With President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” marking its 50th anniversary, the debate over the most effective way for the United States to fight poverty continues. Some argue that the United States has become a “welfare state” where people receive handouts from the government (food, money or other assistance) and that the existence of these programs discourage many people from seeking employment. Others argue that these “safety net” programs have halted a further increase in poverty and are necessary to get families who are in poverty back on the right track. Furthermore, new solutions to poverty are being proposed by the President, and leaders from both Democratic and Republican parties. Today, as the U.S. poverty rate stands at 14.5 percent, consider the following question:

How should the Government address poverty in the United States?

Teaching about Poverty                                                                                                                                                               

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