Being Poor In America Is Not That Bad

[red states rule]

Hearing libs whine about poverty in America, you would think we actually have a problem

The fact is, being poor in America is not so bad

Here are the facts about the people who are "poor" in America



The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:

Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.

Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)

Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.

Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.

Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.

Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.

As a group, America's poor are far from being chronically undernourished. The average consumption of protein, vitamins, and minerals is virtually the same for poor and middle-class children and, in most cases, is well above recommended norms. Poor children actually consume more meat than do higher-income children and have average protein intakes 100 percent above recommended levels. Most poor children today are, in fact, supernourished and grow up to be, on average, one inch taller and 10 pounds heavier that the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II.

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

[Hagbard Celine]

You are evil.

[red states rule]

You are evil.

Seeing how the poor live - they have it pretty good

[Hagbard Celine]

Seeing how the poor live - they have it pretty good

Compared to what? Where do you live, under a bridge?

[red states rule]

Compared to what? Where do you live, under a bridge?

This is why libs cannot be taken seriously. They never talk anout the issues and their responss are void of any gacts

Poverty is America is not what they say it is. If you want to see real poverty - go to Viet Nam and other third world countries

[Trigg]

You are evil.

How is he being evil?????? He stated facts.

Ever worked with the poor? Let me tell you it's an eye opener.

When I worked at an eye Drs office we had medicaid day and called them the day before. My husband was in school at the time and we didn't have cable/answering machine. These people would walk into the office and ask why we didn't have cable.

I've been poor, in fact we qualified for a Pell grant while going to college.

Many of the "poor" in this country are there because they don't care to improve their situation. Many are just lazy and since the gov. is paying for their healthcare/WIC programs for children and food, they see no reason to try to do better.

Social programs were supposed to be for people who needed help short term, and for people like that it's needed. Unfortunatally many people use it as a lifestyle choice.

[red states rule]

How is he being evil?????? He stated facts.

Ever worked with the poor? Let me tell you it's an eye opener.

When I worked at an eye Drs office we had medicaid day and called them the day before. My husband was in school at the time and we didn't have cable/answering machine. These people would walk into the office and ask why we didn't have cable.

I've been poor, in fact we qualified for a Pell grant while going to college.

Many of the "poor" in this country are there because they don't care to improve their situation. Many are just lazy and since the gov. is paying for their healthcare/WIC programs for children and food, they see no reason to try to do better.

Social programs were supposed to be for people who needed help short term, and for people like that it's needed. Unfortunatally many people use it as a lifestyle choice.

Anytime you present facts to a liberal you are evil and fighting dirty

I learned early, facts to a liberal is like sunshine to a vamplire

[Trigg]

Anytime you present facts to a liberal you are evil and fighting dirty

I learned early, facts to a liberal is like sunshine to a vamplire


Some people just need to go work with the "poor".

I could always walk down the street and take a pic of the habitat for humanity home with their 3 cars in the driveway. For the record they're driving a new minivan and a GTO and another I can't think of right now.

I don't think they're hurting to much if they can afford vehicles like that.

[red states rule]

Some people just need to go work with the "poor".

I could always walk down the street and take a pic of the habitat for humanity home with their 3 cars in the driveway. For the record they're driving a new minivan and a GTO and another I can't think of right now.

I don't think they're hurting to much if they can afford vehicles like that.

When I am at the store around the third of the month, I see how well the poor eat with their food stamps (that I pay for)

They eat better then most of the other people in line

I tell you, I have never seen so many fat poor people in my life

[glockmail]

When I am at the store around the third of the month, I see how well the poor eat with their food stamps (that I pay for)

They eat better then most of the other people in line

I tell you, I have never seen so many fat poor people in my life I bet they buy more than just food with them stamps too. Damn parasites.

[red states rule]

I bet they buy more than just food with them stamps too. Damn parasites.

I have SEEN them buy things other then food with them

It is nothing new

[Yurt]

I wonder if Hag will grace us with his presence after being presented with facts. I would be curious hag, what say you about the actual numbers and that the poor of america are far better off than the majority of poor people who do not live in america? so again, what is evil about what was said? do you think we should all have equal wealth?

