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Maryland Blogger and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers activist Cory McCray discusses the problems that led to Baltimore's inner city section seeing a rise in the poverty rate of 20 percent in one year:

Yes the federal government, banks, and Wall Street have contributed to the increased poverty rate in inner city neighborhoods, but Baltimore City should not be surprised because it’s lawmakers have also contributed to the problem of unemployment and underemployment which has an adverse effect of increasing poverty within Baltimore City. Here are three clear examples of how Baltimore City lawmakers are a part of the problem, while denying favorable solutions.

This is part of a larger problem we're seeing across the country during the tough economic times created by Republican policies. It isn't just the bad policies put forth by George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress (and often supported by too many Democrats), it's a matter of either incompetent or even more extreme partisan conservatives blocking good policies and passing bad policies at the state and local level that is making the economy and jobs situation even worse.