Fbruary 1, 2014
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
Meeting this goal will enable the end poverty in America: I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of providing a path for all Americans who are physically or cognitively able to earn their way out of poverty, and, once out of poverty, for all Americans to be able to stay out of poverty by their own individual effort.
Thankfully, there is quite a bit of activity in this country about what to do about Poverty in America. Clearly, as I predicted in my last letter to you on this subject, Pope Francis has had great impact. The Republicans are certainly jumping on the bandwagon. I am hopeful that you and those who screen your mail will take a look at my attached plan for Ending Poverty in America. It is a bipartisan plan—appealing to both Republican and Democratic principles—and, by its very nature will improve the lives of all Americans. Extending unemployment benefits and raising the minimum wage will merely make people less poor—they do not end poverty in America. My plan does.
When I read Jeffery Sachs excellent work, “The End of Poverty”, the end of extreme poverty in the world did not seem relevant to what I was working on, but I soon realized that many Americans are just a few steps higher in that struggle out of poverty. It was refreshing to hear an economist admit that not all problems can be solved by simply throwing money at them—figuratively speaking, of course. He acknowledged that goals need to be set, problems need to be identified and that solutions solving those problems need to be found and implemented. Only then will the money spent actually solve the problems and meet the goals.
Knowing that any accomplishment starts with a good goal, that is where I started. I also sought help from my wife, Carol Simpson, whose Masters degree in Occupational Therapy with a specialization in mental health and the employment placement of her patients gave me needed perspective.
The similarity to JFK’s goal that started the space program is quite intentional. His was an excellent goal. To end poverty in America, as with the space program, new ways of thinking and new technologies will be needed. The challenge to the American people will be just as great; the accomplishment will rival that of Abraham Lincoln when he ended slavery. Please embrace this goal—it is time for you to make history!
Sincerely yours,
Donald E. Simpson
Attachment: “End Poverty in America”, by Donald E. Simpson
Nice job.
Posted by: dennis | February 25, 2014 at 10:25 AM
ETHEL CAIN RUSSELL FROM THE GREAT STATE OF MISSISSIPPI LOVE THIS COMMENT
Posted by: Ethel C. Russell | February 11, 2014 at 06:52 AM