Poverty in Georgia is Spiking. Where are our Leaders?
Poverty was a problem in Georgia before the pandemic. Now, it’s much worse.
Half the state lives paycheck to paycheck, and many of those checks have stopped now because of COVID-19. Up to 40 percent of Georgians could be kicked out of their homes by the end of the year.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle are worried. But they’re not worried about American families who don’t have the money to put food on their tables.
They’re worried about who gets to put their name on the stimulus checks. They argue about how big of a tax cut to give to corporations, while citizens suffer. Both parties are out of touch and continue to bicker as millions more Americans slide further into poverty.
The American Union supports a non-partisan solution that puts policy over politics and country over party. With the right political pressure, we can wipe out poverty in the greatest nation on Earth overnight.
How do we end poverty?
The COVID-19 stimulus checks in the CARES Act proved that universal basic income (UBI) can work.
It proved that we have the infrastructure in place to support American families when they need help. We also saw that these payments supported the overall economy and kept the stock market afloat.
So why don’t we continue this practice to end poverty for good? We can provide everyone with an American Union job; an unconditional $300 per week for adults and an additional $100 for each child.
The details of how we can accomplish this are included in our ready-to-pass legislation, The Blueprint for a Better America. Find out more here.
Here’s how UBI can end poverty for good and build a better America.
Prevent evictions
The CDC has recommended stopping evictions because they were afraid more people on the streets would increase the spread of the virus.
But Georgia politicians didn’t agree. The result? Georgia has been one of the worst states at handling the eviction crisis.
The Georgia Supreme Court has not issued a statewide order preventing evictions, and now 40% of Georgians are at risk of losing their homes.
How is this good for Georgia? Is this how we make America great?
With a monthly stimulus check, everyone would have the means to keep a roof over their heads, even in the toughest times.
Save small businesses
Corporations have gotten trillions in relief while small businesses have been forced to shut down. 60 percent of business closures since March are permanent, according to Yelp.
Those were small businesses that make up the backbone of our nation. And they could be gone forever.
To make things worse, there will be a land grab in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Main Street will be bought for pennies by corporate interests, and the American landscape will never be the same.
We need to act now to deliver funds to small business owners who need relief. With income from an American Union job, small business owners will have a diversified income and have a greater chance at surviving closures.
Keep food on families’ tables
There are food lines miles long in every major city, and some of the longest are in Georgia. Regardless of our political beliefs, Americans agree that no one should have to wake up each morning worrying about how they can feed their children.
This is a failure of our government and politicians. Can we really say we are the leader of the free world if our children are starving?
The powers that be are arguing about who gets to sit at which lunch table, while the rest of us are begging for scraps. Universal basic income would guarantee three meals a day for all Americans.
Promote public health and safety
A monthly stimulus check would help everyone stay healthier and safer. At-risk members of society would be able to stay home during COVID-19 outbreaks, and the rate of community spread would drop.
Crime committed by the most desperate members of society, those who resort to crime to pay their debts or feed their families, would diminish.
The economic toll on mental health has been sweeping the nation. Millions are experiencing stress, panic, anxiety, and depression over financial concerns. Eliminating those concerns could help us all heal and become stronger.
Help Us End Poverty Now
Ending poverty is one of the three main pillars of the Blueprint for a Better America.
Under this legislative package, Americans will be provided the economic means to safeguard life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The American Union has committed to ending poverty, and we have a plan to get it done by the Georgia runoff elections on January 5th.
But we need your help.
Sign up for the American Union newsletter and tell your friends and family about The Blueprint.
To learn more about how you can get involved, visit phoenixcongress2020.com.
