By Anthony G. Pilla
What is urgently needed to help resolve the crisis in America’s deprived urban and rural areas is for Congress to create a domestic Marshall Plan, similar to the one George C. Marshall called for in a 1947 speech at Harvard. His European recovery program of $12 billion from Congress restored war-torn Europe to pre-war conditions.
Washington needs to develop “access opportunities” to rescue urban and rural youth who live in poverty. My idea is to create Rescue American Youth (RAY), somewhat like FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which provided work for 250,000 young men in reclamation projects across America. My “ray of hope” should focus on education and employment—to move poverty-stricken youth into mainstream America.
I was pleased to learn that Kweisi Mfume, a well-respected former Maryland congressman, is also calling for an American Marshall Plan.
Anthony G. Pilla
Forest Hills
