49 Million Americans live in poverty

that is an interesting article.
I wish they had defined poverty as they use the term.
If someone is getting food assistance including WIC and SNAP, medical care, reduced or free housing and TANF plus any children are getting 2 or more meals at school what measure does the Census Bureau use to say a family is in poverty?

As also noted the census bureau does not include many assets elderly have, what assets do they not meansure?

I know seeing that stat about elderly makes me want to do without some things now and save more now when I am working.
 
They said it was defined as $24,000 a year for a family of four. Not sure who picks that as the line. Did you want a more literary definition? "Dirt poor?" It was unclear just how all the government benefits people get are factored into the calculations.

When they do world poverty statistics, they don't use these standards. Might not even should use the same word to classify the two situations.
 
Well, there is really no excuse for a family of 4 to not make $24,000 a year. That is a $12.00 per hour job for 1 person with 2 weeks off. If 2 people go through our free education system and cant pull that off they probably do not deserve my handouts. Ive heard the people peddling for change under the freeways make about $35k a year.
 
Nice to see General research all 49 million Americans living in poverty and found out they have no disabilities, all received an education of sorts, and none have children or elderly to care for. With that guilt gone- feel free to not care general.
 
Nice to see General research all 49 million Americans living in poverty and found out they have no disabilities, all received an education of sorts, and none have children or elderly to care for. With that guilt gone- feel free to not care general.
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It takes a village but that doesnt mean government welfare.
 
The longest running war in our history has been LBJ's War on Poverty. It continues to fail as we pump billions of dollars into a black hole with no hope of solving the problem using the same methods year after year.
 
Question to the OP: What is your purpose for posting this and what am I supposed to do with the information?

I assume that a good portion of that 49 million had some of the same opportunities that I had growing up and I am not in poverty. I don't mean to sound unemotional about this but I feel that post like this is supposed to make me feel sorry for those individuals. I also think that you think that it is the governments responsibility to make sure people are taken care of because of poor choices they made in life.

People have choices in life and they can improve their situations or not. I didn't make them have four kids with an income of $24,000 a year. If you ask me, they shouldn't be having any kids with that income since they wouldn't be able to support them.

Just my opinion, I know it is a ****** one but that is the way I feel about the whole situation.
 
It is similar to the reason the OP posted this information, because I can. I am not asking for anyone on here to like my position, nor am I trying to sway anyone's opinion on the matter. Take it at face value, as one man's view on matters of government assistance that is clearly trying to be conveyed here. Why else would he post something like this without discussing it any further?

You don't see me posting things about how rough the military has it in regards to deployment frequency and other such matters. I chose this life style and others choose how they want to live. But, if they choose a lifestyle that doesn't conform to how much money they earn then they shouldn't depend on the government to bail them out of it by assistance.

What's even more messed up, I qualify for WIC with what I earn in the military; $84,000 a year. The loop for me qualifying is that they don't count my housing allowance or my cost of living allowance for Alaska; those two almost equal $33,400 a year. Tell me there isn't something wrong with the system.

The government has some serious soul searching to do along with the American people. The rich and poor and everyone in between all will have to make a small sacrifice in order for us to make some real changes to our policies. If that means the rich pay more in taxes and the poor has to give up some of their credits and government assistance, then so be it.

What is your take on what the OP posted? I might be interested to see another point of view. I am open to any new thoughts and ideas.

I go both ways politically
smokin.gif
 
Please explain how since the inception of time the Weatlh gap has increased, explain how that matters in the fight against poverty.

The true fight should be on the educational front and it is quite obvious that the Union, liberal way of schooling does not work.

My first step would be bring back swatting!!!!!

5 Swats by Coach Smith for a F
4 for a D
3 for a C
2 for a B
and 1 for an A because you need to be kept in line!!!!!

biggrin.gif
 
No one on here is saying EVERYONE receiving SNAP medicaid WIC TABF, free school lunches reduced housing etc is frauding us.
But what if we got the ones who are kicked off, that would leave plenty of money to create the safety net to help the truly needy.

Look at the stat given out by Libs for the health insurance ' uninsured". A poster on here frequently threw out the figures as 47 million.
Once it was examined and netted down the real figure came down to less than 10 million, a number we can easily provide care for.

How many of those 49 million cited as "living in poverty" really do?

For those who think it is an accurate figure what does linving in poverty mean to you?
 
I don't think people are understanding the economics.

1) This is not about re-distributing wealth

2) This is not about social programs (although they do need to be fixed, and should be)

What the point on poverty is about is the USA is getting closer to the wealth distribution of Honduras, percentage wise. Whether you are wealthy, poor or middle class- you WANT a strong middle class as it helps an economy work and grow better. Our middle class has been shrinking rapidly since the 1980's as noted. Why? Not because of one politician- but a combination of people learning how to game the system unfairly through tricks, accountants and attorneys, and in part- globalization. When a Wal Mart comes into a town, pays people minimum wage, wipes out 8 local businesses that used to pay more- and then we start buying cheaper products from China- we can expect a strong hit to the middle class as well.

That is what has changed since the early 1980's. That is why we have a very serious problem today that we didn't before.
 
Walmart will pay a competitive wage for the area. if is minimum wage they pay that. In those small towns people like to bash Walmart for running Mom and Pop's out of business were all the peple Walmart working at M&P stores for more per hpur?

if wally's is underpaying for the area why would anyone take a job there?

mcbrett do you know walmart's pay increase scale? If someone starts part time at walmart for minimum wage, shows up for every scheduled shift, works hard , how long does that person stay at minimum wage?


And I ask again, what measure is used to say people are ' in poverty"?

If we net down the people who truly are in poverty versus the ones with cars big screen TV's smart phones and play stations etc how many wold that be?
If the poverty rate is 24K for a family of 4 and that family receives WIC, SNAP, school meals,medicaid, reduced housing how much do they use out of that 24K for basic living ( food shelter medical clothing)?
 
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