why is poverty a problem in america?

Answer 1

BUSH

Answer 2

It shouldn't be. There are still opportunities for anyone and everyone in this country, and all they have to do is get out and get a job. Even McDonald's is a job. You can work at McDonald's and make enough for a tiny apartment, and can get food assistance and medical assistance if needed. And that is not what I call poverty, unless you compare it to the majority in this country who live for materialism and buy on credit.
Not having a McMansion and not having an Escalade is not the definition of poverty.

Answer 3

GREED. Look at how many corporate officers are bringing home over $1m per day. Then look at how much their employees make. Any CEO would be hard-pressed to spend even $100,000 per day and divide the rest among their employees, some of whom are barely scraping by. These are the same corporations that are paying off our lawmakers to make sure it stays that way.

Also, look at how many have been bankrupted by medical bills, or who cannot work because they can't afford their medicine, or cannot get a good job because they can't afford an education, or between their two jobs don't have time for school.

Average yearly premiums for family coverage is now $10,880. Compare that to the yearly earnings of a full-time minimum wage worker at $10,712. You do the math. Meanwhile healthcare and pharmaceutical companies are making record profits. Not to mention the oil companies. The cost of the basic necessities is quickly outpacing the rise in average wages. Obviously the longer this goes on, the more people are going to fall behind. So obviously there are several reasons for this problem, but greed is at the core of all of them.

Answer 4

Poverty is a problem that was officially defined in 1963 by the US Census Bureau. The bureau website claims that poverty levels rise during recessions and decline after a recession. Other reasons why poverty exists in the United States include: mental illness, adverse health, minimum wage rate (working poor), high rate of childcare costs, racism, social class, poor work ethics, limited job opportunities, etc etc etc.

Here is a link to a picture of "Homeless persons living in cardboard boxes in Los Angeles, California where the median home price was estimated to be $564,430" in May of this year. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Homeless_in_LA.jpg

They DO NOT appear lazy to me, as one answerer to your question suggests. What this picture does prove, however, is that the "haves" shamelessly hoard their wealth while ignoring those who live without the basic necessities of life.

To those who are answering by rationalizing hunger and homelessness and the desperation of doing without by pointing out that many other nations have a worse poverty problem, that is just simply despicable.

Answer 5

What we call poverty in America amount to huge wealth in Haiti. It is all relative. The poor in America are fat. The poor in other countries may be strarving. It is a big difference. Everyone wants more money. Problems arise when some, for example many who previously posted, think it is their right to take money from others and give to people they think deserve it more. Their generous when they can take the money from other people's hard earned wealth but usually not so much when it is their own.

Answer 6

Amerika has a poverty problem because the "minimum" wage is $5.00 an hour and if you work in the service industries, i.e. waitress, you don't even get that. Last year millions of Amerikans were below the poverty level, and no politician will do anything to change that. Only in states like Washington, where the people vote to raise the minimum wage will people get a more livable wage. If you think that your government will provide for you, please don't be so foolish and gullible. We outsource jobs to other countries because those countries pay only pennies per hour, and I guess the leaders of Amerika are envious.

Answer 7

People are lazy and don't actually want to work for money. Credit cards seem to be a simple answer, but they make things worse. So much debt is built up and instead of paying the cards off, they get new cards to rack up more debt. Those with money to burn don't share it. Then there is the whole outplacing of jobs to other countries so big corporate companies can make even more money that only goes into the hands of the owners/managers. People aren't getting enough education to do anything with their lives. It's a vicious cycle and until someone is willing to change their own personal situation by doing something for themselves, the cycle is going to continue.

Answer 8

Is it? I mean really. Poor people in the U.S. are doing a lot better than average people most other places.

When we are importing workers because jobs can't be filled I'd say we don't have a poverty problem but a lazy deadbeat problem.

Answer 9

Thats the problem with a market system, people who can't provide labor, will stay poor. If it was a communist country, everyone would be exactly the same, however poor or rich that would be. The more labor you provide in america, the more money you make.

Answer 10

RAMPANT ILLEGITIMACY
RAMPANT ILLEGITIMACY
RAMPANT ILLEGITIMACY
RAMPANT ILLEGITIMACY
RAMPANT ILLEGITIMACY

I'm sorry, I forgot no one is ever suppose to mention that.

Highest teenage birthrate in industrialized world !!
Oops, there I go again.

I know it is rich people and corporations' fault that people are spitting out illegitimate children like hamsters, I just have not quite figured out how.

Government owned, government controlled education system that has been handing out diplomas that are not worth the paper they are printed on - for decades.
Oops, I forgot government is the solution to all problems.

The new motto in America:
"It is not my fault, I am a victim of society."
.

Answer 11

Have you ever been outside of your house, besides the mall? Illegal Darfur immigration......look at the rest of the world before you ask such ignorant questions. About a third of the world would sell their daughters out to eat for the day.