When voting, consider positions on hunger

By by LLOYD SCHMEIDLER on September 22, 2008
© The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)

I am a member of Bread for the World's (www.bread.org) Election Action Team, a nationwide network of activists committed to help building the political will to reduce, and ultimately end, hunger in our nation and around the world.

We are encouraged that, in a recent poll by the Alliance to End Hunger, 88 percent of those polled said that they are concerned about candidates' stand on hunger.

What would Sen. Elizabeth Dole or Kay Hagan do to reduce hunger in America, when 35 million people -- including 12 million children -- live in households that struggle to put food on the table?

What do Congressman David Price and his opponent, B.J. Lawson, believe should be done to protect working families from predatory lending practices?

What do the candidates for president believe should be done to address the root causes of hunger and poverty?

These are just a few of the questions I will be seeking answers to in these last weeks of this election.

I encourage you and your readers to consider the candidates' stands on hunger and poverty issues as one of the important topics that help determine one's vote in this important election.

LLOYD SCHMEIDLER
Durham