Ask the Candidates: Will You Cut Poverty in Half?

Next Tuesday, October 7, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain will meet at Belmont University to answer questions from around the country in a town hall debate. Moderator Tom Brokaw will be accepting questions from the public through Thursday, October 2. This will be the only opportunity for the candidates to address the importance of fighting poverty in a public forum. See http://www.myspace.com/mydebates to submit a question.

Not sure what to ask? Half in Ten sent in this question:

Since 2000 the economy has grown and productivity has increased, but median wages have gone down, and poverty has risen. More than 37 million Americans live below the official poverty line, and tens of millions more are having a hard time putting food on the table and keeping up with their bills. Will you make a commitment to cut poverty in half in the next 10 years? What specific steps will you take to achieve this goal?

Submit your question before Thursday, October 2 to make it into consideration for the town hall debate. By doing so, you will help keep the issue of fighting poverty and increasing opportunity on the table in this election.

Let us know what you ask: Send a copy of your questions to info@halfinten.org. We’ll pick questions to feature on our upcoming redesigned Half in Ten website!



For more information on the Center for American Progress’ policies to fight poverty, as well as the Half in Ten campaign, please see:

* From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half by the Center for American Progress Task Force on Poverty
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/poverty_report.html

* Half in Ten: From Poverty to Prosperity
http://www.halfinten.org/

Half in Ten plans to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within 10 years. Under the leadership of Senator John Edwards, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), have joined forces on the campaign to elevate and sustain a focus on the situations facing the poor and middle class today,build and strengthen an effective constituency to demand legislative action on poverty and economic mobility, advance specific legislative and policy proposals that will deliver real benefits to struggling American families. For more information on how to reduce poverty in America, see From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half by the Center for American Progress Task Force on Poverty.