Congressman Cohen Addresses Poverty and Inequality
In floor speech, says “it pains me to see our country becoming more and more divided” economically
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), whose district includes Memphis with a child poverty rate of 32.7 percent, went to the House floor Tuesday evening to discuss income inequality and poverty and Tennessee’s failure to address it.
In his remarks, he said in part:
“My district is in Memphis and Shelby County and Tipton County, just north of Memphis. Because of that, I’m no stranger to high levels of poverty and inequality…
“Tennessee is nationally ranked as a low-tax state but that’s not the case for the poorest families. The taxes are regressive. It’s a sales tax-dependent state and that taxes the poor in the most regressive manner. The poorest 20 percent of Tennessee residents pay a significantly higher percentage of their income in state and local taxes than any other group in the state…Tennessee remains one of the ten states in not expanding Medicaid. That is truly sorrowful and immoral…
“A billion-plus dollars a year have been turned down by our state legislature because they don’t care about the poor. Matthew 25 talks about healing. ‘I saw people who were naked and I clothed them. I saw people who were (hungry) and I fed them. I saw people who were sick and I healed them.’ Some people say they live by the Bible. ‘If you want to know my politics, just look to the Bible.’ Well, some of the people who speak it the most don’t know Matthew 25…It pains me to see our country becoming more and more divided.”
See the entire speech here.
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