Poverty in America undermines our country’s economic strength, hinders our ability to compete, erodes the health of our communities, and limits opportunities for children and adults. It does not need to be this way. Throughout our history, we have seen periods of dramatic poverty reduction when elected officials and people across the country have come together to secure our economy from the bottom up.
This moment of financial and economic challenge is the right time for a renewed commitment to reducing poverty in America and to making our economy work for everyone. To achieve this vision, we must set a national goal of reducing poverty by half in 10 years. Doing so is not only an economic imperative, but also a moral one. By signing the pledge below, you can become part of this effort—we’ll send you updates about the campaign, and opportunities to get involved. We look forward to having you on board!
★ The Pledge ★ I endorse a national goal of cutting poverty in half in 10 years, and ask the elected officials who represent me to support policies and programs that will help us to achieve it. Furthermore, I call on the Obama administration and Congress to outline and implement a plan to incorporate this goal into our government’s long-term economic policymaking, and to set benchmarks that will move our country toward a shared prosperity and a stronger middle class. Through proven policy solutions, innovative new ideas, and the engagement of all levels of government, the private sector, and individuals, I believe that we can cut U.S. poverty in half by 2020.