The hottest Poverty Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

What I Told RFK's Team at the Department of Health and Human Services

Rob Henderson's Newsletter • 6629 implied HN points • 21 May 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Poverty Education Family Policy Social norms
  1. Teaching the 'success sequence' can help reduce poverty. Kids who finish school, get a job, and marry before having kids are much less likely to be in poverty.
  2. Society needs clear and strong norms around work and family. When rich people don't talk about these norms, it confuses those in lower-income communities.
  3. Family stability is important for children's success. Kids from married parents tend to do better in school and have better chances of going to college.

Quiz: Do you favor giving some help to poor kids but even more to the rich?

Robert Reich • 12402 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Poverty Inequality Budget Senate
  1. A new tax bill aims to reduce child poverty by giving benefits to poor kids and the rich.
  2. The bill would help around 16 million children and boost the incomes of the top 1% quite a lot.
  3. While commendable for pulling children out of poverty, the bill also includes tax breaks that heavily benefit the wealthiest Americans.

Why Is Africa Poor?

Journal of Free Black Thought • 59 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
💼 Business Economic Policy Entrepreneurship Trade Poverty Corruption
  1. Economic freedom is crucial for Africa's growth. When people can easily start businesses and trade, they can improve their lives and communities.
  2. Many African countries face heavy regulations that make it hard to start businesses. This creates barriers and leads to corruption, which makes economic freedom worse.
  3. Better trade connections and fewer rules can help Africa prosper. Countries like Mauritius show that when barriers are removed, economies can thrive and people can become wealthier.

At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#27)

Noahpinion • 13411 implied HN points • 07 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Legislation Social media Bipartisanship Poverty
  1. There are signs of Americans pushing back against the divisive thinking of the past decade, with small acts like a country music singer performing a duet to bridge divides.
  2. Political leanings between young men and women may not be diverging as dramatically as suggested by viral charts, indicating a need to be cautious with data interpretations.
  3. Unions and semiconductor companies have found ways to cooperate, showing that determined industrial policy can overcome labor disputes with significant financial incentives.

Chartbook 330: Africa & absolute poverty in an era of polycrisis.

Chartbook • 1072 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Poverty Development Economics Global Issues Inequality
  1. Absolute poverty remains a huge issue, especially in Africa, where many people live on very little daily. Despite some progress in reducing poverty in the past, the fight has stalled recently due to several overlapping crises.
  2. Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant challenges, with extreme poverty still on the rise, while other regions like Asia have seen a decline. Many poorer countries have not improved economically, which is concerning.
  3. Stability is crucial for reducing poverty. Countries free from conflict and instability tend to see better economic growth, while those suffering from political issues struggle to escape poverty.
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Don't overthink poverty in the United States

Slow Boring • 5660 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Poverty Welfare state Conservatives Social programs
  1. The US welfare state programs are effective but not generous enough, which leads to high poverty rates.
  2. Official poverty measurements may not accurately reflect the impact of anti-poverty programs, resulting in a lack of recognition for progress made in poverty reduction.
  3. Conservative ideas about poverty often focus on high market wages as the solution, ignoring the realities of different vulnerable populations and the effectiveness of welfare programs.

Boys are more delicate than girls

Sex and the State • 53 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gender Issues Poverty Child development Employment Trends
  1. Boys are more affected by their family situations than girls. A stable family life can greatly improve boys' future job prospects.
  2. Growing up in poverty and single-parent households has a bigger negative impact on boys. They tend to struggle more in school and with behavior compared to girls in similar situations.
  3. Many people, regardless of their political views, are worried about boys' futures. Society generally believes we need to do more to help boys succeed.

The Year Poverty Began To End

¡Do Not Panic! • 864 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Poverty Covid response Economic Inequality Climate Denial
  1. Poverty rates in the richest countries significantly declined from 2020 to 2021, with millions lifted out of poverty.
  2. Government interventions during the pandemic reduced food insecurity and homelessness in countries like the US, UK, and Canada.
  3. The pandemic highlighted how economic structures favor the rich, and how emergency situations can lead to transformative policy responses.

Why poverty is rising in America

American Inequality • 628 implied HN points • 04 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Poverty Government Response Policy Solutions Inequality
  1. US saw largest one-year increase in poverty rate in history, with child poverty doubling last year
  2. Inflation and increased cost of living contributed to the rise in poverty levels
  3. The White House and President Biden blamed congressional Republicans for the rise in child poverty, emphasizing the importance of support programs like EITC and CTC in reducing poverty

Poverty is growing in Puerto Rico, under US colonialism: 57.6% of children live in poor households

Geopolitical Economy Report • 598 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Colonialism Poverty Inequality Economy Migration
  1. Poverty in Puerto Rico is on the rise, with over two-fifths of the population and nearly three-fifths of children living in poor households.
  2. Despite more people being employed, poverty continues to worsen in Puerto Rico.
  3. The US colonial status of Puerto Rico has contributed to its extremely high poverty rates and income disparities compared to the rest of the United States.

