Think about it: Reducing crime and poverty and ensuring that we have an educated, stable work force has a direct effect on you and me and the future of our country.

Fonda frames social policy as enlightened self-interest rather than charity. By linking crime reduction, poverty alleviation, and education to a “stable work force,” she argues that investments in social welfare and public education produce tangible, shared benefits: safer communities, a stronger economy, and long-term national stability. The direct address (“Think about it”) invites listeners to move from abstract moral debate to practical consequences, emphasizing interdependence—individual well-being is tied to collective conditions. The quote reflects a civic-minded, future-oriented argument: strengthening the social fabric now shapes the country’s prospects later, so these issues are not someone else’s problem but a common stake.