War on Poverty: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Office of Economic Opportunity --- When President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared an "unconditional war on poverty" fifty years ago in his State of the Union speech, it marked the first time the federal government had ever launched an aggressive program to eliminate poverty. Sadly, it was the last time an American President turned out to be a strong advocate for poor people. -- With a starting budget of $1 billion in 1964, the Office of Economic Opportunity(OEO), the flag ship of the Johnson anti-poverty initiative, created a large number of new programs and services, many of which still exist today. These programs--Head Start, the Job Corps, Legal Services, community health centers, community development corporations, Volunteers in Service to America(Vista) and Community Action Agencies-- continue to provide vital assistance to millions of people in need throughout the country. -- Other projects like the Neighborhood Youth Corps, summer youth programs, manpower training programs, senior centers and family planning clinics were eventually discontinued but later picked up in some form by other agencies, both state and federal. A robust research and demonstration division tested new ideas and projects, resulting in efforts such as early computer programs for middle school students, the creation of a Navajo community college and model comprehensive community service centers. -- The programs managed by OEO were accompanied in 1964-65 by Medicare and Medicaid, the introduction of food stamps, the Civil Rights Act and the expansion of social security benefits. All these efforts combined to provide a successful comprehensive approach to poverty reduction. The poverty rate in the U.S. declined from approximately 19% in 1964 to 10.1% in 1973, a reduction --contrary to the view of conservative critics-- largely due to federal intervention. -- The most controversial, politically sensitive and creative part of Johnson's anti-poverty program was the creation of community action agencies(CAA's) , local organizations with independent boards and budgets that provided social services and advocacy assistance to poor residents of both cities and counties as well as Indian reservations. State economic offices were also established to help coordinate and supplement the work of CAA's. --- The latter left an enormous legacy and moral obligation for the country. But, unfortunately, this challenge has remained unfulfilled. The Presidents and Administrations that have followed proved themselves unwilling or incapable of making the fight against poverty a national priority. Instead, they have slowly rolled back the safety net, leaving the country's poor--by today's definition 15% of Americans-- increasingly vulnerable and unprotected, preferring instead to enhance benefits for the rich and stressing middle class needs. Presidents Clinton and Obama, with one exception by President Clinton, never mentioned poverty in their state of the union speeches. And now the Congress is shutting down unemployment benefits and cutting back on food stamps for poor families in a time of financial stress. -- Our politicians should be ashamed of themselves. What type of leadership are they exercising not only in this country but throughout the rest of the world? For the richest country on the globe to demonstrate so little Interest and compassion for our neediest populations is a dishonor to our noble tradition of democracy and human rights. Might the 5oth anniversary of the Johnson anti-poverty programs commit President Obama to the cause of poverty he once rhetorically espoused but to date has done so little to implement? Let us hope so. - More, Pablo Eisenberg. Huffpost, at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pablo-eisenberg/celebrating-the-50th-anni_b_4560812.html