Democrats cut childhood poverty in half last year, temporarily. Commendable. So we have to do that again, but more—if we knew how to cut it in half, that means that we know how to eliminate it. Let’s hear it, and better still, let’s have at it. We begin with the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan.
This was then.
The Democrats’ One Chance To Cut Child Poverty In Half, by Prof. Robert Reich
The Biden administration has a plan that is estimated to cut child poverty in half. And it’s already in place.
It’s called the Child Tax Credit.
Here’s how it works. Parents of children aged 6 and younger across the country are receiving direct payments of up to $300 per month per child, or $3,600 per year per child. The payments drop to $250 a month for children between the ages of 6 and 17, and phase out for families with higher incomes.
The early results show that this policy is a game-changer. Over 3 million more households with children now report having enough to eat after just the first two payments. More report being able to make rent, stay in their homes, and afford basic necessities. And 3 million children have been lifted out of poverty.
And now? Ah, yes. Aren’t you glad you asked?