trillion. When the poor and working classes are living in a state of emergency, it's a matter of national security, especially the children. We have 21 percent of our precious children of all colors living in poverty. That's morally obscene in the richest country in the history of the world." It's also illegal, say experts. They point out that the federal government is required by law to create jobs.  The Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act, the Federal Reserve Act, and international law require it.  A bill now in the House, H.R. 870, would fund job creation as required by Humphrey-Hawkins.  If this is not passed, the President legally must instruct the Fed to fund job creation. European nations have their own crises now, but nowhere near our level of poverty. This really is the greatest country in the world.