Poverty

As a working class kinda guy who doesn't have a lot of money, I'm concerned. See, when I was a child they told me that if I worked hard and stayed in school I'd be not only fine, but ahead in the game. Either they lied or the game changed. I see dipshits handed things they don't earn through shameless nepotism, good people being exploited, and the overall standard of living in decline for the average joe because the American Dream got corrupted by greedy rich fucks that want four houses and a dozen cars and don't feel bad about fucking up people's retirement funds to get there. At some point poor people are going to react in an all too predictable fashion that our society doesn't even think possible anymore, and the real shame of that is that we'll fuck everything up in the process if we let shit get that far away from us.

Very important issue. The government is actually not reporting the full extent of poverty in this country, primarily because they don't update their criteria for determining levels of poverty to account for price inflation. The official poverty threshold for a family of four last year was approximately $21,000 and about $10,500 for a single person. With the evaporation of pensions, health care funding and social security, expect to see those levels rise even faster, especially with the imminent retirement of the baby boomers, who have seen their retirements evaporate due to the financial crisis. Inflation of basic necessities like energy, food, and healthcare affects the poor by a much larger factor than wealthier Americans because they have less to spend on other items. These expenditures as such is a major burden on lower and middle class citizens. It is practically impossible for a single person to survive today with an annual income of $10,000; which is roughly what the nati... Read more

Latest stats show that over 20% of children in America live in poverty (a family of four making less than $22,050 yr.) Yeah, you have your right-wing nuts shrugging like Atlas at the news, giving a Spencerish "survival of the fittest" mumbo jumbo, and you have your left-wing tree-huggers clucking their tongues and offering their sympathy while the scoot off in their Prius to indulge in a $5 double-yuck latte at Starbucks. And, of course, you have your religious douchebags who announce that there will always be poor people so why bother at all... The problem is that our culture has a Greek/Roman foundation, and a severe class system which was developed by these two cultures and handed down over many centuries. Oh, sure, it morphed into different forms, from the slaves laboring in the silver mines of Attica to the slaves building the roads and aqueducts, to the serfs giving up 25% of their crops to the land barons, to the lowly industrial workers toiling away in factories simply to survi... Read more

I'm listening, Ralph. Share some details of this utopian "system" you're referring to. "those with great wealth used it to help the less fortunate?" What if those with great wealth just don't give enough? Who decides how much is enough? Does your "system" address individual responsibility. Does your "system" maintain individual freedom and liberty? Or is that not such a good idea in this "system" of yours? Are we going to get handed down a new list of entitlements, oops...I mean rights... from your less bureaucratic "system"? I'm listening, Ralph.

There are already quite a few who are living well below the poverty line, and while I realize some have brought it on themselves, there are a lot of people who work hard and budget their money and still have a hard time keeping their heads above water.

Their is the wealthy and the poor.

unfortunately there will always be some poverty. there will always be an underclass. members of the underclass can rise above poverty by obtaining an education and finding employment that will enable them to earn a sufficient living. many of those in poverty will continue the cycle of poverty by not earning an education, by becoming involved in crime, by continuing to have children they cannot support, and by becoming dependent on the state to support them.

minkeydude totally true bro but some people get addicted to drugs because of the stress living in poverty. im 15 and i live in hawaii and i see alot of that around here "beyond paradise" where the grass isn't greener.

Why only 3? Because, welfare reform helped clean up poverty. How to solve poverty? Create jobs and raise the minimum wage.

Unless you've got a rich family backing you up, all it takes is one minor disaster or injury to wipe you out.

Recently bogus reports have been put out regarding the American poor that were exploited obviously by John Kerry to justify his class warfare economic strategy. During the spring semester I had numerous conversations in classes about a mystical problem in America called the working poor. Business Week actually ran a cover story this summer called The Working Poor and I could do nothing but shake my head. This is simply your standardized, liberal bait and switch three-card Monty routine that has been utilized for years to lobby for broader government control of the marketplace. The term low wage worker is defined as any individual who makes less than $9.04 an hour. This is however derived from a bait and switch. By utilizing family income which percentage wise declined over the previous couple decades due to a decline in family size and then breaking it down individually, liberals with a agenda argue that Americans are making less money when our incomes are actually rising. The ... Read more

GoneAway, I'm not trying to pick on you, honestly, but there is more to poverty than just wanting a hand-out from Uncle Sam. I worked with families under the poverty line for years as a Headstart teacher, and believe me, there are many factor that come into play. One family I worked with was middle class until the father was injured severely in an automobile accident. He was the sole income for the family and they were left with a hospital bill of $650,000 with no health insurance and a permanently disabled father. How does their situation qualify as sitting around looking for a handout? Also, as sad as it may be, poverty will always exist for the simple fact that there are too many people and not enough resources. However, reasons why some wind up in poverty while others do not is very complex. For anyone interested in understanding the culture of poverty and the generational and situational factors that contribute to it, I highly recommend a book by Ruby K. Payne called A Frame... Read more

Cut taxes on everything, except sales and excise taxes and tariffs.

Chauncey.. We must spend liberally for the problems of poverty rather than another cruise missle Yea that will keep terrorist from attacking us. That logic is senseless and aims to appeal to emotion but I don't think emotionally. I prefer logic. How much money do we need to fight poverty? My taxes are already ridiculous . Is money even the answer? I don't think so bucko. Did you ever hear the saying... It is better to learn how to fish than get a free fish dinner?

How do you stop poverty? Yes some people have unfortunate circumstances and are disabled or just plain cannot find a job - I would love for the government to help those individuals get back on their feet. However, some people are poor because they are just plain lazy. They have zero ambition, they are drug addicts, etc. I have no sympathy for these people who brought their problems upon themselves and frankly I'd rather have them be poor then for me to support their ass with my tax dollar.

What's this? Me agreeing with Chauncey? Yes, Poverty must be vanquished. And, the money would most certaintly be better spent on feeding the great citizens of our nation than on a cruise missle.