On January 9, 2013, respected journalist Bill Moyers posted an opinion piece by Nation contributer Greg Kaufman on his website. The piece notes that while the President had met with entrepreneurs, small business owners, bankers, activists, CEOs, labor leaders, and members of the middle class, he has never publicly met with representatives of those hardest hit by the downturn in our economy: low income Americans.
It is crucial that in the coming months, as the fiscal scolds beat the drum for austerity that this not be allowed as a means to gut the social safety net, and to prevent that, the people who rely on it must be given a voice. As Kaufmann puts it "a place at the table matters." The president must meet with low income americans and seek to protect their interests with real action.