Unfortunately, the practice has been in our political system that, when any program or piece of legislation is considered in the legislative process, it is fair game to include special interest group bias or costly irrelevant riders. The objective of the basic legislation is then watered down, and the costs are magnified well out of proportion to the appropriations that would have been required.

This appears to be the case with food stamps. Repeating the newspaper extract in Responsibility #47: "A major reason the [food stamp] program has been around so long is that it nourishes farmers and grocers, not to mention high-profile politicians. If we're going to feed the hungry, it would be better and more direct just to feed them at government soup kitchens." Another quoted article cited the deficiencies due to "fraud, mistakes, overpayments and mail losses" and doubled administrative costs. The commitment to end poverty must march arm in arm with other national objectives (e.g., anti-crime, anti-gun, return to morality, good health, etc.); but it cannot be permitted to have to carry on its back subsidies of special interest groups.

Akin to that problem is the lack of steadiness in the present anti-poverty programs. The organizational relationships and responsibilities at the federal, state, and local levels of government must be clearly defined and unrevocable. There is no basis for argument that the end of poverty is not under the "general welfare" umbrella. Its appropriations should come from "general" taxation sources. Whether collected at the federal or lesser levels of government, the funds must be segregated for anti-poverty use. Hence no level of government can be permitted to welsh on its obligation by passing the buck (by not providing its share of the bucks).

Now to the second direction of attack--Community Self Achievement. This battle will concentrate on the first of the co-equal objectives; i.e., to sustain all who are poor or near poor in body, mind, and spirit--accomplishing this as much as possible through self-help. Through sustenance of the family and the community, and the reforms discussed previously, it is expected that a high percentage of the children will escape from poverty as they enter adulthood. Although the second co-equal objective (i.e., to provide the skills, attitudes, and job opportunities necessary to escape from and remain out of poverty) will not be emphasized in this battle, it is hoped that in some locales under growth economic conditions it too will be satisfied for a significant proportion of the adults.

Sustenance by rank of importance includes: (1) food; (2) shelter; (3) security; (4) family care and discipline; (5) education and training; and (6) jobs. All are to be achieved to the extent possible through self endeavor; that is all able-bodied persons work for their keep.

For (1) food; production and distribution jobs could be established, the nature of which would vary with the area of the country. Animals and crops could be grown in some suburban locales to supplement or replace food stamps. This could entail moderate size acreage or small "victory gardens". For people in rural areas, communes or kibbutzim could be set up to produce for themselves and the poor and near poor in not distant cities. With supervision and training, the poor and near poor could be hired to do the trucking, warehousing and distribution functions. It would be fair to pass a law requiring farmers, distributors, and merchants, whose businesses benefit greatly from food stamps, to meet a training and employment quota of the poor and near poor.

For (2) shelter; correlative to ending poverty could be the ending of slums and hovels. Neighborhood Construction Corps (remember the CCC, Civilian Construction Corps of the 1930s) could be set up in cities to remodel or replace slum housing to minimum standard conditions. With supervision and training, poor and near poor would be hired as the labor. Materials would be supplied by government. The upgraded homes which were owned by poor and near poor would remain so with no additional liens. Other owners would be required to reimburse the government for the labor and material costs expended, or face expropriation by the right of eminent domain at a fair price. Expropriated properties would serve as low cost housing to the poor and near poor. Similarly mobile Rural and Town Construction Corps could be established in the various states to remodel and replace widely distanced hovels.

For (3) security; neighborhoods in which the poor and near poor live suffer the most from violence, alcohol, drugs, and crime. Neighborhood Security Patrols (mobilized and paid version of Block Watches) could be set up to work with and supplement the local police. They would be unarmed except for direct communication gear with the police. Their role would be to be on constant patrol (reliefs every few hours) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to watch for and report conditions that warrant checkout by law enforcement and other agencies. The poor and near poor would be trained for and fill the positions in their own neighborhoods. No patrol area would be activated until dangers had been reduced to an acceptable level.

For (4) family care and discipline; although ranked fourth, this sustenance item is central to the well being of the poor and near poor. Here we wish to inculcate and reinforce family love and values. Integrity of the family has languished or never been known for many of the poor and near poor as a result of slavery, share-cropping, migration, homelessness, unemployment, generation to generation poverty, alcohol and drugs, crime, immorality, etc. With good nourishment, adequate shelter, and secure and friendly neighborhoods, the families can be drawn and held together. Each member would be busy with education, training, jobs, family and neighborhood recreation.