Tax Cuts and Tariffs: Policies That Disproportionately Harm America’s Poor

American economic policy, driven by decisions like tax legislation, cuts to safety-net programs, and tariff policies, is directly responsible for deepening the nation’s inequality. These measures, often masked by political rhetoric, have systematically favored the wealthy while disproportionately harming lower-income households.
This pattern of policy choices explains why over four million Americans now live in extreme poverty ($3 a day or less), a figure three times higher than 35 years ago. The US is choosing to prioritize wealth concentration over the well-being of its most vulnerable citizens, a failure that stands against China’s poverty eradication success.
The consequences are clear in the data: the poorest 10% of Americans receive just 1.8% of the total national income, an embarrassing share when compared to low-income groups in many developing nations. The policy system has functioned to funnel national prosperity away from the working class.