[glockmail]

I wonder if Hag will grace us with his presence after being presented with facts. I would be curious hag, what say you about the actual numbers and that the poor of america are far better off than the majority of poor people who do not live in america? so again, what is evil about what was said? do you think we should all have equal wealth?

Don't hold your breath. For some strange reason I like the old Hag, but I've noticed him to be more of a runner than a fighter.

[Yurt]

Don't hold your breath. For some strange reason I like the old Hag, but I've noticed him to be more of a runner than a fighter.

Yeah, he was bitchin and funny a wee bit back, now, its like he's a bit sour. He never use to run and always put up a pretty good argument. He might be tired from work and having to come home and work on his house. :dunno:

[glockmail]

Yeah, he was bitchin and funny a wee bit back, now, its like he's a bit sour. He never use to run and always put up a pretty good argument. He might be tired from work and having to come home and work on his house. :dunno: That's good enough excuse for me. When I'm into my real world activities I forget all about DP.

[Joan]

And they pass this way of living from generation to generation. It sure used to piss me off going to work every day and see all these new SUV's just sit all day. Yet the kids were dressed in the latest designer dudn!

Get sick and see what happens, Mediciare picks up a small portion of the bill, while medicade pays the entire thing!

[Yurt]

That's good enough excuse for me. When I'm into my real world activities I forget all about DP.

Not an excuse, just life. If only:

:cheers2:

[waterrescuedude2000]

This is why libs cannot be taken seriously. They never talk anout the issues and their responss are void of any gacts

Poverty is America is not what they say it is. If you want to see real poverty - go to Viet Nam and other third world countries

Or Kosovo or Afghanistan. Go tell me how they live or hell go watch the television for an hour of infomertials help these starving children......
Those are the poor. I agree with you rsr :clap: :salute:

[red states rule]

From the link


Living Conditions and Hardships Among the Poor
Overall, the living standards of most poor Americans are far higher than is generally appreciated. The overwhelming majority of poor families are well-housed, have adequate food, and enjoy a wide range of modern amenities, including air conditioning and cable television. Some 70 percent of poor households report that during the course of the past year they were able to meet "all essential expenses," including mortgage, rent, utility bills, and important medical care.

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

[glockmail]

And they pass this way of living from generation to generation. It sure used to piss me off going to work every day and see all these new SUV's just sit all day. Yet the kids were dressed in the latest designer dudn!

Get sick and see what happens, Mediciare picks up a small portion of the bill, while medicade pays the entire thing! Welcome to HillaryCare.

[red states rule]

Welcome to HillaryCare.

and say hello to higher taxes, and more governemnt mismanagement

[JohnDoe]

How is he being evil?????? He stated facts.

Ever worked with the poor? Let me tell you it's an eye opener.

When I worked at an eye Drs office we had medicaid day and called them the day before. My husband was in school at the time and we didn't have cable/answering machine. These people would walk into the office and ask why we didn't have cable.

I've been poor, in fact we qualified for a Pell grant while going to college.

Many of the "poor" in this country are there because they don't care to improve their situation. Many are just lazy and since the gov. is paying for their healthcare/WIC programs for children and food, they see no reason to try to do better.

Social programs were supposed to be for people who needed help short term, and for people like that it's needed. Unfortunatally many people use it as a lifestyle choice.

But as you said, you've been poor?

Don't you think that at one time in their lives there have been millions of Americans just like you and your hubby, poor, but managed to work their way out of it or managed, with the help of our government in one way or another, like the pell grant, to pick up themselves by their bootstraps and make things better?

And comparison is important.... to say that the poor here are better off than the poor in a society elsewhere is quite unfair and is comparing apples to oranges.

And just because they own a 3 bedroom home does not in anyway mean they have this "great and wonderful" life does it? The 3 bedroom home could have been in the middle of a slum for goodness sakes, the 3 bedroom home could be infested with rats and roaches, the 3 bedroom home could be filled wilth mildew from a leaky roof....

