Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress today released analyses of the proposed House budget plan revealing that communities of color would be disproportionately affected and it would make it harder to grow the middle class spurring more income inequality.
If Rep. Ryan gets his way, the nation will never make a full commitment to solve major social problems and in many ways we will take giant steps backward to a time when there was virtually no safety net for those falling on hard times. What’s more, in this plan the middle class comes up short—and communities of color end up bearing the brunt of the pain.
Communities of color have been hit hardest by this recession. Unemployment levels in the African American community, while slowly improving, are still almost double that of whites, and the Hispanic unemployment rate is also unacceptably high. What these communities need is a budget that promotes job growth at home. Unfortunately for them, the House plan does nothing to actually promote job growth for the middle class. Included instead are incentives for companies to move their jobs overseas and cuts to programs such as Pell Grants, K–12 education, and job training.
To read how the Ryan budget would cause more pain for communities of color, by Daniella Gibbs Leger, click here.
To read how the Ryan budget would worsen social problems and does not represent America at its best, by Joy Moses, click here.
To speak with CAP experts on the topic, please contact Laura Pereyra at lpereyra@americanprogress.org or 202.741.6258.
See also:
###