Can We Reduce Poverty in 10 Years?

Commentary on Spotlight on Poverty asks the question, "What Will It Really Take to Move Individuals and Families Out of Poverty in Ten Years?". Noting that

it may be several years before we truly know the impact of the recession on individuals and families, what is known is that record high unemployment rates coupled with the housing and healthcare crisis have had a destabilizing effect on many middle- and low-income families. In order to cut poverty in half in ten years, sound and innovative public policies alone will not be enough. To reach our target of lifting nearly 20 million out of poverty, we will need the following: (1) a national mandate from the Administration and coordination of efforts among federal agencies, states, and localities; (2) an updated poverty measure that is reflective of today’s economic reality; (3) a systematic periodic review of benchmarks and progress at the federal and state levels; and (4) a deliberate strategy to move a sizeable percentage of the most vulnerable segments of our society out of poverty.

Policies to reduce child poverty.