Poor Ignored Amid Tax Debate

Striking new poverty numbers were released this week showing more Americans living in poverty than any time in the last 50 years, yet Washington politicians only used the report as grist for the debate over middle-class tax cuts. President Obama pointed to the report, issued by the Census Bureau, saying that middle-class salaries have dropped slightly, so the Bush tax cuts should be extended only for those families making less than $250,000 a year. Republicans were silent on the report, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) saying that in a recession, taxes shouldn’t be increased on the people hit hardest by the recession who create jobs. His office later clarified that the senator believes the recession hit poor people harder than business owners. The lack of reaction to the poverty rate on Capitol Hill underscores an ugly reality: poor people don’t vote. And they definitely don’t make campaign contributions.