Liberals and Conservatives why do you think the poverty rate is so high among African Americans?

Question

Quoted from a source: "The most prevalent question is why there are so many blacks in poverty. Liberals argue that it is the result of continuing racism and discrimination, especially at hiring time. Conservatives have argued a variety of other causes: moral shortcomings, poor work ethic, even intellectual inferiority. Another important question is whether welfare causes poverty."
What do you think?

Answer 1

Because once you are living in poverty it is much harder to climb out of, and generally takes more than one generation to to do so.
For the most part being stuck in day to day activities to survive usually outweighs getting an education, and saving money.

How many Americans have you heard, that hate their jobs, but they can't afford to get another? Why? because they have children and have to have a steady income, but cannot afford to save up enough money to do without the steady source they are getting. This happens in middle class families, so I imagine it would be much harder for people living in poverty.

But it is always easier to blame it on welfare and ignore the real problems.

Answer 2

welfare does cause poverty! I don't think that Blacks have Moral shortcomings, poor work ethic, and definitely not intellectual inferiority. Those are all stereotypes. Blacks as a whole are more Conservative than any other race. Racism and discrimination do play a small role in it but not enough to be used as an excuse. The racist statement is that Blacks have low morals, poor work ethic, and intellectual inferiority. That is the most racist thing I have ever heard. I don't think anyone argues that you made that up!

Poverty is more prevalent in the Black Community for thousands of reasons too many to mention in this space.

BTW why is it no one mentions more whites are on welfare than Blacks (when talking whole #'s)

Answer 3

Though social mobility is a much-lauded part of American culture, it is, in fact, comparatively unusual. People who are born poor tend to stay poor, and have children who are born into poverty. Thus, even with no continuing racial descrimination, a demographic that was disproportionately poor a century ago is lilkely to remain disproportionately poor today, and to remain so for generations to come.

That reality is exacerbated by the tendency of the poor to have larger families than the successful. That's also a reality that has been around for a long time, but, programs like welfare that, in effect, pay the poor to have as many children as possible could certainly be compounding it. Thus, even though some people of each generation pull themselves (and thus, likely most of thier descendents) out of poverty, those descendents will still likely be outnumbered by the descendents of those who stayed mired in poverty.

This aplies across demographics. The poor of every demographic segment tend to remain poor, and have more children, who also tend to stay poor.

If something could be done to increase the proportion of the poor who escape poverty, /and/ to increase the fertility of the middle class (and decrease the fertility of the impoverished), then the lingering echos of past inequalities could, indeed, over generations, disapear.

There would be no need to target such programs demographically, either. A disproportionately poor demographic would benefit disproportionately from programs designed to lift people out of poverty.

Answer 4

welfare does reason poverty! i do no longer think of that Blacks have ethical shortcomings, undesirable artwork ethic, and surely no longer psychological inferiority. those are all stereotypes. Blacks as an entire are extra Conservative than the different race. Racism and discrimination do play a small place in it yet no longer adequate for use as an excuse. The racist fact is that Blacks have low morals, undesirable artwork ethic, and psychological inferiority. it is the main racist ingredient I actual have ever heard. i do no longer think of all and sundry argues which you made that up! Poverty is extra commonly used contained in the Black community for hundreds of motives too many to point in this area. BTW why is it no person mentions extra whites are on welfare than Blacks (whilst conversing total #'s)

Answer 5

Self-segregation. Whites with increasing incomes move from integrated neighborhoods to 'top school' neighborhoods, where homes cost more.

Fixing the disparity of funding and management of schools would go a long way toward reducing the income gap. I attribute the rise in home-schooling and private "christian schools" as an avoidance of integrated schools, so I do not know the political viability of any means of fairly distributing school funding, or of getting better management of poorly performing schools, that wouldn't find strong opposition. Charter schools have for the most part, not lived up to their promise, except in generating profits for their owners,

Racism still exists in the workplace, but it is a weak remnant compared to the racism in the criminal justice system.

Welfare is a pale shadow of what it used to be. It isn't supporting anyone for more than a short time, so I fail to see how it makes anyone helpless. It is neither giving fish or teaching fishing - in the favored terms of Republicans.

Answer 6

It's a difficult hole to climb out of. Institutional racism plays a part, black families are torn apart by the harshness of poverty and education becomes secondary to survival. Crime (drugs, robbery) become alternatives to working and oftentimes pay more.

Education is at the bottom of it though.

Answer 7

I think that African Americans have the unfortunate game of catch up to play. Although they have equal rights now, it hasn't been that long. I think that many are still trying to overcome their past generations poverty/discrimination. I kinda see it like how wealth is past down from generations. There are plenty of people who are fortunate from just coming from a wealthy family, just like there are those who haven't risen above their poverty stricken families.

Answer 8

I think it could be a combination of the two. Some have poor work ethic, but I think that includes everybody, not just African Americans. I think it would be that it is more difficult to get more wealthy if you are originally from a poverty stricken background.

I also do believe that welfare causes poverty, as it gives people the choice of whether to work or not. People should have to work whatever the circumstances, and get out of the system what they have originally put in.

Answer 9

Many generations of African-Americans were exploited and treated like an inferior breed of human by mainstream Americans. Very few assets were accumulated by blacks during this very long stretch of time.

The PAST is the cause of the present situation.

.

Answer 10

There are many African American who want to to be all that they can be but unfortunately there are many who just do not wish to take the trouble. These are the ones who keep the good kids from getting an education. Whit all the liberals crying Racism and Discrimination these kids have all the excuses they need. There are just to many successful Blacks to blame anyone but themselves.