I honestly believe that this article is nothing but SPIN, spin to make some sector of people "feel better" about themselves.

Yes, it does have some truth in it, but not the whole story that makes the truth clearer.

[Hagbard Celine]

I wonder if Hag will grace us with his presence after being presented with facts. I would be curious hag, what say you about the actual numbers and that the poor of america are far better off than the majority of poor people who do not live in america? so again, what is evil about what was said? do you think we should all have equal wealth?

Sorry I have a job and I can't sit and talk to you guys every minute of every day. Sorry about that.

What I have to say is that you can't compare poor people here to poor people in a third-world country. The third world isn't our responsibility, our country is. Just because our poor aren't as poor as the animals living in Vietnam and Africa doesn't mean they're not poor or that poverty in America isn't a problem. People here go without food, they go without medical care, they go without basic creature comforts like water and electricity because they can't afford them. That is poverty, regardless of whether you choose to sit back and ignore it. It may be true that some poor people are too lazy to single-handedly dig their entire families out of poverty in one generation, but the majority aren't lazy. Most of the poor I've encountered work two and three jobs (service industry jobs) just to get by. Social programs may not be the end-all cure for the US poor, but preaching to them about how ashamed they should be for being "lazy" in your opinion sure as hell isn't a solution either. If you have something useful to say, like maybe an idea for a solution to poverty, then speak up. But jabbering-on about how great you are and how much poor people suck just makes you look like an ass. Should the US government do nothing to help those who live in poverty? Are you for getting rid of the middle class and splitting society into serfs and nobles again?

[glockmail]

....People here go without food, they go without medical care, they go without basic creature comforts like water and electricity because they can't afford them. .....

Hag this is total bullshit based on the evidence already presented. :pee:

[dan]

The third world isn't our responsibility, our country is. Just because our poor aren't as poor as the animals living in Vietnam and Africa doesn't mean they're not poor or that poverty in America isn't a problem.
:clap:

[Trigg]

But as you said, you've been poor?

Don't you think that at one time in their lives there have been millions of Americans just like you and your hubby, poor, but managed to work their way out of it or managed, with the help of our government in one way or another, like the pell grant, to pick up themselves by their bootstraps and make things better?

And comparison is important.... to say that the poor here are better off than the poor in a society elsewhere is quite unfair and is comparing apples to oranges.

And just because they own a 3 bedroom home does not in anyway mean they have this "great and wonderful" life does it? The 3 bedroom home could have been in the middle of a slum for goodness sakes, the 3 bedroom home could be infested with rats and roaches, the 3 bedroom home could be filled wilth mildew from a leaky roof....

I honestly believe that this article is nothing but SPIN, spin to make some sector of people "feel better" about themselves.

Yes, it does have some truth in it, but not the whole story that makes the truth clearer.

1. Of course many of the poor in America used the social programs to help themselves out of poverty into a better life. That is what the programs were meant to do, they were not meant to be a way of life.

2. The article is compairing the poor here to the middle class in other European countries not third world, read it again please.

3. While you are right, we don't know where those 3 bedroom houses are located when they also post "Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars. Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions." It makes it a little harder for me to feel sorry for them. Especially since I've been in that position and got myself out of it as quickly as possible.

The article isn't spin, the fact is many of the poor in this country are that way because the gov. has paid for everything for them and it's become a way of life instead of the temporary help it was meant to be. Please take the time to work with the poor and you will notice that while there are many who need the help there are so many more who are using it with no desire to help themselves.

[red states rule]

But as you said, you've been poor?

Don't you think that at one time in their lives there have been millions of Americans just like you and your hubby, poor, but managed to work their way out of it or managed, with the help of our government in one way or another, like the pell grant, to pick up themselves by their bootstraps and make things better?

And comparison is important.... to say that the poor here are better off than the poor in a society elsewhere is quite unfair and is comparing apples to oranges.

And just because they own a 3 bedroom home does not in anyway mean they have this "great and wonderful" life does it? The 3 bedroom home could have been in the middle of a slum for goodness sakes, the 3 bedroom home could be infested with rats and roaches, the 3 bedroom home could be filled wilth mildew from a leaky roof....

