Roughly 37.9 million Americans live in poverty according to the United States Census Bureau's official poverty measure. By any assessment, that's far too many Americans struggling to get by.

So a coalition of state-level policy thinktanks called the Alliance for Opportunity is working to bring that number down, starting with its goal of leading 1 million Americans out of poverty in ten years.

Alliance for Opportunity Executive Director Rachel Barkley and Senior Fellow Les Ford join Nic Dunn on this episode to profile the work of the coalition, and make the argument for a new national movement of welfare reform to improve social safety net programs.

Show notes:

• Home - Alliance for Opportunity
• A firsthand account of overcoming ‘benefits cliffs’ to escape poverty - Sutherland Institute
• How programs to help the poor can harm upward mobility - Sutherland Institute

Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, equipping listeners to become more effective champions of sound principle and good policy. Visit defendingideas.org.


Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show, we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.