SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
The front page of Tuesday's report on solving racial inequality. (Image: Institute for Policy Studies)
Report Offers 10 'Broad and Targeted' Solutions to Racial Wealth Inequality in US
"Implementing the policies in this report [is] essential to balancing the historical injustices that created the racial wealth divide in a manner that is universal but race conscious."
Apr 16, 2019
A new report is offering forward-looking solutions to help bridge the racial wealth divide in America.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo."
--Chuck Collins, Inequality.org
Ten Solutions to Bridge the Racial Wealth Divide was released Tuesday by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, along with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
The report provides an analysis of the ethnic and racial backgrounds of people most impacted by wealth inequality in the U.S. and proposes a set of 10 programs to reverse the trend.
Those proposals are:
- Baby Bonds
- Guaranteed Employment and a Significantly Higher Minimum Wage
- Affordable Housing
- Medicare for All
- Postal Banking
- Higher Taxes for the Ultra-Wealthy
- Fixes to Upside-Down Tax Expenditures
- A Congressional Committee on Reparations
- Data Collection on Race and Wealth
- A Racial Wealth Analysis
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition's chief of equity and inclusion, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, said that the list of solutions was meant as a road map for policymakers.
"We offer 10 bold solutions broken into three categories: Programs, Power, and Process," Asante-Muhammad, a report co-author, said. "They are presented in hopes of inspiring lawmakers, activists, organizers, academics, journalists, and others to think boldly about collectively taking on this incredibly important challenge."
Primary presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) expressed her support for the policies in an interview with Buzzfeed News and reiterated her position on Twitter.
"We need solutions both broad and targeted, from full employment and raising wages to postal banking and studying reparations," Gillibrand added on Twitter.
Darrick Hamilton, also a co-author of the report and a professor of policy, economics, and sociology at Ohio State University, said that taking advantage of the policies presented in the paper could have long-lasting and positive effects.
"Implementing the policies in this report [is] essential to balancing the historical injustices that created the racial wealth divide in a manner that is universal but race conscious," said Hamilton, who is also the executive director of the Kirwan Institute.
The deep-seated, systemic problem of racial inequality is very real, said Philadelphia Tribune reporter Mike D'Onofrio.
"Blacks lag far behind other races in income and net worth," said D'Onofrio. "For every $100 white families make, blacks earn $59.07."
In his reporting, D'Onofrio talked to Kelly Tyler, the senior pastor at Philadelphia's Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. Tyler, who is also a member of POWER, a group of activist clergy members, said that wealth inequality in America is increasing exponentially.
"The wealth gap is not closing; it's blowing wide open in the wrong direction," said Tyler.
The racial gap is likely to keep pace with that negative acceleration.
Another report co-author, Inequality.org co-editor Chuck Collins, concurred with Hamilton and said that issues like racial inequality are not going to be solved by behavioral changes or minor, individual moves on behalf of the generationally oppressed.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo," said Collins.
"Individual behavioral action is not the answer to address structurally established barriers," Collins added, "nor is the patient aspirant idea that this problem will fix itself."
Read the report here.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A new report is offering forward-looking solutions to help bridge the racial wealth divide in America.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo."
--Chuck Collins, Inequality.org
Ten Solutions to Bridge the Racial Wealth Divide was released Tuesday by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, along with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
The report provides an analysis of the ethnic and racial backgrounds of people most impacted by wealth inequality in the U.S. and proposes a set of 10 programs to reverse the trend.
Those proposals are:
- Baby Bonds
- Guaranteed Employment and a Significantly Higher Minimum Wage
- Affordable Housing
- Medicare for All
- Postal Banking
- Higher Taxes for the Ultra-Wealthy
- Fixes to Upside-Down Tax Expenditures
- A Congressional Committee on Reparations
- Data Collection on Race and Wealth
- A Racial Wealth Analysis
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition's chief of equity and inclusion, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, said that the list of solutions was meant as a road map for policymakers.
"We offer 10 bold solutions broken into three categories: Programs, Power, and Process," Asante-Muhammad, a report co-author, said. "They are presented in hopes of inspiring lawmakers, activists, organizers, academics, journalists, and others to think boldly about collectively taking on this incredibly important challenge."
Primary presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) expressed her support for the policies in an interview with Buzzfeed News and reiterated her position on Twitter.
