Cutting Poverty in Half in Ryan’s Wisconsin

thenation.com — In the vice presidential debate, Congressman Paul Ryan twice brought up the Republican ticket’s talking point that 15 percent of Americans live in poverty, and twice failed to offer a single idea on how a Romney administration would help create opportunities for low-income people. The good news is that if Ryan truly wants to reduce poverty in a significant way he need not look any further than the thinkers in his own Badger State. Four years ago, Community Advocates Public Policy Institute in Milwaukee asked: what would it take to reduce poverty in the state by more than half, to a rate below 5 percent? The institute spoke with a bipartisan group of local and national advisers, narrowing a pool of twenty-five possible policy changes down to four. Last month they rolled out their final proposal. The four recommendations are simple and clear.

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