Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bennet has made it repeatedly clear that fixing income inequality in America is an important issue to him, even as he addresses issues such as education and universal healthcare—issues that he believes are tied into income inequality.
In a sit-down with ESSENCE, Bennet expanded on how some of his policies and proposals – particularly the tax proposals he is championing will directly help and improve communities of color.
“I believe that my tax proposals are the most significant anti-poverty measures that have been offered since Medicaid was passed in the 1960s. In particular, the Family Act which would dramatically increase the child tax credit in this country,” Bennet said. “Instead of paying people out on an annual basis, it would be paid out on a monthly basis, so that families with kids could make decisions about how to provide healthcare for their children, how to provide housing, how to provide early childhood [education], how to provide higher education for themselves and their kids.”
“The Trump tax bill was exactly the opposite of that. Since 2001 we’ve cut taxes in this country by $5 trillion, almost all the benefit is going to the wealthiest people in America which has just made income inequality worse,” the Colorado senator added. “My proposals would do the exact opposite of that and it would be particularly important for families of color in this country who have not had a real tax cut and not had the chance to be able to spend on housing, healthcare, and early childhood education the way they should be able to.”