Why is there so little compassion for the poor in this country?

Question

Well I'm going to go ahead and presume that anyone who has the technology or time to do Yahoo Answers is probably at least middle class. Why do we live in a country where so many presume poor people don't work hard, that we allow poor families to survive on $5 an hour, and where we let our government get away with letting poor people literally drown when catastrophe strikes? I am so offended by rich idiots who have had every advantage in life in putting down poor people. Where is our compassion and why do we allow this kind of widespread poverty to exist?

Answer 1

People who are NOT poor like to believe that poor people are poor because they deserve to be poor, because they are lazy and foolish, etc. That way, these NOT poor people can tell themselves "Well I sure do DESERVE to be better off because I'm harder working and smarter than those inferior poor people."

The fact is that the single most accurate indicator of level of wealth is the level of wealth of one' s parents. If we don't count lottery winners, entertainers, athletes, and those awarded big legal settlements, then there are very few people who are either vastly better off of markedly worse off than their parents. These NOT poor people should stop patting themselves on the back so much and give thanks to Our Creator that they were fortunate enough to NOT be born to near-insurmountable obstacles.

Sure, a few exceptional people manage to overcome these obstacles, but what about the ordinary people? Don't they deserve decent lives too?

Answer 2

There is compassion for the poor. The problem is that it has always been the middle class that are the ones that help and they are under a terrible burden now just to keep a float themselves. It's the rich 10 % in this country that makes all the laws and they don't care about anyone, but themselves. They are so removed from the way other people live they just don't understand.
They give advice like, buy a hybrid car if you can't afford gas, but never think how people can afford it.
They says invest your money, but they don't understand there isn't any money leftover to invest and we don't have insider trading like the government.
If you are truly poor you get, food stamps, health care, welfare.
The middle class get zip, nothing, noda.
Now they want us to pay for illegals too. No wonder the middle class is ready for another tea party ( Boston, remember).

Answer 3

First of all, you're right. There is very little compassion for the poor. And it is based on false presumptions. So I hope you don't mind if I correct a couple of yours for example. Not everyone on Yahoo or using computers is middle class. I'm poor. My family is working class. Not each and every one of us has a computer like on TV. We share computers. You can get online at the library. That is where I learned to use the Internet...from a teenager at the library FOR FREE. Not on a home personally owned computer. DId you mean "Why do we live in a country where so many presume poor people don't work hard" or was that a typo? Because that is one of the false presumptions. Although many poor are messed up individuals who are addicted, mentally ill, dishonest, hustlers, or have given up, most are either sick and can't work, or are working harder than the average middle class person. In a way you answered your own question...it is the false assumptions of people who are making it and their fear of failure that causes them to harshly judge those who aren't.

Answer 4

Poverty is a fact of life. After at least 40 years (LBJ's great society) many people are fed up with the government pouring money down the sewer.

My grand parents came to this country with the clothes on their backs. My parents grew up during the depression. Everybody in my family was poor. Several uncles dropped out of high school to work, the families needed the money. No one went to college. My parents, uncles and aunts worked hard, saved their money and sent their children to college.

I have two college degrees, BA in math/education and an MBA.

One cousin has a PhD in psychology.
One is a dentist.
Two are teachers.

So, pardon me if I think that people who are multi-generational poor are not trying to get ahead.

My wife and I donate to about 6 or 7 charities that help the 'less fortunate' among us, both time and money. Government giveaway programs may help some but encourage many to live off of the work of others. I call them grasshoppers*.

There are no grasshoppers in my family.

Answer 5

I sure wish I knew the answer to this one.

My brother and his family in Texas are having a hard time because of the price of gas. Now it's either gas or lesser food on the table. I try to send a little here and there, but I care for our elderly mother who's in a nursing home.

My brother works a full time job, so he doesn't qualify for government assistance, and he won't quit his job just for a few food stamps.

Yes, I am upset about this. It's unfair that alot of Lazy AS* people sit on their butts, collecting welfare, and having tons of kids with different men, who don't help take responsibility for their "family". Drunks and Drug abusers, with their hands out getting all that government money, while the good hard working lower class get nothing. Even the Illegal immigrants get more than most. Just plumb disturbing!

Answer 6

This country's capitalistic society only sees money. If youre rich, then the government sees you as a citizen and they will help you get richer. If youre poor, then they dont even know you exist anymore. Our government has made welfare even harder to get for poor families, and they have used the money to help rich people in the stock market and raising the President's salary as well as Congress' salaries. Our government is seeing only green, and we need to do something about it, for the sake of the working class.

Answer 7

Why do Liberals all seem to think i should give my hard earned money away to people ?.I'm a business owner and I worked for every penny i ever made in my life, and damn proud of it.I once upon a tI'me worked 3 min wage jobs at the same time to make it, but I did it on my own.No one gave me a damn thing and i was never standing around with my hand held out expecting someone to give me something free.Now that im much better off, i look back at those days and smile and feel a sense of pride knowing that i damn made it.

Answer 8

I am not middle class. I come from a poor background and work hard for everything I have. My computer is a hand me down from a damn hand me down. Seems like you made a generalized statement without having any facts.

Are you middle class? Do you work for your own money? Do you help out when and where you can?

I do!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

Your attitude is warped. your class warfare is noted - grow up -
the problem lies in a population that has wants to be managed
not led and voting for people on all levels of government who aren't accountable - and relying on government in the first place.
Most of you liberal bleeding hearts will never grow up irregardless of how much you get or how little you get. You'll just whine and fault find ------ dirty diapers!!!