What Does It Take To Lift People Out of Poverty?

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A state legislator ignited a debate about poverty when he compared North Carolina living standards with international standards of poverty. Liberal activists responded by saying conservatives don't understand the plight of the poor. John Locke Foundation Director of Fiscal Studies Fergus Hodgson talks about standards of poverty and discusses freedom-related policies that lift people out of poverty.  Next is a closer look at some positive news about worldwide standards of living. With all of the bad news that crops up constantly during the election campaign, it's worth noting that people around the world have become healthier, happier, cleaner, kinder, and wealthier in recent decades. Journalist and biologist Matt Ridley documents these changes in his book The Rational Optimist. Ridley recently told a Duke University audience why he believes life has been getting better around the globe. Then we turn to local government policy. North Carolina cities and towns are able to control the zoning of land just outside municipal limits through a power called extra-territorial jurisdiction. Some state lawmakers want to ensure ETJ powers don't encroach too much on family farms. You'll hear highlights from a recent debate on the topic. That's followed by a look at the growing Latino population in North Carolina. As Latinos continue to make up a larger segment of North Carolina's voting population, Victor Guzman hopes the Republican Party will be able to do a better job reaching those potential voters. Guzman explains his work as founding chairman of North Carolina's chapter of the Republican Hispanic National Assembly.  And finally, this year's congressional election cycle has more than 70 people seeking the opportunity to represent North Carolina's interests in Washington D.C. Carolina Journal reporter David Bass analyzes the races and the impact of new election districts on the balance of power within our state's congressional delegation.