A question on poverty.....a couple of weeks ago?

Question

I posted questions on the high cost of poverty and then sent the responses, along with my question to my elected reps and senators. Yesterday, I got 3 mails back from the same and I was wondering did anyone else contact their senators and tell them how it is to be poor? How it is to pay over $3 at the pump? How it is to pay higher food costs due to increase in shipping? When will you tell your senators that you know someone who is in trouble? Will you wait until it is your neighbor, your family member, your co-worker or will you wait until it is you? And by then there may be no one left to speak for you. Heres one of the questions again....Name 3 ways that poverty is expensive. Thank you.

Beautiful responses so far. I agree, I know how I got poor and how I stay poor. Do you know who your elected reps are?

'THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL"

Thanks UK, some of the same problems over there I see? How is the UK today? Any problems communicating with anyone via internet?

Thanks for you answer. "The Revolution will not be Televised"

Thanks Tony2uk, we like to call that sleight of hand "Bright shiny object, (poverty) War in Iraq. (the trick done behind the curtains)"

Yes, Michael, I know I have some things that others do not have and I was homeless for 6 years to get them. And I fight to keep the things I have. No car, no doctors appointments or employement. etc.etc. And why does someone always come up with this? Do you realize that I have gotten very ill these last 2 years from the stress of not knowing how I was going to pay for these "luxuries"? The point is, Michael, I became poor, and many others are just one paycheck away from the streets. I would like to do something positive to help the situation change. I have lived on the street, while you don't have to worry about the light bill you do have to worry about a lot of other things....not the least of which being sexual assault....so please be part of the solution...

Answer 1

Wow!!! sad! my topic is this as well! It hurts me so much to see people that have to pick between food and electric! and there is so many people that are not counted in census that are poor that most tend to over look that!
i some how made it out of my old poor life! it was very hard, I had very little help! and it repeated and repeated every year!
Untill i was blessed with a job close to home that paid well! not great but well! I still support my mother who is trying to make it.

ways that proverty / working poor is expensive

1. lost of employment...... gas is how much you drive how far to put ramon noodles on the table! if your lucky! some can't afford that!
EG.. i lost my job that was paying me well. gas went up i had to stop eating and ho myself around to get free food from dates! no one to car pool with due to the distence but what was i to do lose my job because i cant afford gas to get there! or quit and get a job mininum wage! that would keep me in the same boat!
now if there is lost of employment then companies suffer in return will hurt the county then state then country! <-- not over night but will happen!

2. Health care... you really think i'll pay my hospital bills? umm maybe if i make more money i will... people wonder why health care cost so much and why other collection companys go into dept by buying off someones bill.. well if the person is in proverty then chances are they won;'t see a dime! now most poor people have depression... and that takes a lot to over come! pills money ext.. even if you go to a clinc on a slide scale for pay! trust me i did and i owe them a bill to!
This isn't good it will just make more companies go under!!!
in a slow chain reaction just wait you'll see!

3. crime.... even though you think someone poor will obay the law??? ummm i didn't nor did i care what a threat to a person who is struggling to stervive... jail!!! ummm i get shelter, education, food, entertainment... all for free! well technoly you have to pay to go to jail some odd dollars a day! but i can work in the jail and pay that off! so rent there wouldn't be so bad! so they don't get money! now i can't get more education on the streets they want money and if you go below a point level on your GPA you loose financial ad!! lost mine had to quit school! umm no money for the schools from me! looks like a life a crime is underway! but can you think of the extra money the country would make if i was a top Computer geek doing security for the goverment... who know's maybe my mind is better then the one they got ... but that's just guessing games i don't have the education to even prove that!

All in all -
proverty is a catch 20/20 your damned if you do your damned if you don't! help that is !

Think about it this way if we all were rich who would flip our burgers at burger king Umm wait i know kids!!! get to work! adults need the better jobs!
well i think i said what needed to be said!

Answer 2

poverty within rich countries is not (in most cases) the responsibility of the poor, but a condition imposed by government. Poor people cannot raise themselves out of poverty, although there are many success stories, they are a small percentage of the whole population. The cost of poverty is the individual's health, the happiness of the family and instead of alleviating the causes such as bad housing, poor education, the government traps people into crap jobs and pays a fortune for jails. If my children were hungry i would steal from a shop to feed them if i could not find money legitimately. Whose sin would this be?

Answer 3

Well, I have done things to help where I live as have other members of my family. We have never been very well off at all.

3 ways in which poverty is expensive:

1. You end up paying more for things because you don't have enough money at one time to get the "value" packs which work out cheaper.

2. Some people have to get a loan just so they can afford to pay their bills, therefore they are technically paying extra for the basics

3. Things like white goods and furnature are expensive. Those on low incomes have to get those things on hire purchase which means they are usually paying around twice as much (or more) as someone who has ready cash.

Answer 4

And you live in the richest country in the world. You are right to lobby politicians - they help the rich and cause poverty traps for the poor. here in the UK, we have a new Human rights Act and a Disability discrimination Act. Both are being ignored by National and local government to maintain the poverty trap that many people find themselves in. So we have to complain to the Disability right Commission and use the law to free us from the bureaucratic hold of the poverty trap.

Answer 5

Poverty is expensive because people are going to use credit cards to buy there food weekly and then they will just have to pay more o the credit card company because the intrest will pile up. once they have so much money they owe they co to one of those people who "help them with their debt" but really they take of about half and then the person has to pay the "credit card helpers"

I think i answered it right. And I agree with the senators being contacted because i really don't want to get poor.

Answer 6

1 you can't afford to get on property ladder so you have to pay half your wage to a private landlord

2 you pay a larger part of your income then the well paid just to travel the same distance to work.

3 its impossble to save for a rainy day so when your hit by a big unexpected bill you can't cope.

politicians and buisnesses like poverty because it makes people easier to control. if people are worried about money they do not complain at work in case they get sacked, they can be got to do unpleasent jobs for a pittance.

Answer 7

Povery is relative.For instance,you have computer,a car,a place to live,food & fresh water.Now,compare all that to a home-less person who may be sleeping rough in your neighbour-hood.The secret is to learn the difference between what you need and what you want.Once you learn that,you should be a little more content.(By the way,do you know there is a billionnaires club in the us.They won't admit millionnaires,too poor!)

Answer 8

Can only really name the one.....you're flat broke with kids to feed, no bank will touch you so you have to go to loan sharks and get money. They know you're desperate and agree to give you the money but charge extortionate interest rates, but people are so desperate they have no choice

Answer 9

poverty is relative. If you have a roof over your head, clean water and enough food you are not poor.

Answer 10

Can I ask what did they say in the emails.?