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Institute for Peace and
Justice
Closing the Gap
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Something not often covered in the
political rhetoric this year is the growing gap between
the rich and poor. Here we offer ideas others have
generated to address the gap. Posting this information
does not constitute an IPJ endorsement, but we hope it
stimulates further discussion.
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We start with two agenda items and
related proposals from a platform prepared by an
internet discussion group, Sojolist. Sojolist is an
ecumenical group interested in faith-based social and
economic justice.
ENSURING ECONOMIC JUSTICE
• Accept the societal responsibility for
poverty.
• Set a goal to halt and reverse the growing
disparity in wealth and income between the wealthy and
the poor.
• Work to dispel the myth that those who are
poor are responsible for their plight.
• Eliminate Social Security tax on the first
$15,000 of income, and
• Implement Social Security
tax on income above the current cap.
• Study impact of taxing all transfers of money
(exclude food, medical care, basic shelter) as a
substitute for all federal taxes (including social
security).
• Make corporate charters subject to periodic
review to assess charter holders' contribution to the
common welfare, and renew or abrogate the charter
depending on the corporation's behavior.
• Reallocate a significant portion of the
Defense budget to education, housing, nonviolent
conflict resolution.
• Increase inheritance tax, but ensure fairness
to family owned businesses.
• Dis-incentivize debt that harms the poor.
• Provide significant loan funds or loan
guarantees for startup
microenterprises.
OVERCOMING U.S. POVERTY
• Require a living wage (accomplished in
conjunction with government support for childcare,
transportation, health care, tax credit).
• Subsidize capital ownership by the poor
through government insured loans.
• Subsidize vastly improved public
transportation.
• Support communities/states' exploration of
creative transportation alternatives.
• Support day care centers, including licensed
church and home operated day care centers.
• Promote "charitable choice" (allowing
church-related organizations to compete for government
grant and voucher funding).
• Provide/subsidize guaranteed health care -
including long term home or institutional care.
• Provide catastrophic health insurance.
• Provide vouchers to the poor to allow them to
use private housing in any location.
• Allow the poor to purchase their housing
(with a substantial part of their government aid being
"purchase"). |
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Web Sites Addressing Ways to
Overcome the Gap
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Gathering facts is essential before
addressing issues.
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Pax Christi has initiated a
large-scale, long-term effort to shift our government's
priorities away from a bloated military budget toward
pressing social needs.
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The U.S. Catholic Bishops have lots
to say on social security.
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Facts and figures and a position
from the U.S. Catholic Bishops addressing those without
health insurance.
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With the experience of working with
the poor, the U.S. Catholic Bishops speak out on welfare
reform.
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Also drawing on experience, the
United Church of Christ speaks on hunger relief
programs.
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United Church of Christ supports
full funding for Title I, which provides educational
opportunities for low income students.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America proposes standards for global
corporations.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America's Women and Children Living in Poverty (WCLIP)
places special emphasis on poor women and
children.
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