Poverty finds a voice on campaign trail
Lobbyists are working to make poverty a higher priority, and the '08 election is providing a springboard for discussion. Candidates from both parties are expected make poverty a stop on the road to the White House. Jeff Tyler reports.
TEXT OF STORY
MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Last night Democratic presidential candidates faced off in their second debate. Tonight, three of the leading Democratic candidates will discuss the needs of a group that makes the least number of campaign contributions: the poor. John Edwards and Senators Clinton and Obama will speak about poverty for a conference of Christian activists called Pentecost 2007. Marketplace’s Jeff Tyler has more.
JEFF TYLER: The four-day event focuses on lobbying local and national politicians to make fighting poverty a higher priority.
In addition to tonight’s discussion by leading Democrats, spokesman Adam Taylor expects another debate in the months ahead featuring Republicans.
ADAM TAYLOR: Overcoming poverty has to become a non-partisan cause and a bipartisan commitment. And we’re trying to get both political parties to really prioritize a set of commitments to overcome poverty.
Taylor says his group of Christian activists have set some concrete and measurable goals.
TAYLOR: Cutting in half the number of Americans living in poverty over 10 years.
The group also wants politicians to make good on pledges to wipe clean the foreign debts of the world’s poorest countries.
I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.
TEXT OF STORY
MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Last night Democratic presidential candidates faced off in their second debate. Tonight, three of the leading Democratic candidates will discuss the needs of a group that makes the least number of campaign contributions: the poor. John Edwards and Senators Clinton and Obama will speak about poverty for a conference of Christian activists called Pentecost 2007. Marketplace’s Jeff Tyler has more.
JEFF TYLER: The four-day event focuses on lobbying local and national politicians to make fighting poverty a higher priority.
In addition to tonight’s discussion by leading Democrats, spokesman Adam Taylor expects another debate in the months ahead featuring Republicans.
ADAM TAYLOR: Overcoming poverty has to become a non-partisan cause and a bipartisan commitment. And we’re trying to get both political parties to really prioritize a set of commitments to overcome poverty.
Taylor says his group of Christian activists have set some concrete and measurable goals.
TAYLOR: Cutting in half the number of Americans living in poverty over 10 years.
The group also wants politicians to make good on pledges to wipe clean the foreign debts of the world’s poorest countries.
I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.