I honestly believe that this article is nothing but SPIN, spin to make some sector of people "feel better" about themselves.

Yes, it does have some truth in it, but not the whole story that makes the truth clearer.

Again, if after $9 trillion over 40 years has not solved the problem - how much more do you think it will take?

[Yurt]

Hagbard Celine;94621]Sorry I have a job and I can't sit and talk to you guys every minute of every day. Sorry about that.

Bro, nothing to be sorry for. And you know it, so don't lay those lame guilt trips on me Hagbard. :cool:



What I have to say is that you can't compare poor people here to poor people in a third-world country. The third world isn't our responsibility, our country is.

Why not? You are saying we DO NOT take care of our "poor" and that our "poor" deserve better. As I asked, what is this standard and what is this "better?"



Just because our poor aren't as poor as the animals living in Vietnam and Africa doesn't mean they're not poor or that poverty in America isn't a problem.

I really hope you actually come back to this post and discuss because I see disturbing things.



People here go without food, they go without medical care, they go without basic creature comforts like water and electricity because they can't afford them. That is poverty, regardless of whether you choose to sit back and ignore it. It may be true that some poor people are too lazy to single-handedly dig their entire families out of poverty in one generation, but the majority aren't lazy. Most of the poor I've encountered work two and three jobs (service industry jobs) just to get by. Social programs may not be the end-all cure for the US poor, but preaching to them about how ashamed they should be for being "lazy" in your opinion sure as hell isn't a solution either. If you have something useful to say, like maybe an idea for a solution to poverty, then speak up. But jabbering-on about how great you are and how much poor people suck just makes you look like an ass.

Look Hag, you are remodeling your own house and do something for CNN, that however, does not give you the right to bullshit about me. I have never said how "great" I am compared to poor people. I ALSO have never said poor people suck. Look Hag, I came from a broken family, lived on fucking government food (yeah, the five pound boxes hag) and my mom did the best she fucking could to get an education and worked her fucking ass off. You have some nerve Hag, especially since you seem to fashion yourself some "fair and equal" person. My point in this thread was solely that the poor here ( I can attest) live better than the vast majority of the world's poor.


Should the US government do nothing to help those who live in poverty? Are you for getting rid of the middle class and splitting society into serfs and nobles again?

Serfs and nobles Hag? Give me a break. Is there no "middle" class in this Republic we call the United States of America? If we were serfs and nobles Hag, you my friend would NOT own your house.

Yurt.

[waterrescuedude2000]

Welcome to HillaryCare.

Say no to free medical.. You get what you pay for.....

[waterrescuedude2000]

Hag this is total bullshit based on the evidence already presented. :pee:

:laugh2::laugh2: :clap::clap::clap:

[avatar4321]

This reminds me of the the article about the poor woman making minimum wage thats unwilling to work hard, has several pets, several children she cant both filling out forms for child support claims, and living for free with family. and we are supposed to feel sorry.

Americans are not poor. I'm sorry but you arent going to convince me that someone with a TV, nice car, a three bedroom house, etc is poor. They arent. Poor people cant afford a house.

Many of these so called "poor" americans need to stop eating so much. Diets arent bad. Many of these "poor" americans needs to pay for their own medical bills rather than expect someone else to.

Yeah some of these houses might be in "slums" but slums are a state of mind. You choose to live in slums. you can fix up your neighborhood if you want.

Finally, we do have a responsibility to real poor people throughout the world. Not our governments, not the rich: the people. Every individual who has been blessed has the duty to share those blessings with others. To whom much is given much is required.

its about time we stopped pretending these people are poor and actually help people that really need it.

[waterrescuedude2000]

The homeless vets that would be a great start. I know a guy who got out of the military and came home so screwed up from iraq he has nightmares etc. and cant keep a job. He is homeless right now. I help him as much as i can. I've been giving him a couch to crash on once in a while and so on.

[red states rule]

Say no to free medical.. You get what you pay for.....

