We rethink the week with Dean Spiliotis, Civic Scholar and Presidential Scholar at Southern New Hampshire University; Rick Newman, lobbyist and former NH state representative; and Stephen Pimpare, Professor at the University of New Hampshire and a nationally recognized expert on poverty, homelessness, and U.S. social policy.
We begin by quoting Anthony Scaramucci, who was Pres. Trump’s chief of staff for all of 11 days. He said that Trump has made us weaker, sicker, and poorer. The only exceptions are the wealthy few, who used the pandemic as an opportunity to further increase their wealth. The billionaires have seen their billions increase by over 30% since the beginning of this pandemic – shocking!
Meanwhile, huge numbers of formerly working people – middle-income, low-income and minimum-wage barely-subsistance-income – are now suffering severely during the pandemic. Out of work, no longer covered by their employer’s health insurance plan, poverty and inequality and desperation are the main characteristics of America under Trump.
US poverty levels have never been at a lower level than in 1973, when 11.1% of Americans subsisted below the poverty line. Ever since, through the 1990s even until today, about 12-13% live in poverty. The majority of the impoverished are children and women.
