PROVIDED BY ...

>> THIS WEEK ON ITO THE CONTRARY

...

>> UP FIRST ... THE WEEK IN

PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES.

CAN WE STOP CHILDREN BORN INTO

POVERTY FROM BECOMING

IMPOVERISHED ADULTS?

HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY, A

DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL

TRENDS FROM DIVERSE

PERSPECTIVES.

UP FIRST, THE PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION.

IS HILLARY CLINTON BECOMING

COMPLACENT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL

RACE?

HEAD-TO-HEAD POLLS SHOW CLINTON

WINNING COMFORTABLY OVER DONALD

TRUMP AND TAKING THE HOUSE SEATS

EVEN AWAY FROM REPUBLICANS.

BUT SOME DEMOCRATS ARE CONCERNED

THIS EARLY LEAD MEANS THERE'S

NOWHERE TO GO BUT DOWN IN THE 3

MONTHS 'TIL ELECTION DAY.

SHE DID, HOWEVER, UNVEIL AN

ECONOMIC PLAN THAT INCLUDES MORE

JOB CREATION THAN ANY GOVERNMENT

PROGRAM IN 70 YEARS. AND SHE

PROMISED UNIVERSAL

PRE-KINDERGARTEN, TAX CREDITS

AND SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE AND

DEBT-FREE COLLEGE FOR EVERYONE.

MEANWHILE DONALD TRUMP WORKED

HARD THIS WEEK TO WIN BACK

REPUBLICAN WOMEN.

POLLS SHOW THE REPUBLICAN

NOMINEE HAS DROPPED BY 13

PERCENT AMONG GOP WOMEN SINCE

THE PARTY CONVENTIONS.

MAINE SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS SAID

FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE WON'T

VOTE FOR TRUMP.

AND MAJOR GOP DONOR MEG WHITMAN

DECLARED HER SUPPORT FOR HILLARY

CLINTON.

TO COURT WOMEN, TRUMP ALSO

CALLED FOR A CHILD-CARE

DEDUCTION AS PART OF HIS

ECONOMIC PLAN---CRITICIZED BY

THE LEFT AS HELPING ONLY THE

UPPER CLASS.

IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS, MR. TRUMP

SAID PRESIDENT OBAMA AND CLINTON

FOUNDED AND CO-FOUNDED ISIS. HE

ALSO SAID, ".••MAYBE THERE IS" A

WAY FOR "SECOND AMENDMENT

PEOPLE" TO STOP HILLARY CLINTON

FROM NOMINATING PROGRESSIVE

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES.

WAS THAT A CALL FOR AN

ASSASSINATION OR A VERY POOR

ATTEMPT AT A JOKE? THE TWO SIDES

DIFFER.

SECRETARY CLINTON HAS HER OWN

NEW PROBLEMS INCLUDING EMAILS

THAT SUGGEST HER STATE

DEPARTMENT AIDES ENGAGED IN WHAT

CRITICS ARE CALLING "PAY FOR

PLAY" OPPORTUNITIES.••.THAT, FOR

BIG DONORS TO THE CLINTON GLOBAL

INITIATIVE, WHICH THE FBI WANTED

TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER, BUT THE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAID NO.

>> I THINK THEY'LL TRY DO

WHATEVER THEY CAN TO KEEP THE

FOCUS ON DONALD TRUMP BECAUSE

THE MORE THE MEDIA ARE TALKING

DONALD TRUMP THE LESS THEY ARE

TALKING ABOUT THE CONTROVERSYS

ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE

AISLE.

WE WERE IN THREE CITIES IN

FLORIDA AND WENT TO DETROIT AND ^

OTHER STATES, COMPLACENT IS NOT

THE WORD.

>> THE "NEW YORK TIMES" LOG ON

POLITICS GIVES HER AN 80.

T IN 85 DAYS OR HOWEVER MANY

DAYS ARE LEFT UNTIL THE ELECTION

BUT AN 87-13% CHANCE FOR TRUMP

OF WINNING.

HOW CAN YOU NOT BECOME

A LITTLE COMPLACENT, AND WHAT

ARE THE DANGERS OF THAT?

>> IF I THOUGHT SHE WERE

COMPLACENT THAT WOULD BE

TERRIBLE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC

PARTY, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS

A WOMAN WHO

HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONGTIME

AND NOTHING IS DONE UNTIL

NOVEMBER 9TH AND SHE WILL

CONTINUE TO FIGHT, I AM SURE AND

I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS THAT

SHE GAVE THIS ECONOMIC SPEECH

WHICH I SHOULD SAY, I DISAGREE

WE GAVE MENTALLY ON ALL OF HER

PLATFORMS, VEHEMENTLY, ON ALL OF

HER PLATFORMS.

IT LETS HER COME ACROSS AS A

LEADER.

>> AND YOU KNOW SHE GOT A BIG

BOUNCE BIGGER THAN TRUMP OUT OF

THE CONVENTION.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PAST

DEMOCRATS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN

BIGGER BOUNCES, CARTER, DUKAKIS,

THESE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO KEEP

THOSE BOUNCES AND SHE IS NOT

GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM.

AT SOME POINT, TRUMP IS GOING TO

SHUT HIS MOUTH.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> DO YOU THINK SO?

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> YOU'RE MAKING HISTORY HERE.

>> AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH TO LET

SOME OF HER WEAKNESSES WHICH ARE

PILING UP COME OUT AND BE

DISCUSSED.

>> TWO POINTS ABOUT THE E-MAILS.

WHAT IS REALLY INTERESTING IS

THAT, POLLING SHOWS THAT

TWO-THIRDS OF

AMERICANS THINK SHE IS STILL NOT

TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT HER

E-MAILS AND ROUGHLY THE SAME

AMOUNT OF AMERICANS SAY THEY ARE

TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT THE

E-MAILS.

AND SO THAT TO ME SAYS THAT THE

E-MAILS MAY NOT BE THE BEST

ISSUE TO BEAT HER ON.

AND THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING

TO SAY --

>> BUT WILL THEY KEEP BEATING

HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH AND

JUST STARTED A NEW SERIES OF ADS

ABOUT, IS RELEASING HIS TAX

RETURNS AND SHE RELEASED HER TAX

RETURNS FRIDAY FOR 2015.

SO IS THAT --

SHE IS BEATING HIM OVER THAT?

>> I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY

AMERICANS ARE GOING TO THE

BALLOT BOX SAYING HE DID NOT

RELEASE HIS TAX RETURNS SO I

CAN'T TRUST HIM.

BUT ABOUT THE POLLING COMING OUT

OF THE CONVENTION SHE WENT ON A

BUS TOUR OF OHIO AND

PENNSYLVANIA AND EVERY WEEK

RIGHT NOW THEY ARE GOING BACK TO

OHIO AND SWING STATES AND

PUTTING UP ADS IN THE SWING

 

STATES.

ND

PENNSYLVANIA AND EVERY WEEK

RIGHT NOW THEY ARE GOING BACK TO

OHIO AND SWING STATES AND

PUTTING UP ADS IN THE SWING

STATES.

HE HAS NOT PUT UP ADS AT ALL.

IT'S CLEAR THAT THE CLINTON

CAMPAIGN KNOWS THIS BOUNCE COULD

NOT LAST AND THEY ARE PUTTING IN

THE WORK RIGHT NOW THAT THEY

WILL NEED FOR ELECTION DAY.

>> AND ALSO IT IS TOO EARLY TO

TRUST THE POLLS.

QUITE FRANKLY, MOST AMERICANS

ARE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT

IT'S AUGUST.

THEY WANT TO ENJOY THEIR SUMMER.

AND THEY WANT TO KEEP WATCHING

THE OLYMPICS THEY ARE NOT READY

TO FOCUS ON OR MAKE ANY

DECISIONS ABOUT A PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN

UNTIL NOVEMBER.

>> THAT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM BUT

WHEN TRUMP STARTING CALLING FOR

THE NRA SECOND AMENDMENT FOLKS

TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR --

>> SOME ARE NOT PAYING

ATTENTION.

>> I THINK THEY ARE.

>> THEY ARE SAYING INCREDIBLE

[INAUDIBLE]

HISTORICALLY INCREDIBLE THINGS.

>> NORMALLY --

>> I TELL YOU WHAT THE DATA ARE

FROM PEW BECAUSE IT IS TRUE.

WE HAVE HIGH INTEREST IN THIS

ELECTION AND LARGE

DISSATISFACTION.

WHEN YOU PUSH PEOPLE IN FACT ON

WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO TURNOUT,

MANY PEOPLE STILL SAY THEY DO

NOT KNOW YET THEY ARE DISGUSTED

WITH BOTH.

AND MANY PEOPLE STILL --

>> WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT

THAT.

THAT WAS NOT THE QUESTION.

WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INSEND

AREA COMMENTS IF YOU LOOK AT THE

COMMENTS, YES, THE MUSLIM

PARENTS OF THE, THE

ASSASSINATION TYPE REMARKS,

THESE COMMENTS NOT ONLY ARE

COLORED BUT HAVE TO BE COVERED,

THEY ARE COVERED BY FOX, THEY

ARE COVERED BY CNN WHICH IS MORE

ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

THEY ARE COVERED BY MSNBC AND

COVERED ON THE NATIONAL NEWS.

THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM

MAKING UP YOUR MIND.

BUT THESE ALL ARE WAY OVER THE

TOP NEVER BEFORE HEARD KINDS OF

REMARKS.

>> PEOPLE ARE STILL TUNING OUT

AND THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING.

YOU ARE BOTH RIGHT.

BUT I THINK THAT ONE THING IS

 

PEOPLE ARE TUNING IT OUT AND THE

OTHER THING IS PEOPLE NEED NEW

INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MOVE

THEIR OPINION.

AND ONE CHALLENGE FOR HILLARY

CLINTON OR FOR THE REPUBLICANS,

I SHOULD SAY THAT EVERYBODY

HEARD ABOUT THE E-MAIL SCANDAL

AND THEY ARE SICK OF IT.

AND WHILE I THINK IT IS A VERY,

VERY REAL THING THAT WE SHOULD

BE TALKING ABOUT IT'S GETTING

HARDER TO MOVE OPINION ON IT.

EVERY TIME DONALD TRUMP SAYS

SOMETHING NEW IT'S NEW

INFORMATION THAT IS MOVING

VOTERS WHO MIGHT BE IN THE

MIDDLE TO THINK GOODNESS.

REPUBLICANS HAVE TO FIND

SOMETHING ELSE.

[INAUDIBLE]

>> SOMETHING WHICH THE DAYCARE

WARS, THEY BOTH SAVE GAVE THEIR

ECONOMIC SPEECHES AND SHE WANTS

FEDERAL SUBSIDIES AND WANTS TAX

ENHANCEMENTS FOR DAYCARE AND

FAMILY LEAVE.

HE WANTS JUST TAX CREDITS WHICH

THE --

WHICH THE CONSENSUS FROM THE

MEDIA WOULD ONLY HELP RICH OR

LOWER MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS

PEOPLE.

BOTH OF THEM WERE ACCUSED OF

FORGETTING ABOUT THE POOR ON

DAYCARE IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

>> I THINK THAT I AM NOT USUALLY

A PROPONENT OF DONALD TRUMP BUT

 

HE IS CLOSER TO THE MARK ON THIS

ONE THAN SHE IS.

WHAT WE WANT FOR ALL FAMILIES IS

FOR THEM TO MAKE THE CHOICES FOR

THE CHILDCARE ARRANGEMENTS THAT

WORK BEST FOR THEM.

AND WHEN GOVERNMENT GETS INTO

BUSINESS OF HELPING SUBSIDIZE

CHILDCARE IT BIASES PEOPLE

TOWARDS PEOPLE TOWARDS

PARTICULAR CHILDCARE AND

ENCOURAGES PEOPLE NOT TO USE THE

FAMILY ARRANGEMENTS THAT

EVERYONE AT THIS TABLE

ACKNOWLEDGES IF THERE IS AN

OPTION IS GOOD.

THE PROBLEM ON THE REPUBLICAN

SIDE IS THAT THEY IGNORE THIS

IMPORTANT NUMBER FROM PEW WHICH

IS THAT ONLY 23% OF WORKING

MOTHERS WOULD CHOOSE TO WORK

 

FULL-TIME IF THEY HAD TO.

OR IF THEY COULD.

SO I THINK THAT TOO OFTEN

REPUBLICANS SEEM OUT OF TOUCH

BUT I THINK THAT GIVING PEOPLE

MORE OF THEIR OWN RESOURCES TO

MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT WORK FOR

THEM IS THE BETTER ROUTE.

>> AND THE LAST SEGMENT WE

FINISHED DISCUSSING AND YOU SAID

THE ONES YOU ARE THE MOST

CONCERNED ABOUT ARE THE POOREST

WOMEN WHO CANNOT GET ANY LEAVE.

WELL IN TERMS OF CHILDCARE THEY

ARE OUT OF IT.

AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEDUCTION

AND A CREDIT.

AND IF YOU ARE MIDDLE CLASS, THE

DEDUCTION YOU TAKE OFF OF YOUR

INCOME TAX AND THAT IS GOOD YOU

PAY LESS INCOME TAX.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE

PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE CHILDCARE,

THEN YOU GOT TO GO TO A CREDIT.

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE IS

TRYING TO DO.

SHE IS TRYING NOT TO HELP ME AND

NOT TO HELP YOU.

SHE IS TRYING TO HELP THE WOMEN

WHO NEED IT MOST AND YOU

CANNOT --

>> WHY --

OF NOT DOING ENOUGH FOR POOR

 

PEOPLE?

>> ON WHAT BASIS?

>> ON THE DAYCARE.

>> ON WHAT BASIS DO THEY SAY

THAT?

THEY WANT MORE OF A CREDIT?

>> THEY WANT IT FREE.

AND THEY WANT FREE COLLEGE

TUITION.

 

[INAUDIBLE]

OK.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES BECAUSE

WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.

GARY JOHNSON OR THE GREEN PARTY

CANDIDATE.

 

ARE THEY A REAL THREAT TO

ANYBODY?

>> THEY ARE IF THEY CAN MAKE IT

ON THE BALLOT.

IF YOU LOOK AT POLLING IN THE

SWING STATES, HILLARY CLINTON

WOULD BE WINNING BY A LARGER

MARGIN IF THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED

TO BE ON THE BALLOT.

SO SOME OF THIS WILL COME DOWN

TO THE BALLOTING DEADLINES AND

THEY COULD PULL MOST STATES BOTH

THE GREEN PARTY HAVE PARTY LINES

ON THE BALLOTS THEY SHOULD BE

ON.

>> ARE WE LOOKING AT --

ARE WE LOOKING AT ANOTHER

BUSH-GORE 2000 WHERE IT CAME

DOWN TO THE VOTERS AND RALPH

NADER TOOK ONE OR 2% OF THE VOTE

IN FLORIDA?

>> WE ARE LOOKING AT A SITUATION

WHERE IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT

MORE LIKE 92 IN THE SENSE THAT

THE WINNER DOES NOT EARN A

MAJORITY OF THE POPULAR VOTE

WHERE THESE TWO CANDIDATES

ESSENTIALLY TAKE ENOUGH OF THE

VOTE THAT THE WINNER IS ONLY A

PLEASURE RATTLE POPULAR VOTE

WINNER.

>> IT'S NOT ON THE BALLOT OR NOT

IT'S WHETHER YOU GET IN THE

DEBATES OR NOT.

AND THAT YOU NEED 15% OF THE

VOTE.

>> I'VE SEEN POLLS SO HE IS

NOT --

[INAUDIBLE]

>> WHERE IS THE POLLING FROM?

 

>> HE IS PULLING A LOT FROM

HILLARY CLINTON.

>> IT'S EQUAL.

>> FOR BOTH OF THEM.

>> BUT IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE

FOR HER BECAUSE I'VE SEEN POLLS

SHE WOULD BE RUNNING FOUR POINTS

AHEAD OF DONALD TRUMP IN SWING

STATES AND IT BRINGS HER DOWN.

 

>> GO BACK TO THE 92 REFERENCE

BILL CLINTON'S FIRST TERM WHY DO

WE CARE IF IT'S 43% BECAUSE --

>> BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO GET

WELFARE REFORM DONE AND GOT

MAJOR THINGS DONE.

AND THE FIRST TWO YEARS WERE

VERY, VERY DIFFICULT AND WHAT

THIS HAS TO DO WITH IS THE

 

NOTION OF A GOVERNING MANDATE.

IT WOULD BE QUITE A CHANGE OF

HEART FOR DEMOCRATS TO ALL OF A

SUDDEN SAY THEY LIKE THE

ELECTORAL COLLEGE WHEN THEY HAVE

BEEN --

HAVE HAD AVERSION TOWARDS IT.

YOU WILL SEE THE IDEA REVERSAL

HERE BUT THERE IS MORE THE ISSUE

OF WOULD SHE BE ABLE TO GOVERN.

BARACK OBAMA WON A MAJORITY OF

THE POPULAR VOTE IN 2008 AND IT

WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY HE

HAD A HIGHER APPROVAL RATING

AMONG REPUBLICANS THAN BILL

CLINTON DID AMONG REPUBLICANS ON

THE DAY OF HIS OR GEORGE BUSH

HAD AMONG DEMOCRATS ON THE DAY

OF HIS.

>> ONE LAST QUESTION: IF TRUMP

LOSES, IS HE GOING TO CLAIM IT

WAS RIGGED AND TRY TO START A

REVOLUTION WITH SECOND AMENDMENT

PEOPLE?

>> YOU SAID HE WAS GOING TO GO

ON A VACATION.

AND THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE A

LOT OF AMERICANS WHO ARE HURTING

AND WOULD BENEFIT FROM LIMITED

GOVERNMENT POLICIES THAT ARE

GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER

FOUR YEARS.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> YES, I THINK TRUMP IS SETTING

UP THE SCENARIO TO LOSE NOW AND

EVERYTHING YOU HEAR PLAYS INTO

THAT AND THE RIGGED ELECTION

WHEN ELECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN

50 STATES, IS THE MOST BOGUS OF

ALL.

>> LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @BONNIEERBE

OR TO THE CONTRARY.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES, GROWING UP

IN THE OTHER AMERICA.

RESEARCH SHOWS IT'S INCREDIBLY

HARD FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN

ESPECIALLY AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO

MOVE INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS.

BUT A GROUP OF RESEARCHERS WERE

SURPRISED TO FIND ONE COMMON

THEME AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DID

MOVE AHEAD.

>> ONE OF THE MOST ENDURING

PROMISES OF THE AMERICAN DREAM

IS THAT ANYONE CAN SUCCEED.

BUT RESEARCH SHOWS ANOTHER

STORY.

KIDS BORN TO LOWER INCOME

HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE MIGHTLY TO

ENTER THE MIDDLE CLASS.

>> IN THE 1990s, OUR PUBLIC

HOUSING PROJECTS IN AMERICA HAD

BECOME TOXIC DANGEROUS PLACES TO

LIVE.

YOU KNOW AT THAT TIME THERE WERE

SHOWED THAT CONCENTRATED POVERTY

IN NEIGHBORHOODS WAS BAD FOR

CHANCES OF FAMILIES AND

CHILDREN.

A LOST THIS COMBINED INTO A

CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO

WITH THE INNER-CITY AND SOME OF

THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S

RESPONSE WAS THE MOVING TO

OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM WHICH DE

LUCA STUDIED FOR 13 YEARS.

>> WE SET OUT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT

HAD HAPPENED TO FAMILIES WHO ARE

PART OF THE MOVING TO

OPPORTUNITY EXPERIMENT.

WHICH FOCUSED ON BALTIMORE 600

FAMILIES, A THIRD OF WHICH GOT A

CHANCE TO MOVE OUT OF THE

PROJECTS INTO LOWER POVERTY

COMMUNITIES.

>> THE RESULTS OF MOVING TO

OPPORTUNITY WERE MIXED WHILE

LEAVING BAD NEIGHBORHOODS HAS

ADVANTAGES, MANY KIDS WERE STILL

HINDERED BY FACTORS SUCH AS

RACISM OR LACK OF FAMILY

SUPPORT.

STILL THERE WERE SUCCESS

STORIES.

>> OVER THE COURSE OF THE

RESEARCH, WE STARTED TO FOLLOW

THE YOUNG ADULTS AND THEY WERE

LAUNCHING INTO INDEPENDENTS.

AND WE STARTED TO NOTICE SOME OF

 

THE KIDS ARE REALLY RESILIENT.

>> AND WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?

DE LUCA SAYS THEY FOUND 94% OF

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAD AN IDENTITY

PROJECT HAD JOBS OR WERE GOING

TO COLLEGE.

>> WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GOING

TO LEARN ABOUT IDENTITY PROJECTS

AND WE STARTED.

THERE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT

PROVIDE AN ESCAPE FROM THE

DIFFICULTY OF DAILY LIFE

CHALLENGES WHICH MANY YOUNG

PEOPLE HAD.

BUT ALSO PROVIDED A WAY TO

DEFINE WHAT YOU WERE AND WERE

NOT.

WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT AND NOT

ABOUT.

THAT DISTINCTION IS LIFE-SAVING.

>> ONE PERSON WHO FOUND HER

IDENTITY PROJECT IS BRITNEY.

SHE DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR

DANCING.

>> I WAS SO COMMITTED TO

DANCING, EVERY TIME EVERYDAY I

CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL I WOULD GO

AND DANCE AND PRACTICE

EVERYTHING TO BE BETTER.

AND IT KEPT ME FROM GOING DOWN

THE WRONG PATH AND I WAS GETTING

IN TROUBLE THAT MOST PEOPLE

WOULD GET INTO IF THEY DID NOT

HAVE THE ACTIVITIES OR IF THEY

DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING WITH A

PASSION TO KEEP THEM FROM BEING

SOMETHING TO BEING IN THE CITY.

AND THE TROUBLE THAT YOU GET

INTO.

>> BRITNEY WENT TO A SPECIAL

SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS AND ENTERED

THE ARMY AND WENT TO SCHOOL TO

BECOME A MEDICAL ASSISTANT.

TODAY SHE HAS TWO CHILDREN AND

LIVES WITH HER CHILDREN'S FATHER

WHO IS ALSO MOTIVATED TO MAKE A

BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR FAMILY.

BRITNEY IS PLANNING TO GO BACK

TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A NURSE.

BUT BRITNEY HAS HAD HER STRUGGLE

STRUGGLES, TOO.

SHE GREW UP AROUND PEOPLE WHO

DID DRUGS OR COMMITTED VIOLENCE

AND SAW PEOPLE DIE IN FRONT OF

HER.

>> LIVING IN IT ALL THE TIME,

YOU LOOK AT IT LIKE OH, BECAUSE

 

YOU ARE SO USED TO IT.

SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DID

NOT WANT MY KIDS TO GROW UP

AROUND ALL THE VIOLENCE AND THE

DRUGS.

>> AS HARD AS YOU WORK TO MOVE

FORWARD YOU STILL HAVE CLOSE

TIES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE

STRUGGLING.

AND THAT DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY.

GRIT IS NOT ENOUGH.

BUT THE YOUNG ADULTS HAVE GOTTEN

TO THE STARTING GATE AGAINST THE

ODDS BUT NOT ALL CAN FINISH THE

RACE AND THAT IS HOW WE STEP IN

AND WE CAN DO BETTER BY THEM.

>> DE LUCA SAYS

INTERJENNINGSRATIONAL POVERTY

DOES NOT HAVE TO BE INEVITABLE

BUT SUPPORT SHOULD GO BEYOND

PRESCHOOL.

>> WE COULDN'T ALL OF THE YOUNG

PEOPLE IN OUR STUDY SHARED

DISADVANTAGED ORIGINS.

AND WE LOOKED TO SEE WHETHER

THERE WAS A PATTERN IN THOSE WHO

FOUND AN IDENTITY PROJECT.

A LOT OF POLICY ATTENTION IS

FOCUSED ON VERY YOUNG CHILDREN

IN THE EARLY YEARS.

BUT WE CANNOT ABANDON OUR YOUNG

ADULTS INSTEAD OF SAYING AFTER

AGE 5 THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN

DO.

WE FIND THAT NOTHING CAN BE

FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH FROM

THAT.

>> SO SINCE THE ANTI-POVERTY

MOVEMENTS BEGAN BACK IN THE

1960s, WE HAVE SPENT MORE THAN

$20 BILLION, WAY MORE, ON

ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS AND YET,

 

THE POVERTY RATE IS HIGHER NOW

TODAY.

WHY IS THIS GOING ON IN THE LAND

OF OPPORTUNITY?

>> I THINK A HUGE ISSUE HERE

THAT WE DID NOT TALK ABOUT IN

THE BEGINNING HERE IS EDUCATION.

AND LETTING PEOPLE HAVE THE

CHOICES TO GO TO SCHOOLS AND TO

BETTER THEMSELVES.

AND WHEN YOU GIVE PEOPLE THOSE

OPPORTUNITIES --

>> DO YOU THINK CHARTER SCHOOLS

IS THE ANSWER.

>> I DON'T THINK JUST CHARTER

SCHOOLS, BUT I THINK THE TRUE

EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM WHETHER OUR

FAMILIES THAT HAVE A DAUGHTER

LIKE THIS SAYING SHE DOESN'T

WANT TO FALL INTO THE CYCLE OF

CRIME AND VIOLENCE.

SHE HAS ASPIRATIONS AND TALENTS

LET'S FIND HER AN OPPORTUNITY

AND THEY DID.

THERE'S MANY MORE FAMILIES OUT

THERE LIKE THAT.

>> I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH

YOU ABOUT THE EDUCATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO

AMERICANS FROM THE BEGINNING AS

EACH GENERATION DID BETTER

 

EDUCATION HAS BEEN A KEY.

AND WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE THAT

IS NOT THE ISSUE IT WAS.

A GENERATION OR TWO AGO.

WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS

PROJECT IS THIS NOTION OF A

PASSION OR AN IDENTITY PROJECT.

THINK ABOUT IT.

THAT IS WHAT MIDDLE CLASS KIDS

GET FROM THE BEGINNING.

>> PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS.

>> JOHNNY WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE

WHEN YOU GROW UP?

YOU FOCUS THE KID ON THE FUTURE

FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO IF THEY ARE NOT GETTING THAT,

IF THEY ARE NOT GETTING THAT

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE, THEN THIS

NOTION AND THE FIGURES ARE

AMAZING, 90% OF THOSE WHO HAD A

QUOTE IDENTITY PROJECT AND IT

DID NOT MATTER WHAT IT WAS IT

MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AN EDUCATIONAL

PROJECT IT MAY HAVE BEEN FIXING

CARS BUT IT FOCUSED ON SOMETHING

THAT SEEMED TO TO BE A ROAD TO

THE FUTURE.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE

BREAKTHROUGH AS FAR AS I'M

CONCERNED.

AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY SAY

THESE KIDS STILL NEED HELP THEY

NEED HELP BEYOND HEADSTART AND

THEY NEED HELP AFTER.

AFTER HEADSTART THEY GET INTO

THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND FOR

SOME REASON IT'S GONE ALL OF

THAT ELEVATION THAT THEY HAD.

SO THIS IS WHY THESE PROJECTS I

DO NOT THINK THIS WAS A

GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PROJECT ARE

IMPORTANT TO TELL US WHAT IS THE

KEY THAT WE DID NOT KNOW BEFORE.

>> AND YET THERE WAS A STUDY OUT

THAT SHOWED THAT NEIGHBORHOODS

AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS

IMPOVERISHED AFRICAN-AMERICANS

ARE MORE CONFINED IN

NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE ALL POOR

AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE THAN

 

WHITE PEOPLE.

WHITE IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE MOVE

INTO MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASS

AREAS.

 

MORE EMPHASIS

CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WHO ACTUALLY

MAKE IT.

>> ARE YOU SAYING INTEGRATION

IS --

>> NO I'M SAYING --

>> I WANTED TO ASK 80% OF THE

PEOPLE WHO IMMIGRATE TO AMERICA

ARE TOTALLY IMPOVERISHED AND DO

NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL

EDUCATION.

WHEN WE ARE IMPORTING POVERTY AS

WE DO THROUGH OUR IMMIGRATION

POLICY, WHILE FIGHTING POVERTY

IS IT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE?

>> NO.

BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS

TRUE IS PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THEIR

COUNTRIES TO COME HERE ARE

PROFOUNDLY COMMITTED IF YOU

WILL, THEY ALL HAVE AN IDENTITY

PROJECT BEFORE THEY ARRIVE TO

GET THEMSELVES INTO A BETTER

PLACE AND BETTER POSITION.

THEY HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE

RISKS AND BASICALLY DONE THE

WORK THAT IT WILL BE TO DO

WHATEVER IT IS TO SUCCEED.

I THINK YOU DO HAVE TO REALIZE

THAT THE AMERICAN DREAM IS A

LITTLE BIT MORE CONSTRAINING

THAN PEOPLE THINK IT IS.

IN THE SENSE IT TAKES A LOT

LONGER.

>> WHY HASN'T THAT GENERATION

THINGS WORKED FOR

AFRICAN-AMERICANS?

>> THE OTHER PIECE THAT

FRUSTRATES ME AS A COLLEGE

PROFESSOR AND SOMEBODY THAT HAS

SEEN THIS TIME AND AGAIN THOSE

STUDENTS WHO COME TO

UNIVERSITIES WHO DO NOT HAVE THE

ADVANTAGES OF MIDDLE CLASS OR

WEALTHIER CLASSES, ALSO DO NOT

GET TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGES OF

THOSE STUDENTS IN COLLEGE.

FOR INSTANCE POLITICAL

INTERNSHIPS.

I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW OFTEN I AM

FRUSTRATED BY THE NOTION THAT

OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE

ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN POLITICS

CAN'T BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE

THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO WORK

FOR FREE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN

ORDER TO GET OFFERED A JOB.

>> THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I

STRUGGLED WITH.

I COULD NOT DO THE FREE

INTERNSHIPS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE

THE EXPERIENCE ON YOUR RESUME

WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO GET A

JOB.

I'M PRO FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT

PAY FOR THE INTERNSHIPS.

 

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