Poor people in this country really have it bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I am sure that no Republican can agree to this study. The poverty level is $21,000 for a family of four.

But as Republicans have reminded us, $250,000 income is flat out middle class.

But apparently $21,000 plus some appliances makes you middle class, too.

Yes, I guess those people are the same.

the study goes on to explain how the average such family has about $20K in govt subsidies as well. So that gets them up to $40K.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
yes, I have lived in a trailer it was before I had a family, and just for a summer. I have an uncle that lives in a trailer now in Southern Maryland. But I find your response enlightening. Of course it is not a sign of wealth, and of course I am setting the bar low. These are the poorest of the poor in this country. But that is the point - if the poorest of the poor have X square feet on average, own a car, multiple televisions, clothes washers, dish washers, cable or satellite tv, a mobile phone, etc., then are they really suffering? What quality of housing do you think a citizen is entitled to?

Comparing a trailer to a cardboard box is ludicrous.

No, the people who are living in trailers are not the "poorest of the poor". They are simply "poor". There are large numbers of homeless families. There are people living in cars. There are people living in abandoned structures without electricity or running water. There are tent cities all over America. And, again, one poor family may have multiple televisions, another may have a car, a third might have a mobile phone, but it is unlikely that many poor families have all of those things.

I ask again, are you denying that there is poverty in America?

[Anonymous]

there is certainly poverty in America. there are also hundreds of billions in subsidies given to such poor. I think what the study shows is that, for many, the people at the poverty line, however, are not that poor. certainly not compared to the poor elsewhere on the planet.

[Anonymous]

One of my students did a photo essay once with underpriviledged families that she knew through a tutoring internship. She wanted to show the strength of family bonds within poverty stricken families. She was disappointed with her work because when she went to their houses there was furniture, a leather couch, TVs and the pictures didn't look like the Grapes of Wrath view that she expected. What she didn't see or capture was that each family had at some point or multiple point been homeless, living in cars or shelters, working to make enough to pay for a night at a motel to take a shower or buy cheap food. She didn't see that they were choosing between having no power or paying the rent or that the free breakfast and lunch was the only food the kids got.

The problem with poverty in this country is that too many people can fall through the cracks quickly. They may have a friend who can store some things for them so they don't lose everything but their lifestyle is not one that anyone would want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:there is certainly poverty in America. there are also hundreds of billions in subsidies given to such poor. I think what the study shows is that, for many, the people at the poverty line, however, are not that poor. certainly not compared to the poor elsewhere on the planet.

Well, aren't they lucky.

[Anonymous]

My husband was in Alexandria, La last week. He etxted me that he didn't realize the economic levee broke as well. I replied there never was an economic levee there.

The poor we see in DC is far different than the poor elsewhere in the nation. And the preconcieved notions that people make based on what they "see" is far from what millions of poor people in America live in day in and day out.

My dad had a stroke when I was 2. He was the only breadwinner in my family. I was the youngest of 8 children. My mom took on 3 jobs supporting our family. I have the utmost respect and admiration for her. As a family that regularly donated to the food bank, there we were, asking the food bank for a box of food. Sure, we had a tv. And clothes. And a car. But we were living meal to meal.

I swore I would never live that way again. And I haven't. But it has not made me loose sight of the fact that many many people suffer, and if were not for generous people giving them things - like food - there would be a significant crisis on our hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:there is certainly poverty in America. there are also hundreds of billions in subsidies given to such poor. I think what the study shows is that, for many, the people at the poverty line, however, are not that poor. certainly not compared to the poor elsewhere on the planet.

Well, aren't they lucky.

assuming you don't believe in complete income redistribution or full socialism (and fine if you do), then what standard of living do you think every citizen is entitled to? very curious to know. I don't think any citizen should be homeless, for example, and we need state-funded drug treatment centers and a 21st century updated version of mental hospitals for the truly mentally ill - which two factors make up most of the homeless. And I'm perfectly fine with the present safety net (public housing, vouchers, etc.), but I don't see anything wrong with a "poor person" living in a trailer or a 2 bedroom apartment or a small cottage in the country or anything else. Do we all need McMansions?

In fact, my family owns three rental properties for the poor (say, less than $800/month rent) that we keep in great condition, but definitely nothing fancy.

[Anonymous]

I love this thread. The republican party is screwed, and I am depressed. There's nothing to post about that isn't a total embarrassment.

Wait let's complain about poor people. That'll lift our spirits!

[Anonymous]

well, a lot of the poor do not get paid overtime, and cannot get health insurance thru work

[Anonymous]

Most of the appliances they are talking about are built into any rental property. It's not like they are paying cash for them.

The exception is the TV / game systems. But all in all, a TV is not a huge investment for a family four.

[Anonymous]

This is a Heritage Foundation article. What do you expect??? Nuff said...

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who lives in WV and she runs a private food bank through her church and she also helps poor people with driving skill lessons etc. Let me tell you, these people do NOT have W/D in their trailers, let alone running water. They do not own TV's, Xbox's etc. My friend buys groceries out of her own pocket to help these people. This study does not make sense to me. I'm not denying that there are 'poor' folks who may have some of these items, but believe me there is a great majority of people who do not even have a daily meal.

Wouldn't it have been great to invest the money for this study to put food on the table for these people???

[Anonymous]

The study is a rationalization for cutting Medicaid. If the poor are doing OK, we need not feel guilty about cutting back on their healthcare, right? Oh, and the poor don't vote. They don't have cars or time, many don't have a permanent address. So we can win votes for Republicans by cutting back government spending on programs to aid the poor and justify cutting taxes for the rich. No consequences for us because those poor people don't vote. The cynicism of Republicans never ceases to amaze me.

[Anonymous]

In my house we have a 50 inch big screen TV, beautiful white microfiber couches, oak bedroom set, and an antique dining room table. x-box/dvd player. all of these items were obtained for free either as hand me downs from friends and family or through freecycle. it was less than 5 years ago that we owned all of these things and were considering filing for bankruptcy because we had both been unemployed for so long. my husband struggled through asthma attacks because we couldn't afford health insurance. to this day we still live (barely) paycheck to paycheck while we dig out of the absurd debt we racked up when we had no money for food but we did have access to credit. Isn't it interesting how things aren't always what they seem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Let me tell you, these people do NOT have W/D in their trailers, let alone running water. They do not own TV's, Xbox's etc. My friend buys groceries out of her own pocket to help these people. This study does not make sense to me.

Does your friend do work with homeless people?
From what I hear, a dwelling has to have running water and electricity, otherwise it is not ihabitable.
In rural Africa you get people who have to get water from a well. That cannot possibly be happening in WV?

But then again, in an African country like Swaziland, gives women paid maternity leave