What Government Can Do Dealing With Poverty and Inequality
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr
- Publish date: 10/01/2000
What Government Can Do argues, on the contrary, that federal, state, and local governments can and should do a great deal. The authors incisively analyze a broad range of government programs that affect Americans' food, housing, health care, education, jobs and wages, incomes, and taxes, finding that government policies already do, in fact, help alleviate poverty and economic inequality. Often these policies work far more effectively and efficiently than people realize, and in ways that enhance freedom rather than infringe on it. At the same time, Page and Simmons show how even more could be -- and should be -- accomplished.
The authors advocate many sweeping policy changes while noting certain political obstacles (such as the power of money and organized interests in American politics) that may stand in the way. Yet even those who disagree with their recommendations will come away with a deepened understanding of how social and economic policies actually work. Exploring ideas that are often ignored in Beltway political discourse, What Government Can Do challenges all Americans to raise the level of public debate and improve our public policies.