Rev. William Barber II demands focus on poverty, proposes debate format to 'put facts out'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Published 5:13 a.m. ET Oct. 3, 2024 | Updated 7:04 a.m. ET Oct. 3, 2024


As the nation reviewed the vice presidential debate between Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Tuesday night, Rev. William J. Barber II noticed one group of people missing from the conversation: the poor.

The founder of Repairers of the Breach, The Poor People's Campaign and the Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale told USA TODAY in an interview Wednesday that the presidential race, and by extension the vice presidential debate, was not revealing solutions for the nearly 38 million people living in poverty in the country.

"We're talking about poverty that is not an anomaly among one group of people. But in fact, is across the country, in every community, in every city," Barber said. "We should really be talking about how to abolish the majority of poverty, because we know what would happen if we did have serious living minimum wage and health care."

Barber was unsparing in his criticism of statements made by Vance during the debate, including those on the Affordable Care Act and on his position on abortion. "I saw some of the un-Christian type statements coming out of Vance's mouth. He wasn't hollering, he wasn't cussing, he wasn't being belittling. He was doing it with a smile, in some sense, makes it worse," Barber said.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/03/william-barber-ii-vp-debate/75488286007/

[ananda]

1. I know. It's like "poor" and "poverty" are dirty words.

With Harris and Walz, it's middle class only.

That has always bothered me, but it didn't start with them.

It's a Republican and media creation that "poor" and "poverty"
is associated with crime and evil.

This is a real shame, but there it is.

[XanaDUer2]

2. It bothers me, too

Its always middle class. I daresay there are Americans who are working class who think their's theyre middle class.

[Jk23]

3. And there are a lot of rich people who swear they are middle class. NT

[XanaDUer2]

4. To me, MC is a dr or high ranking CPA

making 125k a yr or something. Not someone earning 35k a year. I always considered myself working class

[Jk23]

6. The issue is location as well

Someone earning 125k in Missouri is rich in California that is middle class.

There is also income vs assets and expenses. By income I am lower middle class or poor. By assets I am apparently upper middle class.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. He's a national treasure. I wonder if Madame VP has ever spent any time with him....

❤️

[BumRushDaShow]

7. "He's a national treasure. I wonder if Madame VP has ever spent any time with him...."

Link to tweet

Vice President Kamala Harris
@VP
·
Follow
Today, I met with Rev. Dr. William Barber to thank him for his years of work to raise wages and end poverty.

President Biden and I know: We have a duty to ensure workers across our nation are treated with dignity and that all families have the opportunity to thrive.
Vice President Harris meets with Rev. Dr. William Barber in her West Wing office.
10:03 PM · Feb 5, 2024

https://www.culturetype.com/2020/11/12/rev-william-j-barber-ii-on-ascension-of-vice-president-elect-kamala-harris-you-are-the-light-of-the-world/

[littlemissmartypants]

8. That's great! Thanks!

I marched with him and attended his sermons during the Moral Mondays protests. It was an amazing time.

Forward together. Not one step back. That was the dominant call and response we shouted as we moved down the sidewalk 2 by 2 on the way to the rally point from the church.

I shook that same hand. How cool is that?

Thanks BRDS!

❤️

[BumRushDaShow]

10. He is a man with a purpose on a mission

I don't know how he does it but he does it!!

[The Wandering Harper]

13. I am glad to see this

but wary
I've been holding my tongue on a thing or two until after
Kamala Harris is safely seated as POTUS

[hamsterjill]

9. He truly is!!

Love Reverend Barber - and I know he has a higher title now, but he will always be Reverend to me.

He’s amazing and he gets it!

[Baron2024]

11. What We Need

What we need in America is a Universal Basic Income (UBI). It would stabilize our communities, lift people out of poverty, and reduce crime (since people would not have to resort to desperate measures to live). Most of the money from UBI would go back into the economy anyway- mostly to Landlords and Supermarkets. It would also eliminate the need for many other social welfare programs and would cut a lot of government red tape. Tied to Medicare for All and we would have a strong safety net for people in America. We would have a much better country.

[mucholderthandirt]

14. I agree. Along with proper education, opportunities for trade skills, and a strong job market.

Stop importing workers for most things, we have people here who would do these jobs, if they had UBI to cover their main costs. And yes, Americans will do all those dirty, nasty jobs, we've done them for generations. But we were fooled into believing everyone could have a "tech" job, when most people don't want to go to college for that stuff. Now it's a push to college and student load debt, only to watch people being hired in from other places, while they train their replacements.

And put away the pitchforks, I believe in legal immigration, just not mass imports of anyone to take jobs that someone else is already doing.

[The Wandering Harper]

12. K&R

I've been poor most of my life
but due to a quirk of fate
most of the people I know have not been
poor people are basically invisible