Here's Proof that Extreme Poverty Statistics are Unreliable

Policy Tensor • 373 implied HN points • 29 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Poverty Data Analysis Development Research
  1. Extreme poverty statistics may not be reliable due to potential biases in measurement methods.
  2. Evidence indicates inconsistencies between poverty rates and key indicators like life expectancy, raising concerns about the accuracy of poverty data.
  3. The World Bank's numbers show discrepancies that suggest a need for further scrutiny and possible revision of poverty measurement techniques.

Wakanda isn't an ideal utopia for Africa

The Novelleist • 575 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Africa Natural resources Economic Development Poverty Corruption
  1. Wakanda in Black Panther is a positive portrayal of African prosperity with advanced technology, boosting pride and dignity.
  2. The economic model of Wakanda, relying on a magical substance for wealth, ignores the realities of gradual economic development involving valuable goods and services.
  3. The obsession with natural resources as a source of wealth can hinder economic growth due to corruption, lack of policy improvements, and misinformation about their true benefits.

causing prosperity

bad cattitude • 165 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
💰 Finance Economics Wealth Poverty Income Inequality
  1. Welfare states are not charity; they can lead to poverty traps
  2. To create prosperity, we need pillars like property rights, scientific rationalism, modern capital markets, and effective communication systems
  3. Redistribution of wealth to alleviate poverty can actually increase absolute poverty, impacting economic growth and overall wealth

Ending the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency

crimeandpunishment • 117 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Healthcare access Poverty
  1. The Biden Administration is transitioning out of the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency by letting declarations expire together in May 2023.
  2. The end of the emergency declarations may lead to higher costs for COVID tests and cuts to programs like SNAP benefits.
  3. Some leaders advocate for an immediate end to the emergency declarations, while others support a phased approach for a safer transition.

Divorcing for Liberty Sanity

The False Consensus Effect • 59 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Poverty Ethics Activism Income
  1. The author suggests embracing voluntary poverty as a way to protest against governments and their harmful actions.
  2. Poverty can be a creative way to navigate life, leading to self-sufficiency and alternate sources of income.
  3. Living below the poverty line is proposed as a form of resistance against contributing to unethical government actions and military spending.

Six Weeks Into Poverty

The False Consensus Effect • 39 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Poverty Government Action Protest Political Ethics
  1. Living in poverty challenges the norms and calls for embracing hardship to break free from society's expectations.
  2. Questioning the definition of poverty in the context of governmental thresholds and the need for societal reforms like universal healthcare.
  3. Exploring the idea of indirect action against corrupt government policies by advocating for living in poverty as a form of rebellion.

Reconsidering Milton Friedman and the negative income tax

Hypertext • 59 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Poverty Economics Social programs Neoliberalism
  1. The NIT proposed by Friedman could have advantages in targeting poverty by providing cash transfers without distorting the market.
  2. Friedman's NIT plan was not fully accepted due to various factors such as concerns about work incentives, opposition from special interest groups, and the perception of it being a neoliberal initiative.
  3. There is ongoing interest in income floor ideas like the NIT and UBI today, but there are distinctions between the two models and challenges in gaining support for the NIT concept.

From FDR to Coretta Scott King: Economic Rights and the New Poor People's Campaign

Humanities in Revolt • 179 implied HN points • 11 Aug 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Social justice Poverty Civil Rights Labor Rights
  1. In 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. initiated the Poor People's March to address economic impoverishment that affected African Americans and people of all ethnicities.
  2. Coretta Scott King highlighted that violence against poor people, neglect, and discrimination are forms of violence that require honest confrontation of institutionalized racism.
  3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt called for a 'Second Bill of Rights,' advocating for economic justice as essential for true individual freedom and security.

Hunger In America

crimeandpunishment • 58 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economy Corporate Profits Poverty
  1. Over 25% of American adults are food insecure due to high inflation and the end of pandemic benefits.
  2. The increase in dollar stores has led to negative impacts on locally owned stores and products.
  3. Food prices have surged, and corporate profits are soaring while millions of Americans, including children, face food insecurity.

December, twenty years ago

The Leftovers • 39 implied HN points • 24 Dec 21
🎭️ Culture Christmas Poverty Inequality Weather Social Issues
  1. During Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere, looting used to be a sign that the holiday was close due to issues like poverty, inflation, and unemployment.
  2. TV pundits often commented on the ethics of looting, mentioning the types of items looted and the reasons behind it.
  3. The combination of poverty, anger, inequality, and high temperatures in December created a tense environment that led to looting incidents.

Life is a Highway: The Long and Winding Road to Poverty Alleviation

Crossing the River by Feeling the Stones • 1 HN point • 04 May 23
🌍 World Politics Infrastructure Poverty China Economics Transportation
  1. Improving rural roads is crucial for poverty alleviation in China.
  2. Highway construction plays a significant role in connecting remote areas and enabling economic growth.
  3. Investing in highways for rural areas can stimulate tourism, create job opportunities, and enhance economic activities.