Congressional Republicans focused their weekly address on an unusual demographic considering the national holiday weekend: those in poverty.
Rep. Bradley Bryne, a first-term member from Alabama, talked about those down on their luck in his district.
“Some are struggling with addiction. Some have no homes. Some have jobs that simply don’t pay enough. They come from all kinds of backgrounds. And none of them want to stay in poverty,” said Bryne, speaking from local nonprofit, Feeding the Gulf Coast. “On this Labor Day weekend, we should recognize that every person struggling wants to get a job and make enough money to live a good life.”
He criticized the federal government for pushing programs that help people in need, but do not provide them a pathway into the workforce or out of their current funk.
“It’s clear to me that one thing government sure can’t do is love someone — only another person can do that. But the government can learn from these groups what really works,” Bryne added.
The trillions of dollars spent over the past five decades and annual $800 billion “war on poverty” have not lifted millions out of poverty, it’s further cemented them in the cycle, Bryne said.
Instead, Bryne offered “A Better Way” to provide a “once and for all” solution for those in poverty. The first plank of the Republican Party’s 2017 agenda focuses on poverty and five steps to minimize bureaucracy and in turn, give people the chance to help themselves rather than rely on Washington.
Those who work will be rewarded with benefits and those benefits will be tailored to individuals’ needs. The schooling process, from Kindergarten to higher education will be improved and students will receive job training for vocations they want to pursue. The government will teach people how to plan and save for the future. Finally, he said the process will be results-driven in order to improve the process and only continue to implement strategies that have been proven to work through trial and error.
