On being poor
By Moni Basu, CNN
(CNN) The Census Bureau released a depressing statistic Thursday: 46.2 million people in America fell below the poverty line last year. One in five children are poor.
What does it feel like to live in poverty?
Writer John Scalzi knows.
He remembers a Southern California childhood marred by a broken family. His mother put her two children in the back of the car and drove away from the home they’d known.
She bought a box of Raisin Bran and warned her children: “That has to last.”
John Scalzi's essay on poverty was based on his own experiences.
Scalzi, 43, was in the first grade then.
Years later, the Raisin Bran memory became a line in an essay called “Being Poor.” He wrote it in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when so many asked why the poor of New Orleans had not fled their drowned city.
It occurred to him then that wealthier Americans did not understand that the poor do not always have the luxury of choice.
But he knew.
He was the kid who wore the cheap shoes from Lucky Drug Store – the ones with the glued-on soles. He could feel them come off on the playground.
He was the kid who discovered letters from his mom to his dad begging for child support and the kid hoping he would get invited to a friend’s for dinner. He once stole a piece of meat from Ralph’s supermarket, fried it up and cleaned the plate before Mom came home. He then told her she didn’t have to make any dinner because he wasn’t hungry anyway.
Here are a few other ways Scalzi measured poverty:
Being poor is getting angry at your kids for asking for all the crap they see on TV.
Being poor is going to the restroom before you get in the school lunch line so your friends will be ahead of you and won’t hear you say “I get free lunch” when you get to the cashier.
Being poor is living next to the freeway.
Being poor is a heater in only one room of the house.
Being poor is hoping your kids don’t have a growth spurt.
Being poor is Goodwill underwear.
Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.
Being poor is stopping the car to take a lamp from a stranger’s trash.
Being poor is making lunch for your kid when a cockroach skitters over the bread, and you looking over to see if your kid saw.
Being poor is a sidewalk with lots of brown glass on it.
Being poor is picking the 10 cent ramen instead of the 12 cent ramen because that’s two extra packages for every dollar.
Read Scalzi’s full essay here.
About In America
What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
Black in America
iReport
The jobs are not there . Do some research before you post. It makes you look more informed.
The jobs are there. You may have to move to find one, but they are out there. N and S Dakota are in a boom. They cannot find enough people to fill jobs.
My brother started an insurance agency in SE Michigan. Took forever to staff with sales people, call center people and even the receptionist. These were not hard jobs. Sitting at a desk for the most part. They also paid well. But got very few applicants.
I have friends in Iowa who have been trying to find hoist inspectors and equipment installers. More physical work, but pays really well. They are struggling getting people that will show up every day on time.
My brother left Michigan and moved to South Carolina. Within 2 months had two jobs.
The work is there if you want it.
In Myrtle Beach a lot of the restaurants have girls from Russia working here. They are brought in by the owners because they cannot get locals to work. When the government provides rent assistance, cell phones, cable tv, food, etc to those who won't work, they won't.
You've got to have the money to be able to move. Glad your brother wasn't poor.
Being poor in America is a life of luxury compared to the 1950's. In fact, being categorized as poor today means a person refuses to make an effort to change from all the free living they are receiving. It does not take a lot of money to live, a person can have everything a rich person has, EXCEPT to pay taxes. And, they have an audience larger than all the pro football games, car races, and political conventions to listen to them whine for free. A really easy life with only small embarrassments compared to tax problems, loss of high income job, foreclosures, bankruptcies, etc.
Poverty is a state of mind! When you aren’t willing to be independent of any constraints that will prevent you from doing what is right for you and yours, sacrificing what is unnecessary for the long term goal and educating yourself in a skill or a trade that will satisfy a need in this world you will be overcome by poverty and enslaved to those who provide for your needs! Voting from a position of ignorance will result in an ignorant vote! Know what the result of your vote will create!
The problem is yes, there are people who abuse public assistance… The other problem is some people legitimately need so you can’t do away with it. Some eventually get off of assistance and pay their dues back. I’m a disabled veteran on welfare now. I go to school full time for Information Technology, I get A’s and I’m graduating next fall to hopefully better my chances to find a good job to support my daughter and I. $8.00 an hour is not enough for me to work. Everything I make would go towards child care. I can’t get assistance for child care because I get a small disability check from the VA and a GI Bill. So I go to school and stay at home with my daughter…
People come on hard times. These programs help people that sometimes help other people and the world later.
Also, people forget that assistance is different for everyone. I don’t get the maximum. They give you what you QUALIFY for. When you see someone with an EBT card they may only get $40 a month. I take what I need. I didn’t apply for Section 8 which I could have. I don’t get a check which I could. Everyone doesn’t abuse it.
Yes, I have two flat screens, last time I checked this was 2012 and they don’t sell tube TV’s anymore in retail stores.
If someone was willing to hire me and pay me so I can pay my bills, great. Resume has been on career builder for years, applied for numerous jobs.
It’s not my fault that I got diagnosed with a mental illness from stress from my service. I don’t deserve to be on the streets because people who had a different path say so. I busted my tail in the Army and went over the edge. Now I’m trying to stay healthy and recover.
