Is it true that there are people living in poverty in the USA?

Question

If its true then what chance do we(South Africa) and other developing countries have in beating poverty, if the most powerful country in the world can't completely beat poverty.

Is this the begining of the end ?

Answer 1

absolutely not!! (its not the beginning of the end i mean) ...im black and american and yes there is poverty here...but it can be beaten. its kind of up to the people in countries like america to educate themselves and push the government to make change. unfortunately, not many people in america actually care because most of us, whether we are poor or wealthy, are living much better than people living in poverty in our country and certainly much better than people suffering in developing nations. i do thinkthat if we elect the right president next year things could begin to change, but its definitely not a situation that can be fixed overnight. it takes leaders who actually give a **** about people (not bush...)

you know the sad part? i remember in my freshman year in highschool (im 17) i gave a speech on bush's presidency and how the poverty rate has increased since hes entered the office..one of my classmates was actually shocked that we had poverty here. thats how comfortable we get with our lives. im complaining to my parents about not getting a bran new car and giving me money for my trip to costa rica this summer.. and last night i almost slapped myself - i watched Slave Girls of India. it is a new documentary by journalist lisa ling about child exploitation and slave labor/sex slaves in india. i saw how they were living in run down areas and they were so skinny. its common to be sold into bondage to pay off family debts there because they have no money; most families in their villages were living on less than two dollars a day! some of the places were so impoverished that the girls were sold as sex slaves for a dollar a piece.... what the ***** kind of s.hitty world are we living in that people can be disposed of like trash? Why dont these governments give a ***** about the kids dying everyday from simple things like asthma, diarrhea, and a ******* cold?! the genocide in sudan is another thing that kills me -politicians sit around debating over whether or not its actually a "genocide"...sad. but it wouldnt be the first time they ignored it so why not do it again? sometimes i think that they're waiting for them all to disappear.

i could go on and on..its nothing new. i keep myself posted on the atrocities happening all over the world..what it comes down to is selfishness and ignorance. (a lot of american youth dont know about how bad things are around the world...at my school we talk about it a lot and you'dbe surprised at how unaware many of us are)..thats what this world is founded upon - the poor must stay poor so the world powers can dominate and stay in control. money, oil, power, war. i watched this movie Lord of War with nicholas cage about a wealthy american arms dealer - he transported arms to warring nations and he admits that peace is expensive and bad for business; funding the civil wars raging in "lesser" countries only keeps them coming back for more. its based on a true story.

im sorry..i talk too much lol whatever. i want to be a journalist when i get older. lisa ling is my inspiration. maybe if we understand our history and the present state of foreign nations as well as our own, we can help one another. these arent privileges for the highest bidder - food, shelter, sense of self worth, education...those are rights! and me sitting here with designer clothes and private school education? why not for the starving children around the world? im no better than them.injustice in one part of the world is an injustice to us all. but you know i keep trying to educate my friends and all that..they keep telling me all it takes is one person. i dunno. maybe im just rambling.

Answer 2

Yes, there is poverty in the USA. The world, or any single country, will never "beat" poverty. There will always be some people living in poverty. There are some people that do not take any personal responsibility for their situation and expect others to take care of them. These people will always be in poverty no matter how rich a country may be.

Answer 3

Of course there's poverty in the United States. People don't just get handed over riches (then there's Paris Hilton). You have to work hard for whatever you have. Society as a whole can't beat poverty, it takes each individual to make a difference. You can't beat poverty, but you can alleviate the problem by providing education and a helping hand to those in need.

Answer 4

Poverty can't be beaten. The only way it's made an more equal is with communism, which doesn't work well. But if you give everyone 1 million dollars, no one is any richer. It's a scale.

If we had a room full of geniuses, there's still the guy who's IQ is ONLY 160, not 180. He's the bottom of the barrel. He's the worse. We have homeless and poverty in the United States, but I think living in poverty here is a much better option then living in poverty in other nations. Our impoverished aren't suffering so terribly.

Answer 5

Yes, there are many people living in poverty here in America. I see it every day at my job.
It's not that we cannot beat poverty...I think we easily could if we wanted to, but the powers that be don't WANT to do it. The rich need to stay rich and they will do everything they can to do it; even if it means continuing to disenfranchise groups of people who cannot help themselves.
It's not the beginning of the end. The US has been doing this for years.
You are right though! The US should set an example and then help the rest of the world to do the same. But as long as people in power have their own selfish agendas, nothing is going to change.

Answer 6

I believe there is poverty in every country even here in the USA, i come from an Indian Rezervation and there are some very poor people there, I wouldnt compare it to a third world country but close, there have very poor living conditions ,the houses are old and run down, with coach roaches and mice, 3 or 4 family in one house, they live on commodities, (goverment surplus). people donate used clothes, they bring down in a semi truck ,sometimes food. there are very few job, so many people leave the rez. so yes there is poverty, not only on the rez, this is just one example, it is all across the USA.

Answer 7

Yes it is true. It's actually very true. I don't think it is the begining of the end I just think that it goes to show that even what you would call "the most powerful country in the world" isn't perfect and still needs alot of work. Although we may excel is certain areas we definately are still very much a young and growing nation with our own problems to face and deal with.

Don't give up hope.

Answer 8

Yes, it is true. But it always have been. There has never been a time when there was no poverty, even in other powerful countries of the past.

Answer 9

Millions live at or below the poverty line in the USA. It is far from the magical utopia its government would have Third World nations believe.

Answer 10

The USA could easily beat poverty but our leaders generally choose not to.

We have a lot of poverty and a lot of people with no homes. Most just choose to ignore that problem or to blame those in need for being in need.

Answer 11

There is poverty and there is POVERTY. There are several million poor in the U.S. but they are living well compared to the poverty in the African nations. Poverty has been with us since mankind started living together and I cannot see an end to it in my lifetime.