Poverty in America?

Question

???... What do you think about this?









...http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/bg1713.cfm

Answer 1

Those facts are true, but they are not completly accurate. For example, I grew up poor, stupid poor, not just poor. Heres the real facts...

I lived in a three bedroom, 1.5 bath BUT it was a decrepided trailer that we owned (it took 20 years to pay for...)

We had a car that barely ran.

We had a color tv that barely worked.

We had extra space that was cluttered with broken junk.

Yet we still had to go to the food shelter, we still had to work more than one job. we still had to shop at goodwill.

Not all facts are what they seem.. My family may not have been homeless poor, but we still struggled and I still went to bed hungry.

Answer 2

I ponder this question that you asked the answer community. I do want to say that people should really understand the meaning of poverty. Now I truly believe that this country is an example of where dreams can come true with hard work, determination, and sometimes luck. Poverty still exist while our economic classes are widening (rich and poor). I am sadden just to drive in Atlanta and see how many homeless people exist, please volunteer at the food banks and see people who have full time jobs struggling to make ends meat. Some have a choice between eating or paying the light bill. Most eating probably consist of something cheap from fast food joints (double cheese burger, apple pies, etc, which are not healthy and not recommend from the food groups, that equates to health problems and stress factors such as (paycheck to paycheck) syndrome which equates to troublesome cycle (floodgate of medical attention, rehablitation, counsleing). Not only is it affecting blacks but whites as well, I honestly believe in the near future that "middle class" america will no longer exist. I think it is categorized as the haves and the have nots. I do think that we can help minimizes poverty by going to the root of the problem. Society structure. Change the way we view ourselves, then each other, (love, forgive, and acceptance) we will see improvements. Will poverty be diminished, nope, but we can improve the growing gap.

Answer 3

Most of the numbers are meaningless -- they don't reflect changes in technology in decades.

Example -- the quote about air conditioners -- currently, you can buy an air conditioner for less than it costs to take a family of four out to dinner. How is that a measure of wealth.

Also, the statistics use the word "poor" -- but that's one category up from those who are below the poverty line.

As far as owning a home -- that also doesn't say how much the mortgage is -- or the taxes -- or whether the roof is falling down around people's ears -- so again, the numbers are misleading because they imply a one status that is not always (or often) accurate.

Same with comparisons to Europe -- which has a very different standard of living -- and where most economic matters work differently -- so again, the comparions are not an accurate reflection of the reality.

Try living in a slum -- whether you own or rent -- try sleeping in the streets -- try to pay utilities for that air conditioner when the choice is between electricity and food for the week -- then you'll have an idea what poverty is like.

Answer 4

look people, no matter what anyone does there will always be the poor. you can't do away with poverty. second, here in georgia the poor is the low middle class. here in atlanta, the majority of the ones on welfare, stay on welfare. even the social workers will tell you "you just have to know how to work the system". and as welfare benefits go, you get foodstamps, medicaid, tanf, car repairs, cable, rent, etc... personally, many people here have no sympathy for people on welfare.

Answer 5

The definition of "poverty" is different depending on what country you live in. Poverty is measured based on the population of the country. Since the United States is a wealthy nation it brings up the people in poverty.

Some of the people in "poverty" in the U.S. would be middle or upper middle class in some countries.

As a totality of our population we have very few people in poverty. And, as the artical you sight states, the people in poverty are still doing quite well for the most part. There are obviously exceptions but in total everyone in the U.S. does fairly well.

We are near full employment in the U.S., the economy is doing great, the stock market is doing well, personal income is up, etc., etc.

All of these things help every American and is why our poor are doing very well.

God Bless America.

Answer 6

I wonder what the percentages would be if homeless people (many are women and children) were included in these figures. And by the way, I don't recall any census taker ever asking me about my possessions or if I ever suffered from hunger or inability to pay bills.

Some people seem to have a very inflated idea of the help available to the poor, and have no idea of the requirements to obtain it. Believe it or not, most people are required to work 35-40 hrs a week (and they are NOT exempt from drug tests) to qualify for most help, or be in job training. Medicaid is only available to children and pregnant women, at least in my state.

Answer 7

I have seen this first hand.

The poor in America are rich in comparison to the majority of people in Africa and while the people in the Philippines do better than in Africa the poor here in the USA are better off. Friends who have been to India tell me of even more dire poverty.

Now, someone responded that since an air con costs less than dinner for four it is not sign of wealth. I beg to differ. Sounds like someone views money as Scrooge McDuck or Thurston Howell III (an end in itself). It is those things that wealth brings. For some reason despite being cheaper than a dinner for four, most people in Africa and a surprisingly significant number of Europeans do not have access to AC.

The article referred is just making sure we are keeping our perspective. You are not poor if the cellphone you are talking on while driving your '95 ford to buy a new air conditioner for your trailer is a hand me down, you are no robber baron, but you are certainly not poor.

Answer 8

I do not always agree with the Heritage Foundation but on this issue I agree with the link you provided. The "poor" in America would be considered middle class to wealthy by world standards. I live in the United States and I can tell you that when most Americans think of the world "poor" they do not think of the kind of poverty that exists in the developing world.

Answer 9

In America, poverty means having a 15 inch color TV instead of a 40 inch HDTV.

Answer 10

many years ago, when i first got married, money was tight. so, i worked a full time job, got 2 part time jobs, one was evenings and the other weekends. i stopped spending money on beer, cigarettes and lotteries. just the savings alone on vices was enough, but i still worked the other jobs. there are jobs out there, if you are not lazy.