Ending Poverty Starts With Increasing Work And Paychecks, Not Government Budgets

Originally published at The Federalist

Lawmakers across the spectrum agree that poverty is a perennial crisis. But if they are ever going to come together to find an effective solution, they must first understand that poverty is not merely a money problem. Instead, poverty prevails in the absence of economic freedom.

That is the message we received from some of the 26 percent of Pennsylvanians with low incomes surveyed in a comprehensive, multi-year study that sought out the voices of those earning below 200 percent of the poverty line. This isn’t just one state needing a state solution—it’s indicative of the relationship between poverty and prosperity nationwide.

Ryan, who is unemployed, said the path out of poverty is clear: “It’s finding a good kind of job. I’ve been looking, but it’s hard, trying to find a job… that’s paying good, with my experience, that’s the problem.”

Read more at The Federalist