"We need solutions both broad and targeted, from full employment and raising wages to postal banking and studying reparations," Gillibrand added on Twitter.
Darrick Hamilton, also a co-author of the report and a professor of policy, economics, and sociology at Ohio State University, said that taking advantage of the policies presented in the paper could have long-lasting and positive effects.
"Implementing the policies in this report [is] essential to balancing the historical injustices that created the racial wealth divide in a manner that is universal but race conscious," said Hamilton, who is also the executive director of the Kirwan Institute.
The deep-seated, systemic problem of racial inequality is very real, said Philadelphia Tribune reporter Mike D'Onofrio.
"Blacks lag far behind other races in income and net worth," said D'Onofrio. "For every $100 white families make, blacks earn $59.07."
In his reporting, D'Onofrio talked to Kelly Tyler, the senior pastor at Philadelphia's Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. Tyler, who is also a member of POWER, a group of activist clergy members, said that wealth inequality in America is increasing exponentially.
"The wealth gap is not closing; it's blowing wide open in the wrong direction," said Tyler.
The racial gap is likely to keep pace with that negative acceleration.
Another report co-author, Inequality.org co-editor Chuck Collins, concurred with Hamilton and said that issues like racial inequality are not going to be solved by behavioral changes or minor, individual moves on behalf of the generationally oppressed.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo," said Collins.
"Individual behavioral action is not the answer to address structurally established barriers," Collins added, "nor is the patient aspirant idea that this problem will fix itself."
Read the report here.
A new report is offering forward-looking solutions to help bridge the racial wealth divide in America.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo."
--Chuck Collins, Inequality.org
Ten Solutions to Bridge the Racial Wealth Divide was released Tuesday by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, along with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
The report provides an analysis of the ethnic and racial backgrounds of people most impacted by wealth inequality in the U.S. and proposes a set of 10 programs to reverse the trend.
Those proposals are:
- Baby Bonds
- Guaranteed Employment and a Significantly Higher Minimum Wage
- Affordable Housing
- Medicare for All
- Postal Banking
- Higher Taxes for the Ultra-Wealthy
- Fixes to Upside-Down Tax Expenditures
- A Congressional Committee on Reparations
- Data Collection on Race and Wealth
- A Racial Wealth Analysis
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition's chief of equity and inclusion, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, said that the list of solutions was meant as a road map for policymakers.
"We offer 10 bold solutions broken into three categories: Programs, Power, and Process," Asante-Muhammad, a report co-author, said. "They are presented in hopes of inspiring lawmakers, activists, organizers, academics, journalists, and others to think boldly about collectively taking on this incredibly important challenge."
Primary presidential candidate Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) expressed her support for the policies in an interview with Buzzfeed News and reiterated her position on Twitter.
"We need solutions both broad and targeted, from full employment and raising wages to postal banking and studying reparations," Gillibrand added on Twitter.
Darrick Hamilton, also a co-author of the report and a professor of policy, economics, and sociology at Ohio State University, said that taking advantage of the policies presented in the paper could have long-lasting and positive effects.
"Implementing the policies in this report [is] essential to balancing the historical injustices that created the racial wealth divide in a manner that is universal but race conscious," said Hamilton, who is also the executive director of the Kirwan Institute.
The deep-seated, systemic problem of racial inequality is very real, said Philadelphia Tribune reporter Mike D'Onofrio.
"Blacks lag far behind other races in income and net worth," said D'Onofrio. "For every $100 white families make, blacks earn $59.07."
In his reporting, D'Onofrio talked to Kelly Tyler, the senior pastor at Philadelphia's Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. Tyler, who is also a member of POWER, a group of activist clergy members, said that wealth inequality in America is increasing exponentially.
"The wealth gap is not closing; it's blowing wide open in the wrong direction," said Tyler.
The racial gap is likely to keep pace with that negative acceleration.
Another report co-author, Inequality.org co-editor Chuck Collins, concurred with Hamilton and said that issues like racial inequality are not going to be solved by behavioral changes or minor, individual moves on behalf of the generationally oppressed.
"If the past several decades are to teach us anything about race and wealth, it should be that the racial wealth divide will not be closed without a structural change to the status quo," said Collins.
"Individual behavioral action is not the answer to address structurally established barriers," Collins added, "nor is the patient aspirant idea that this problem will fix itself."
Read the report here.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy