In a statement to a campaign to end hunger and alleviate poverty, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said his proposals for economic growth will “create jobs and restore vitality to rural and urban pockets of poverty.” In her statement, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton listed an array of programs to boost impoverished areas and their residents with the goal of cutting poverty in half in 10 years.
The Vote to End Hunger coalition posted the Trump and Clinton statements on its website after they responded to its question: If elected, what will you do to end hunger, alleviate poverty and create opportunity in the United States and worldwide?
“We know that poverty is more common in certain communities, who often suffer in unsafe neighborhoods with failing schools,” said Trump. “I have laid out a bold agenda to grow our economy, create jobs and restore vitality to rural and urban pockets of poverty … we will stand with communities to restore safety on the streets and excellence and choice in education. These two changes alone can help bring prosperity back to many blighted neighborhoods.”
Cutting poverty in half “starts with creating jobs, particularly in communities too often left out and left behind,” said the Clinton campaign. “In her first 100 days in office, Hillary will make the largest investment in job creation since World War Two.” Clinton backs pay equity for women “and will increase the minimum wage,” said the statement.
Clinton supports a minimum wage of at least $12 an hour, higher in some areas, says The Associated Press, while Trump supports a $10 wage but would let states take the lead. The minimum wage now is $7.25 an hour. Both candidates support massive outlays on highways, water and sewer lines, bridges and other public infrastructure.
The U.S. poverty rate fell to 13.5 percent in 2015, down 1.2 points from the previous year and the largest one-year decline since 1968, said the Census Bureau a month ago. Poverty rates tend to be higher in rural America. The Census report appeared a week after the USDA said food insecurity was at its lowest level, 13.3 percent in 2015, since the onset of the 2008-09 recession. Some 43.4 million people received food stamps at latest count, down by 1.5 million people since January.