Government run health care is falling apart in the UK, and libs hate to be reminded about it

[red states rule]

This reminds me of the the article about the poor woman making minimum wage thats unwilling to work hard, has several pets, several children she cant both filling out forms for child support claims, and living for free with family. and we are supposed to feel sorry.

Americans are not poor. I'm sorry but you arent going to convince me that someone with a TV, nice car, a three bedroom house, etc is poor. They arent. Poor people cant afford a house.

Many of these so called "poor" americans need to stop eating so much. Diets arent bad. Many of these "poor" americans needs to pay for their own medical bills rather than expect someone else to.

Yeah some of these houses might be in "slums" but slums are a state of mind. You choose to live in slums. you can fix up your neighborhood if you want.

Finally, we do have a responsibility to real poor people throughout the world. Not our governments, not the rich: the people. Every individual who has been blessed has the duty to share those blessings with others. To whom much is given much is required.

its about time we stopped pretending these people are poor and actually help people that really need it.

Libs need "victims" to push their liberal aganda. That last thing liberals want is for people to stand ont heir own two feet and not need government services

[red states rule]

John Edwards Poverty Tour Bombed? Shame, It's a 'Nation's Inability to be Moved'
By Tim Graham | July 27, 2007 - 06:49 ET
Newsweek’s Jonathan Darman lamented this week that the John Edwards poverty tour/publicity tour didn’t passionately grip America, that it did not immediately become a mythic event, like filthy-rich Bobby Kennedy's poverty tour in 1968. In a dramatic flourish, the young Harvard-educated whipper-snapper blames this tragedy on not-very-compassionate America:

"There is something tragic about Edwards's failure to break through. Today, 37 million Americans live below the poverty line, 12 million more than at the time of Kennedy's death. And yet Edwards's call of conscience has not resonated. By all rights, Edwards, the son of a millworker, should have an easier time talking about poverty than did Kennedy, the son of a millionaire. His difficulty speaks to the candidate's inability to connect. It also speaks to the nation's inability to be moved."


Time's Amy Sullivan demanded that reporters ignore the Edwards Haircut story -- as if the press hates the Democrats -- and Darman will be scolded for bringing up the Lavish Coif, but he only raises it to let Edwards defend himself, and then he also laments the press:

"Edwards says his notorious $400 haircut and his 28,000-square-foot house are the obsessions of the media, not "normal voters." (He does have a snarkier press corps than RFK. Not only did reporters not criticize the size of Kennedy's Virginia mansion, they wrote fawning prose about the senator in the hopes of scoring an invitation.)


Oh, those golden days of yore, when reporters were Kennedy’s smitten groupies! They still desire to be smitten groupies, but they have to acknowledge that liberal legends now get dented during the manufacturing process by an alternative conservative media.

It’s also a bit funny for Darman to recall how Bobby Kennedy looked on his poverty tour in 1968 – even though Darman (Harvard ‘03) was born in the 1980s. But check out how John Edwards bluntly tells the young Newsweek-ling that he apparently has no say in approving the talking points and strategic outbursts of Elizabeth Edwards:

Even the candidate's own wife, Elizabeth, managed to steal some of her husband's spotlight. On day two of the tour, Salon.com published an interview with Elizabeth in which she said front runner Hillary Clinton was not necessarily "as good an advocate for women" as Edwards. Edwards denied that his wife's comments detracted from his poverty message. "Anything can attract attention away," he said. "If Senator Obama went out and said something outrageous, that would attract attention away." But Barack Obama is a rival candidate, a NEWSWEEK reporter pointed out; the Edwardses were on the same team. Surely, husband and wife coordinated their messages. Edwards raised his eyebrows: "You think so?"

This raises the obvious question: precisely which Edwards is running for president? Which one is the chief executive of the campaign? I suspect Darman is wondering, that, too. Why else would he include the eyebrow-raising detail, when liberal reporters are trained early to paper over the embarrassing Democratic details

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2007/07/27/john-edwards-poverty-tour-bombed-shame-its-nations-inability-be-moved