It has been evidenced in the past that presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson have all attempted to help Americans living in poverty better themselves and get back on their feet; however, today there still has not been much emphasis in our American government that any of this is happening with any consistency. Part of having a welfare state is making sure that most Americans are not only surviving, but also making sure that they have food on the table, a roof over their head, and hopefully, a job, but the American government is not doing its part to ensure that these necessities are being met. It has been seen in the past that various deals and movements have been organized to help these people, however, just how much of an impact do they make? Although through the New Deal and The Great Society played a role in lowering the poverty rate, the government should do more now to help the forty-five million Americans not only live but thrive.

The goals of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal included relief, recovery, and reform; by doing this he hoped to help the poor and unemployed in order to “promote a general welfare.” During the New Deal, Roosevelt strived to fix the problems that occurred during the Great Depression. In 1935, the Works Progress Administration was established which created many jobs. The government also enacted a Social Security Act that gave people who were unemployed the benefit of still receiving insurance. Moreover, it also provided aid for poverty-stricken mothers and children. This act (like the Wagner Act, an act that was aware of employees rights to join labor legislation and gave employee’s rights to collective bargaining) created a platform of

becoming more aware of those people that were struggling. Along with the Fair Standards Labor Act, which provided workers with some additional rights, set up a minimum wage, as well as outlawed child labor. Subsequent to this, unemployment accelerated. Later on, during the Great Society, the government wanted to focus on equal pay to make more of a “welfare state.” At this time, President Lyndon B. Johnson was in office. He cared about American citizens, especially those in poverty. Johnson attempted to train jobless people, educate the uneducated, and provide health care for those in need (Medicare and Medicaid). Although the situation is better today, there should be more political leaders such as President Johnson who care about the total picture and not only the one percent.

During the 1930s and 1960s, the government attempted to improve the poverty rate,. Fourteen and a half percent of Americans live below the poverty rate today. It is evident that the American government needs to take more action. Some progress has been made; although, Paul Ryan (Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives) states that, “After a 50-year war on poverty and trillions of dollars spent, we still have the same poverty rates.” Ryan,along with many other conservatives, believes that social services provided by our government in order to lower the poverty rate, in actuality hurt the poor. Many conservatives, along with some liberals, have taken on the idea that the services the government provides are in fact unhelpful or bad. Although the government should be more involved in helping these people get back on their feet, the primary question remains, how else are these people going to thrive? In order to help Americans who live in poverty get back on their feet, there should be a funded social safety net to aid these people in getting back on their feet (Poverty). According to a poverty measure, “in 2016 refundable tax

credits, SNAP, and housing subsidies lifted 8.2 million, 3.6 million, and 3.1 million people out of poverty”(Opposing). These government programs (such as SNAP) give people a push without only relying on the government’s aid. Some people may argue that with all of the government’s help, these people will not do anything for themselves; however, by giving low-income people an opportunity, the government is giving them a chance to actually have a good life, which is part of having a welfare state.

Helping Americans in poverty not only benefits them, but also goes along with other important values such as bettering our economy, making a stronger middle class, and keeping the idea of the American Dream. If fewer people are in poverty, the government could invest more time in other areas to foster economic growth. According to the American Progress Action, “Child poverty alone is estimated to cost the U.S. economy more than $500 billion annually in lost productivity, increased health care costs, and higher criminal-justice expenditures.” Beginning with the fact that that many children live in poverty, coupled with its related cost is not only depressing, but unAmerican. Every child should have the opportunity to have food on their table, a roof over their head, and an education. The government should be providing more programs for children living in poverty so that they can have the potential to not only make a living, but actually do something important with their lives. In addition, poverty actually weakens the middle class. Every day more and more Americans are falling out of the middle-class and into the lower-class. This is not good because “America’s economic strength is based on a strong middle class with purchasing power to fuel our economy and workforce contributions to increase our economic growth and productivity”(Brown). Without a

strong middle class, there will not be a strong economy. Poverty affects everyone in one way or another; therefore, there is much the government can do to fix this situation that they are not doing. Finally, poverty takes away democracy in the United States because these people feel powerless. Everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their “American Dream” whether that is getting back on their own feet or becoming wealthy. Poverty conflicts with American values “equal representation and political equality” (Brown). Therefore, government should hear these people out who are living under such horrible circumstances and strive to help them, not only because it is the right thing to do, but by helping them, the government can devote more time on other issues, improving these other issues that occur in the United States.

Although the government can not help every single low-income American, there is still much more they can do to make sure that 45 million Americans are not struggling. In the past, through the New Deal and The Great Society, we have seen the government attempting to make changes, but obviously these changes have not made much of an impact considering so many children and families still live in poverty today. The government should be doing more to create programs that will not make low income people rely on the government itself, but give them something to not only get back on their feet, but to also live successfully.