Is The term "Poor" overused politically and socially in America?

Question

I am speacing in the international sense here folks. Certainly there are Americans that are disatvantaged, Economically, Racially, Educationally and by mental handicap. However, Are not the Overwhelming number of people classified by the Gov't as below the poverty line vastly better off than better off than most of the people in the the rest of the world classified as "Poor". Make no mistake this is not a defense of the current state in America nor am I advocating doing nothing about the current status quo about those below the poverty line in America. I am however asking has the term "poor" being used more as a political hot button and is somewhat inaccurate in relation to those considered poor in the rest of the world particularly the third world. Do not America's "Poor" have a vastly supperior lifestyle than those considered poor in the majority of the globe. Does not the use of the term Poor in the American sense desensitize us to the term in it's international reality.

Again I stress I AM Not Trying to minimize programs to help american poor or promot a particular philosophy reguarding social programs in the US. I am simpley asking as the question states is the term overused or used or inappropriately used in it's modern context here in America

Answer 1

yes i agree some are truelly poor like those that live in skid row in la. but not all are poor

Answer 2

Yes, clearly the American poor is like a middle class in most countries. There will always be poor in a country because if they are defined as the bottom X% of SES in a given country, then there's no way to stop poverty no matter how well off the poor actually are

Answer 3

America is rich as a country- hence the social problems of deprivation occur at higher incomes than other places. In particular unemployment is soul sapping whoever it happens to.

Many people are desperately poor because there is no safety net- and the high average wealth keeps the cost of living up.

Plus there really isn't an excuse for someone in one of the world richest countries to be in bad housing, bad schools, no health cover, legally disadvantaged and with few prospects.

Answer 4

In one way it might be harder to be poor in America. In the third world if nobody around you has shoes and you find an old tire and cut yourself a pair of sandles out of it, well hell, you're pretty clever.
In America if you have one pair of shoes from payless, and you see ads for $220 shoes and everybody has 6-7 pairs of shoes and boots and sandles you star feeling lik a chump even if your toes are better off than 2/3rd of the toes in the 3rd world. You don't care about the 3rd world. You want some Nikes.

Answer 5

Although a lot of countrys richest are the same as Americas poorest it is Americas duty to look after its own first. But as far as Americas poor goes, is it overused politcally? Probably. Potiticians arent poor and dont know what it means to be poor, so they can throw it around to try and prove thier point.

Answer 6

There are plenty of poor people in USA. They are homeless just as people who live in third-world countries are homeless. The one difference that comes to my mind is that USA usually has charities to help the poor. There are shelters and soup kitchens. However, the shelters can take only so many and they are not open unless the weather is very cold. Its difficult to pull ones self out of this situation. One needs a job to earn money. The employer requires an address. Its a catch-22.

Answer 7

Everything is relative. The working poor in America perhaps live better than the working poor in other countries. What's the difference between a homeless and unemployed American and a homeless and unemployed Bangladeshi? They still have nothing.

Answer 8

If an American "poor" cannot put a roof over their head, clothing on their back and food in their belly, are they no less poor than those in a 3rd world country?

Answer 9

Yes. Even the poorest of people in American would be among the richest in any 3rd world country. Not that helps much, though, since they are living in American society, not a 3rd world society. But when you look on a global scale, yes, the term is definitely overused.

Answer 10

You are correct ! the term "poor" is used as a catch phrase by the govt,media, etc.even the poor in US have more than 2/3 of the rest of the world. and the sad thing is they dont even appreciate it?

Answer 11

Yes, poor people are like rich people to the poor people in third world countries.