As I noted today on the UCNews Blog, interfaith religious leaders are calling on the two major party candidiates to "use their primetime slots at the nominating conventions to offer plans for combating poverty," according to a statement released by the National Council of Churches.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops notes:
Since 2000, the number of poor Americans has grown by more than 6 million.
In 2006, the number of people living in extreme poverty, that is, with incomes below half the poverty line, remained the same at 15.6 million people. The number of Americans living in extreme poverty remains the highest level on record, since data first became available in 1975.
Economic policies supported by George W. Bush and endorsed by John McCain have created a deep crisis in our nation - one that is moral and economic.
So what will John McCain do to reduce the poverty he has helped create? That's hard to know. He doesn't list anything about poverty on his website. Poverty isn't even listed as an issue to be addressed in his economic plan.
Senator Barack Obama, on the other hand, offers voters a detailed plan to help combat poverty.
You can watch Senator Obama adddress the issues involved for yourself.
