Years ago at a book reading I attended, Globe Columnist Ellen Goodman left her audience with these words: “May you come of age,” she said, “in interesting times.” This morning I came across a column by Jack Kemp and George Mitchell on the resurgence of poverty in American discourse which made me think that we may be approaching just such times. Jack Kemp is a former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and a former member of Congress. George Mitchell is a former Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate. They both are members of the Advisory Council of Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity. Their article (definitely worth reading the original) pointed out:
"Last year, stories in the media about poverty and politics increased 145 percent over the previous election cycle."
They also suggested that concern over income disparity and poverty levels has grown from basic human compassion to a question about the long-term impact of poverty on the strength of our nation.
Why does talk about poverty matter? Because for us to drive change, together as a nation, we have to believe that the time for change has come.
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