Hillary Clinton Advocates "Poverty Czar"

MSNBC News:

NBC News has learned that in her remarks today, Clinton will call for a cabinet-level "poverty czar," apparently similar to what the King family has been requesting.

Here's an excerpt from Clinton's expected remarks:
"When I say solutions, I mean finally addressing the scourge of poverty that continues to afflict so many of our families in this country. I mean appointing a cabinet level position that will be solely and fully devoted to ending poverty as we know it in America, a position that will focus the attention of our nation on this issue. That's the kind of solution I'm talking about, a solution for which Dr. King's son, Martin, has been such a passionate and effective advocate."

Read the whole story: MSNBC News

Comments

[Vyvjala]

Picture republicans creating a poverty czar and appointing Rupert Murdoch, wouldn't that be a fixed and biased concept................

[bailey2006]

Does anyone else find this offensive? I mean, hire some guy, pay him some obscene amount of money to oversee poverty. Meanwhile, the people who fall under the category of poverty are not receiving any monetary help.

Sorry, but to pay some guy big bucks to take a look at the poverty stricken - why not just put that money towards those people? That would certainly help them out!

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Black American had a major problems for years. They did want welfare, they wanted training and job to go with the skills acquired.
They were forced to take welfare, then the public talked extremely bad about them.

Now we are all on welfare. Waiting for money from China for our stimulus packet. They have our middle class jobs and American is on welfare,

God help America, one of these We the People will become united not by title only. We the People of these United States. Stop electing official who divide and conquer us to vote against our on best interest as a people. 9_millions jobs gone.

[ladygreenslippers]

yes i agree that we will need a poverty czar especially after the Clintons are done paying off foreign leaders for bankrolling their personal wealth, and Penn for pushing Colombia's gov't interests. Who needs poor Americans!

[faeriewidow]

I agree with Webdeb... great comment!

[faeriewidow]

Poverty Czar? What about a Working class Czar? Listen, I am a social worker working in a depressed area. I work with lots of poor people. Most of them have legitimate problems that keep them from working. Most of them live off of $600 or $700 a month and receive Medicaid most of the time and most are on some type of subsized housing. Although this does not sound like very much it is something. What about the working class? They don't make enough to live on but they make too much to receive any assistance. The dirt poor in this country, who don't have very much at all, have it better than the working class in this country in some cases. Most working class do not receive healthcare, or if they have it, they are paying some outragous premiums that eat up a good portion of their paycheck. What is wrong with this picture? People wonder why it so hard for people to get off assistance/welfare? Maybe because they will not have healthcare if they start working a minimum wage job at Walmart. Maybe because the cost of childcare would be as much as the paycheck they bring home. This is not rocket science. Poor people don't want to become "working class" because they may end up being worse off.

[bailey2006]

I understand your reasoning, but would you be willing to trade what you have and live the life of the dirt poor? I didn't think so!

[androcles]

Might be a good idea. She should give herself a lot of practice by appointing a Truth Czar for her campaign though.

[wndrwrthg]

Perhaps ALL politicians would do well to utilize the workforce that is in place. We do not need a cabinete position to handle every aspect of this country. There are many career civil servants, that if allowed to pursue their jobs free of partisan b.s. could achieve the very things that the politicians rail about. Why waste more money creating more bureaucracy when there are those more than qualified to handle the problems?

[EspritDeVoltaire]

You are correct in what you're saying, but that's not the game which is being played. Perception is what matters not substance.

Do you think Bush would have had people cheering the invasion of Iraq if it had not been cloaked as "defending America"? How much support do you think he would have had for, "I'm going to roll the dice, unleash an untold amount of carnage and spending while hoping all hell doesn't break loose"?

It's not what you're actually doing, it's what you convince people you are doing that pays. Any beginning Political Science course teaches this as one of the basics. Go back to Plato, he said it. Machiavelli said it too. Twas ever thus. Perception trumps reality every time.

[WebDeb]

Hillary is calling for a 'poverty czar' on the anniversary of Dr. King's death, lining up with the wishes of Dr. King's son. Clever political move in attempt to undo some of the damage done. Reminds me of Felix the Cat....That cartoon character, who's theme song went: "Whenever he gets in a fix he reaches into his bag of tricks!"

