Why the government should pay every American child an allowance

The U.S. has one of the highest child poverty rates in the developed world. It doesn't have to be this way.

U.S. allowance
(Image credit: (iStock))

Good news, America: Child poverty is declining! A Census Bureau report last week showed that 1.2 million fewer children were in poverty last year than the year before, a reduction that more than accounts for the entire drop in the overall poverty rate last year.

So why does it feel so bittersweet?

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Matt Bruenig writes about poverty, inequality, and economic justice at Demos, Salon, The Atlantic, The American Prospect, and The Week. He is a Texas native and graduate of the University of Oklahoma.