2012 Republican Presidential Candidates on Poverty

Poverty conveys the impression of individuals and families struggling to afford basic sustenance, shelter and education. Nothing that we should be concerned about then, since our status as the richest country in the world precludes the possibility of poverty existing in our society. Right? No. Really.

Based on the latest CPS ASEC survey, the United States Census Bureau has estimated that the official American poverty rate stands at an incredible 14.3%, the highest since the survey begun 51 years ago. There are 43.6 million Americans that live below the poverty line. In other words, one in seven Americans are unable to properly feed, cloth, shelter and educate themselves and their families.

These disturbing numbers are not a one off, in case anyone is wondering. The numbers have been steadily declining for years, and the worst part is, the poverty rate among children under the age of 18 is 20.7%. That's one in five of our kids, the very same ones who will inherit the country.

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2012 Presidential Candidates on Twitter

Declared 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate
Former Speaker of the House

Newt Gingrich

Gingrich Position on Poverty

• Gingrich believes that poverty could be erased with more opportunities in education.

• He thinks that orphanages like Boys Town serve children better than welfare.

• He supports group homes for unwed mothers.

• He would prohibit welfare to minor mothers and deny increased AFDC for additional children born while on welfare.

• Gingrich supports less spending on welfare and establishing work requirements.

• He thinks welfare should only last 2 years.

• Gingrich promotes moving the powers of government back to the states and local governments where volunteers better know the needs of the people.

• Newt would Improve opportunities for the poor by teaching children values and emphasizing family, education and work.

• He would establish tax incentives for investment and entrepreneurship.

• He wants to protect against violence and drugs with strict laws and enforcement.

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Declared 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate
Former Governor of Massachusetts

Mitt Romney

Romney Position on Poverty

• Mitt Romney holds the opinion that the biggest reason for the success of Americans is their belief in God and their ability to capitalize on opportunities. Saying that the American DNA is laced with opportunity, he blames the welfare programs of the yesteryears for having created a culture of poverty which he feels is still lurking and threatening to destroy the American culture.

• Being opposed to the issue of giving cash hand-outs to poor workers, Mitt Romney feels that a better way of dealing with the problem is to bring about growth in the business sector, create jobs and thus generate more income.

• When the state proposed a project with the intention of overcoming and preventing homelessness and assigned a huge amount for the issue, Mitt Romney, the then Governor, vetoed the entire program and reduced the amount significantly for one program because he disapproved of it completely. However, both programs would receive funds which would enable them to carry out their objectives.

• Mitt Romney has suggested three major policy changes namely requiring the recipients to go to work immediately, eliminating firms which invest in inner city enterprise zone from paying taxes on capital gains and awarding tax credits to companies which hire poor residents and provide them with stable employment.

• Mitt Romney has also proposed minimum sentences which would not only be mandatory on criminals but would also be tough. This is to ensure the reduction of crime through tough measures and its ultimate crackdown.

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Declared 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate

Matt Snyder

Snyder Position on Poverty

"Poverty is not the result of bad luck; it is the result of bad decisions. Therefore, it can only be defeated through education. Fighting poverty with welfare programs is like fixing a heat pump by passing out sweaters. Welfare only helps people cope with the problem. It doesn’t fix the problem."