Those in power in Washington are already in a position to address poverty and have been for decades. But, there is no profit in eliminating it. As long as people can be taken advantage of by wealthy business owners, bankers, lenders, employers, insurance companies and the like, poverty will remain. As long as those in power live in their hip pockets, things won't change. Hillary represents "old Washington ideals" so this is smoke and mirrors.

Today, if you are ill and can't work, you miss a credit card payment and your interest rate soars while your credit rating dives. You pay more for car insurance, higher interest rates on loans, will probably have trouble getting a job, health insurance, life insurance, etc. Access to credit information is available to anyone with statistics showing it impacts their profits. The impoverished are those who can least afford to pay more money for the same services. You can defer payment with no "penalty" if your credit score good. It isn't enough to live in poverty, one has to be penalized for it. There is no incentive to change that.

[jmk65]

i've yet to actually hear what this "change" is that obama will bring. or what "yes we can even means."
can someone explain?

hillary and obama actually have very similar positions so does that means he is also representing "old washington ideals?"

i care about who will get things done. who has concrete plans.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

You can read it for yourself anytime you like on his web site.
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/poverty/

[WebDeb]

We don't need a worker bee in the White House. We need a leader.

What change? How about over 1.2 million Americans from the ground up donating to a campaign, feeling invested in their government, a lot of them for the first time ever. How about excited youth, who actually believe their voices may be heard, and that someone cares about them and their issues and their future instead of big business and selfish ambitions?

It isn't about the plan. Anyone can come up with a plan. New ideas are tossed out every day. It is about how plans will be executed. That makes all the difference in the world.

It is about involvement. It is about the government being of the people and for the people, not special interests. If you don't think that's change, then you haven't been paying attention.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Hillary was on the board of WalMart, the originator of cradle to the grave minimum wage and 38 hour work weeks to avoid government mandated worker benefits.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

Clinton needs to come out and annouce some more ADMIN position.

I say she should come right out and offer Edwards the Poverty Czar postion.

Then she should announce that she would put constituional law professor Barack Obama on the Supreme Court.

[bailey2006]

And pigs fly, too.

[Adagio]

This is one more typical kick-the-can-down-the-road "real solution" from Hillary. Similar to her other "solutions" like appointing a blue-ribbon committee or taking a "time out" to study something or other.

How about some REAL real solutions, Hillary?

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Small problem, the real solution would be endorsing Obama and helping the Democrats take back the White House. I don't see that in her future, only more sound bites to disguise her ideologically bankrupt candidacy.

[Ginko]

name ONE solution Barack has. Just ONE.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Happy to help you out. There's more at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/poverty/

Help Americans Grab a Hold of and Climb the Job Ladder: Obama will invest $1 billion over five years in transitional jobs and career pathway programs that implement proven methods of helping low-income Americans succeed in the workforce.

Create a Green Jobs Corps: Obama will create a program to directly engage disadvantaged youth in energy efficiency opportunities to strengthen their communities, while also providing them with practical skills in this important high-growth career field.

Improve Transportation Access to Jobs: As president, Obama will work to ensure that low-income Americans have transportation access to jobs. Obama will double the federal Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program to ensure that additional federal public transportation dollars flow to the highest-need communities and that urban planning initiatives take this aspect of transportation policy into account.

Reduce Crime Recidivism by Providing Ex-Offender Supports: Obama will work to ensure that ex-offenders have access to job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling, and employment opportunities. Obama will also create a prison-to-work incentive program and reduce barriers to employment.

[SamThornton]

What's a poor politician to do? Their job as they see it, of course, is to avoid real problems while they cut back room deals with their cronies. To avoid real problems they've come up with "Study Groups," "Bi-Partisan Commissions," "Blue Ribbon Bi-Partisan Commissions," "The Task Force," "Wars" on different stuff, and more recently, "Czars" of various stuff. "Why can't the damn public just keep the damn wool over their damn eyes," they must whine plaintively to their staff sycophants. I really feel for them. Just can't quite reach them.

[Lorifromky]

If memory serves, sometime in March Senator Clinton discussed forming a panel to end childhood poverty in ten years. It was right around the time of heavy specuation about an impending Edward's endorsement. She has not said one word more about it since then.
How sincere is Senator Clinton about a Poverty Czar? Why does she suggest this now with only 10 contests remaining? Why does she use the anniversary of the assassination of a revered leader to make a political speech?
It all reeks of desperation. This is truly a woman who will say anything, anytime, anywhere to get elected.

[Ginko]

It reeks only of her determination to be ready with solutions on DAY ONE. Can't you see, Elizabeth was all over the news touting HIllary's Healthcare plan, now she is talking about her plan to have a Poverty Czar, who is obviously the man for the job. They are endorsing her with their ACTIONS. I think it is brilliant

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

Time for some delegate math. Obama currently leads Clinton in pledged delegates by 162

162 - 32 (Edwards endorsement) takes the lead down to 130

130 - 34 ( the number net delegates she would get for FL) takes the lead down to 96.
I know you won't want to count this. But, to be sure, it would be part of the story she would tell to super delegates.

ten contests left to chip away at that lead

PA - 158 Clinton leads a big win here could net 30
Guam - 4 no polls available
NC - 115 Obama leads by 15%
IN - 72 Clinton leads by 9% could net 10
WV - 28 Clinton leads by 28% could net 10
OR - 52 no polls available
KY - 51 Clinton leads by 29% could net 15
PR - 55 Clinton leads among latino voters usually 2 to 1 could net 20
MN - 16 no polls
SD - 15 no polls

if she keeps in close in NC and OR, i could see the pledged delegate count getting down below 30 and I could see her claiming the popular vote by adding FL in and also claim the momentum by winning so many by so much at the end. And I could see her claiming the Rev Wright damage if Obama still can't pick up any of the blue collar white vote.

[Ginko]

delegate math? huh? What is with you guys and this "do the math" Karl Rove phrase? Why don't YOU do the math, she's ahead in 3 of 4 of the upcoming races and LEADS in Superdelegates and electoral votes. You need to learn about how our system works as opposed to your fantasy of how it works.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

I'm with you on this. I support Clinton. I was pointing out how she is GOING to get close enough to be able to convince the super delegates to go with her.

[Hillbug]

...this is a delegate contest. NOT an electoral vote contest. The electoral vote has NOTHING to do with the nomination process, and it's a silly argument to boot, because it assumes that everything you win during the primaries you will win during the GE -- which doesn't work, because otherwise, McCain would win NY and Illinois!

She's ahead in PA (which I think she'll win but not by as large a margin as everyone thinks), West Virginia (she'll win pretty big there) and IN (but only slightly)-- remember though, polls change.

With superdelegates, yes, she leads (by, what? 30?), but what you're missing is the fact that a number of her superdels have publicly said, "If Obama leads in the delegate count at the end of this, I will vote for him" So is it really a leads if, though they're pledged for her right now, they'll vote for HIM at the convention?

[bailey2006]

And WHEN Hillary tosses in the Rev. Wright tape, they will likely run her ass out of the room.

[NYC07]

Yes , just what the country needs , another high paid millionaire whose family 10 generations ago was poor and who today think that a poor person is someone who makes less then a million dollars a year and has less then 5 million in the bank !!

[Ginko]

SO in your mind, Barack ISN'T a Millionaire? LOL
you Obamabots are truly blind.
Obama is the king of quid pro quo, he comes out of the COMBINE in Chicago, do you know absolutely NOTHING about politics? You are honestly believing his "Im a new kind of politician" crap? LOL you are being duped so badly by the Right Wing it would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Show me the proof, I sick and tried of sorry ass lip service by a blogger. I don't care if you said it about Hilliary. I am a democrat. I am sick and tried of any trash talk about any democrate. This divdie and conquer shit you just stated I demand you prove it or STFU

[MadeinAmericaProud]

I can prove I have not been dupe, he wrote TWO best seller. AKA books.

Where do you get your shit from?

[NYC07]

No but his parents weren't nor his grandparents. And if you learned to read you would see I am talking about who ever would be put into the position, I'm not trashing Hillary, but of course you Hill-bots rarely have progressed to where reading comprehension is taught in school

[Ginko]

you don't think Barack is a millionaire?
lol

[UCantPolishATurdblossum]

I nominate Mark Penn as Billary's Poverty Czar. Maybe he'll ship out all our jobless to Columbia along with the jobs.

[DesertLight]

No you can't but if you live in So CA, you can put it a brown bag and market it as rose petals.

[DesertLight]

That was for U Can't Polish...I could not pass up that name.....Just a little humor.

[Ginko]

Obviously, John Edwards has the job since it was he who first floated the idea. Connect the dots, obviously the Edwards are working with Hillary.
She will have Al Gore in any capacity he wants to participate too.