From host Tom Ashbrook:

In the last twenty years, nothing has put grinding American poverty on display like Hurricane Katrina. The powerful Gulf Coast storm ripped the lid off an issue many Americans liked to think was behind us.

The stark images from New Orleans and the Gulf proved it isn’t. Two weeks after Katrina hit–and under the glare of world shock dismay–President Bush stood in the French Quarter, acknowledged “deep, persistent poverty” with “a history in racial discrimination”, and promised “bold action”.

Now, one month later, anti-poverty advocates say that action is, in fact, the rapid-fire gutting of poverty programs by conservatives who say they have a better way.

Hear a conversation on politics, poverty, and the conservative agenda for the poor.

Guests:

Jason DeParle, senior writer, The New York Times and author of “American Dream: Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation’s Drive to End Welfare”

Robert Greenstein, director, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Robert Rector, senior research fellow, The Heritage Foundation

Jane Knitzer, executive director, National Center for Children in Poverty at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University

Robert Woodson, president, National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise.