Dale Hollar: Pope, not Nichol alleviating poverty

Here is some food for thought: By the simple act of opening a Roses store and supermarket in Southeast Raleigh, Variety Wholesalers (owned by the family of Art Pope) is doing more to alleviate poverty than any university “poverty center” could ever do. Not only do the stores bring dozens of jobs to a low-income area of the city, they bring lower prices and better product choices to that area.

The UNC poverty center cannot demonstrate that it has created even a single job for a low-income person or reduced poverty in any meaningful way.

Is the lesson in economics clear? Are the ironies palpable? Is that applause I hear from the left wing or merely the gnashing of teeth?

This story was originally published March 9, 2015 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Dale Hollar: Pope, not Nichol alleviating poverty."