[US] Authors call for radical strategy in combating poverty

form The Nashville City Paper

By Ron Wynn, rwynn@nashvillecitypaper.com

Authors Dr. Jerome R. Corsi and J. Kenneth Blackwell’s new book Rebuilding America (WND) is generating considerable debate and discussion across the nation, particularly among activists and political leaders in the African-American community. Part of that comes from the large national profile of Blackwell, currently Ohio’s secretary of state and a candidate for governor on the Republican ticket.

Both he and Dr. Corsi have strong conservative ties and credentials, with Blackwell winning the John M. Ashbrook award in 2004. Yet Dr. Corsi maintains that thus far the book has gotten mostly favorable reviews and responses on both sides of the aisle and among black readers across the board.

“One reason why we’re getting such positive reaction is the fact that our book stresses both practical solutions to the problem of poverty and also talks about the historical values that the majority of African Americans support,” Dr. Corsi said. “We feel that the whole welfare state approach just hasn’t worked in addressing the problem. All it’s done is create a huge bureaucracy and pour millions of dollars into systems that neither help the people they were designed to aid nor provide any solutions to the problems.”

Dr. Corsi and Blackwell’s book declares it’s time for financial institutions to deploy new capital towards rebuilding the cities without calling for additional taxes on the populace. Under the plan, which is spelled out in economic specifics in throughout the volume’s second part, both established and newly created corporations would receive incentives to create jobs and training programs.

The authors maintain that encouraging what they deem “an ownership society” will not only create a new class of entrepreneurs, but also ensure that those willing to put their money into urban areas would get it back.

“We’re not talking about nonprofit firms or any short-term solution,” Dr. Corsi added. “It will take many years to get the cities back on their feet, and those businesses willing to invest need to understand that they won’t be getting any large immediate return on their investment. But we feel that over time the benefits of this initiative will be clear, and we also feel from our talks with businesses in Ohio that there is plenty of corporate interest in the idea.”

The chapter devoted to the Blackwell Initiative discusses his plan as he’s proposed it for the state of Ohio. He also discusses how certain elements can be retooled for other states, and breaks down such aspects of the plan as the Rebuild America banking plan and the proposal for leasing the Ohio Turnpike to bring in a one-time initial payment of $4-$6 million on a 99-year lease.

“Our plan is based on solid free enterprise principles, limited government regulation and involvement and the expansion of personal opportunity,” Dr. Corsi said. “We truly consider it a radical and necessary step toward combating poverty at its roots, rather than just saying let’s throw more money at the problem.”