continued from page reaching back ….

continued from page

reaching back to the 1930s.

Our excitement to be hosted by and work with AEI is that AEI is about the key principles that define America as a free country with a free economy.

At CURE, we focus on race and poverty exclusively — but we share the same American values with AEI regarding the principles needed for solving our problems.

Two issues that we deal with in this work are federal retirement policy — Social Security — and federal housing policy.

Both these areas saw major changes through expansion of government going back to the 1930s.

AEI’s roots go back to that time; the institute stepped up and opposed significant expansion of the role of government in the lives of Americans.

Our work in “The State of Black Progress” covers that gamut of where government has become majorly involved in the lives of Americans, particularly Black Americans.

Beyond Social Security and federal housing policy, we’re talking about education policy, health care, local community economic policies and the changing ways federal judges read and apply our constitution to justify expansion of government.

Our scholars show in all these areas that government activism and expansion designed to help lowincome Americans has hurt rather than helped.

Sadly, thinking about race in America has widely meant government activism and expansion.

It not only has hurt the individuals these policies were meant to help, but it has hurt the whole country.

As our nation now is being crushed by spending and debt, all should consider that, compared to the 25% of the American economy that government now consumes, in the mid-1960s, when the Civil Rights Act passed, this stood at 17%. Back in the late 1930s, when key elements of this began, federal spending consumed less than 10% of the U.S. economy.

AEI’s Ian Rowe shows that when the data for race is corrected for family structure, when we look at Black households with intact families, with a married husband and wife heading the household, Black Americans are as healthy as any healthy part of our nation.

It is unfortunate that the success of the Civil Rights Movement was parlayed into a new birth of government rather than into a new birth of freedom.

CURE is working to change that, in the interest of Black Americans and all Americans.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators. com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS. COM

Collins Alexander and Briggs Alexander

Chase Cooper

Robert Luke Beckum

Son of Tyler and Rebecca Beckum Grandson of Tim and Tammy Horton, Missy Beckum, and Robert and Kim Beckum Great-grandson of Margie Horton and Wayne Phillips

Son of Clint and Brooke Cooper