Addressing Economic Barriers to Strengthen Our Future

April 17, 2025 - There’s nothing more American than the belief that if you work hard, you should be able to build a better life. Yet today, millions of our fellow citizens are doing everything right—working long hours, raising families, serving their communities—and still find themselves stuck in cycles of hardship that threaten their dignity and potential.

A recent Forbes article by Aisha Nyandoro highlights a reality that too many Americans know firsthand: for far too long poverty in our country doesn’t just mean earning less, it often means paying more. From inflated fees and fines to limited access to affordable services, low-income Americans face obstacles that make it difficult to move forward, no matter how determined or disciplined they are.

This isn’t just a financial problem. It’s a test of our national character. When hardworking Americans are punished by the very systems meant to support them, it’s time to take a step back and ask: are we living up to our founding promise of liberty and opportunity for all?

A System in Need of Repair

In towns and cities across the U.S., families are stretched thin by high housing costs, medical bills, and utility expenses. When they fall behind, they may turn to payday lenders or rack up debt, simply trying to survive. In many cases, a minor traffic ticket or unpaid fee can spiral into job loss, eviction, or worse. These aren’t isolated failures they’re structural weaknesses that hurt our workforce, suppress entrepreneurship, and rob communities of talent and productivity.

We must be honest: the American Dream is still alive, but for too many, it’s slipping further out of reach. And when that happens, we all lose because a nation is only as strong as its people.

American Leadership Starts at Home

The good news is that America has always found its greatest strength in its ability to solve big problems with bold ideas. Whether through tax reforms that reward work, education initiatives that build skills, or infrastructure investments that create opportunity, we know how to rebuild and revitalize. What’s needed now is the political will to put those tools to work in every ZIP code.

By investing in American families, removing the barriers that trap people in poverty, and creating policies that reward effort and initiative, we don’t just strengthen our economy, we reaffirm what makes our country exceptional. We send a message that America still believes in rising together, not leaving people behind.

From Local Solutions to Global Strength

Solving poverty at home isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart investment in America’s global leadership. When our economy is strong, our communities resilient, and our people empowered, we are better equipped to extend those solutions abroad.

Through The Borgen Project, I’ve seen how U.S. leadership in poverty reduction can stabilize fragile regions, prevent conflict, reduce migration pressures, and promote free markets and democracy. When we lead with strength and compassion, we not only secure our borders, we expand the reach of American values: freedom, enterprise, and hope.

Foreign aid and domestic policy aren’t separate. They are part of the same strategy: building a safer, more prosperous world by starting with strong foundations here at home.

Take Action

We have what it takes to rebuild the American Dream and export that vision of resilience and opportunity to the world. If you believe in a stronger future for every American and in a foreign policy that reflects our highest ideals, visit borgenproject.org. Whether it’s writing to your representative or volunteering your voice, your engagement makes a difference.

Let’s show the world what it means when America rises together.

Source

All photos in the blog were taken from "American Realities", a photo project started by Joakim Eskildsen that reveals what it's like to live at and below the poverty line in America. 

To learn more about supporting U.S. foreign policy that advances humanitarian goals while improving national security and economic stability in the United States visit borgenproject.org.

Max Kurzweil is a junior at Muhlenberg College, class of 2027, pursuing a double major in Political Science and Business Administration. He previously served as a Political Affairs Intern and Ambassador for The Borgen Project, where he supported initiatives focused on poverty reduction and sustainable development as part of a balanced approach to American foreign policy and global engagement. He will begin serving as a Regional Director with The Borgen Project in January 2026.