I spent 2004 – present struggling with my illness and not finishing school. Part of the reason why I can’t find a high enough paying job.
Everyone’s not looking for handouts. It’s called help. Some abuse it, some need it. I plan to use it and GET OFF of it!
People need to wake up. Everyone isn’t poor from bad decisions, hard times just find you.
I didn’t enlist in the Army in 2004 to later get on welfare. I’m most definitely not a lazy person. Some people are really clueless as to what happens in the real world. I grew up and was an honors student in a parochial school. Graduated. Joined the Army at 19, and got sick. Stuff happens. End of novel.
Thank you for sharing your story!
did ya grow up using a out house in so called in the state of indiana ???? the poor state!!!
Indiana often votes red , coincidence?
I work at an unemployment office and probably half of the people are not interested in working.
ya right guess getts the good job s ya know ya yere right yere good buddy !!!!
The poor buy inferior quality manufactured goods at major warehouse stores (thinking of one corporation run by a rich family), from workers paid pennies an hour in China and Bangladesh, goods so cheap the stores throw returns into the recycle bins (after verifying they are "in good condition" prior to issuing credits to rip-off debit cards used by the poor to buy these goods). In essence, America's poor are rich to those in Bangladesh, and in essence, the poor are cannibalizing the poor while a few rich families sit in their estates laughing at them.
Stop the crying!! My father was 60 when i was born. He dragged me off to Brazil because his 700 dollar retirment would stretch farther in their currency. No mother by the way. I remember going to the open market walking barefoot beside my old dad with a wheelbarrel to buy the groceries and having to push it home in the hot sun while my father suffered with heart problems all the time. Top that!!
Why does your misfortune mean other people aren't allowed to be frustrated by theirs?
15% of the US Population is Poor. Now some will read that as – wow – that is a lot and some will read it as – it's only 15%. When you look at the US Population of 311 Million – how does that fair? What should our expectations as a nation be? Again- some will read this as only 15% – we are not doing to bad – it just like reading that our unemployment rate is 9%. That means our employment rate is 91%. I don't think that we will ever get to where everyone is above the Poverty line- just not economically feasible – but we should stop the shock value and always put numbers in context.
Why are so many poor people fat? Seems like it would be the other way around
its called mal nutrician
100% employment has never been achieved in the history of human civilization, and having a full time job doesn't necessarily get you off the poverty ranks.There always going to be poor people needing help from government. Some of those complaining about folks getting government subsidies are in fact the same ones benefiting the most from government, like fat legislative cats getting top notch free government healthcare. This government collects trillions of dollars in taxes from folks like me. I'd like to see my money going to help my fellow less fortunate Americans, instead of wasting my money on some ideology driven ventures around the world.
There have been poor people and an ever increasing gap between them and the rich since the dawn of civilization. I'm not sure how you think this is Obama's fault.
The writer got to have Raisin Bran? Wow, when I was a kid, my mom would grind up whole wheat kernels in a hand grinder and boil it into a gummy porridge for breakfast. We didn't have sugar to put on top–it was too expensive.
Seems like every "poor people" line I see are FILLED with overweight and usually obese people. It not only indicates that we live in excess but It also symbolizes the discipline our society has. Quit blaming people and expecting that anyone owes you anything. We keep getting fatter and asking for more. Leave these programs for people who actually need them...but I'm just being a big meanie
They are overweight becoz they don't get to but lean meats & skinny products which are more expensive than the high carb, high sugar & dark meats. Don't judge them by their looks just becoz u can afford all the lean mean products & expensive trainers at the gym.
We still over-consume these products. Quit blaming it on the producer of the food and recognize that it just tastes good so we eat too much of it
Do you think people going through trash in India wat lean meats and vegetables? You can grow your own vegetables, by the way.
In any case, i grew up on potatoes, bread and milk and I am fine. It does matter how much you eat even if it is not
"lean"
wrong, it simply indicates that in america bad food is cheap for you because it is subsidized by the government. Have you seriously never wondered why you can buy a 30 oz tropical fantasy soda for 50 cents but a bottle of water loose in the same store will cost you at least 1 dollar? Soda is paid for by tax money, so is fast food. They build their menus around low cost ingredients that farmers a paid to produce at a loss. people are fat because its cheaper to buy a crap burger from MacDonalds than it is to make a burger a home with real ingredients.
They are also fat because part of being poor is not having anyone teach you about this. Dont be so naive.
Not being naive. I understand all of what you speak but that does not mean that we are not living in excess and that we are not disciplined. We're fat and we don't care. We don't care about ourselves or the one's who actually need these programs. That is my point
I know what being impoverished is ~ not necessarily for myself with the exception of when I was born and a little after, but others who I have known when I was a child and then later. It's not having dish liquid soap to do the dirty dishes. It's doing the laundry in the bathtub with inexpensive hand soap and hanging the laundry either outside on a rope or one tied up from the walls in the colder months in your dwelling to get them dry. It's using a washcloth to wipe one's self because toilet paper is too expensive. It's not using the electricity much because the bill, even if it's only 40 or so dollars a month it's a struggle to pay. It's waiting to hear from the local churches what days the bread pantry will be opening and hoping to get over there really quick before everything gets cleared from the shelves. It's praying that there will be some charity at Christmas who will have a few little toys for your kids, but knowing even with the help of others, you still remain poor at the end of the day and nothing has really changed.
You're welcome for helping outsource all the manufacturing in the US.
It's just that simple? Well crap! You should run for office! I'm sure your policy ideas would fix all of the poverty, financial inequality and educational issues that this country is experiencing. Oh wait, you don't know a damn thing and are just spewing nonsensical rhetoric that you heard on "the Fox News".
You are absolutely full of crap!!! I paid $25 THOUSAND in taxes. Those taxes go to assisting those who "don't have". I donate money, time and possessions. I have EVERY RIGHT to keep what's left for myself. I earned it.
L, Glenda probably isn't talking about you, but I've seen rich people never leave a tip, never give a helping hand, always demand from merchants the cheapest price and demand the cheapest labor and long hours from their employees.
L, glad to see you paid $25,000 in last year, I believe the Defense budget was 600 Billion$ last year, you may have paid the
salary of one U.S marine.
There have been poor people and an ever increasing gap between them and the rich since, like, the dawn of civilization. I'm not sure how you think this is Obama's fault.
So sad when people in AMERICA compare their poor with the poor in 3rd WORLD COUNTRIES, and not with the poor in the Western world. No wonder they consider us so stupid.
What people are trying to say that majority people in America are really not poor. They should stop feeling sorry for themselves and be happy.
no you didn't
"letters from his mom to his dad begging for child support"
OK here we go. All the dads I know pay child support so go pound sand with your victim mom agenda.
Ok, here we go. The fact that all the dads you know pay child support does not negate the fact that his father did not. While many, many fathers do pay child support, when they don't (or, for that matter, when mothers who are supposed to pay do not do so), children often end up in poverty.
Sorry, but not all Dads, the one I know kept one step ahead and stayed on ships all his life to avoid child support, but his X kept on working to provide and remarried.
The father's YOU know pay child support. It ends at that. Let's not forget about the unfortunate many that have to raise their children without seeing a dime from the father. Stating the truth about a select group of men is not a victim "mom" agenda. It's a sad truth.
All the dads you know may pay child support now because judges and state agencies got tired of the abuse and brought the hammer down on them. NOW dads have a harder time skipping out on their obligations. NOW society no longer excuses dads who shaft their responsibilities.
When I was a child my dad only paid $150/month for two children. We lived in subsidized housing or my grandparents' home while he lived in a 2000sqf single family home, had multiple cars, a ski boat, and a vacation time share. We ate hot dogs with a slice of bread or pot pies that were 3 for $1. He ate out at restaurants. He was always late paying, giving $25 here or $50 there, getting behind by over $1000. My mother took him to court 3 times. Each time the judge knocked of the back payments and said, "Now I don't want to see you in here again."
You may think that "victim moms" are some fanciful creation, but there's a real reason that states have had to step in and make men be accountable for their children.
I've been poor. And homeless. My own initiative got me to the comfortably middle class position I'm in, but I have no delusions that it's a permanent status. These numbers will get worse if Obama is re-elected because businesses will stop hiring. Bet on it.
Really DUMB!!!
Really dumb that I've been poor? Nope, I was laid off twice in one year. Really dumb that I've been homeless? Nope, can't pay for housing with income you don't have. Really dumb to bust my butt getting back on my feet? Really dumb not to blame a politician for "not caring about me enough"? Nope, I'd rather they just me alone. Or do you mean really dumb because I know bad government policies when I see 'em? Walk a mile in my shoes.
For the record, I'm no fan of Romney either. But Obama has NO clue how to solve our problems.
Lemme guess... you pulled yourself up by your "bootstraps" (WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE FROM THE EVIL GUB'MENT) and therefore no one should pay taxes and all assistance programs should be abolished. Am I getting the rhetoric correct or am I missing something about socialism or something?
What rhetoric? I'm referring to my own experiences that have led to my opinion that Obama has no clue.
Hey Matt , can you explain to me why , during the Eisenhower administration ,while corporate taxes were at 90% and personal income taxes were around 30% , we had a booming economy , growing infrastructure , and stable employment levels with living wages. Economies seem to be subject to the laws of entropy. Globalization has sucked us dry and raised the living standards of many , just not here. I don't know your age , but business is/has been leaving the US for 40 years. The wage disparity between the rich and poor started under Reagans' econ policies and has grown steadily ever since. This isn't an opinion , this is fact , look it up . Every politician since has ignored the effects and neglected taking any action to reverse the trend. How many times have I heard " A rising tide raises all ships." Well it just seems to me some ships are just a little more buoyant than others. That whole "trickle down " theory is working wonders.....In southeast Asia.
Businesses hire due to demand. When people have money to go out and buy products, businesses hire more people to keep up with demand. Businesses can get all the tax brakes they want, but if there's no demand from consumers, it's pointless. If consumers have less money to spend, businesses aren't growing.
What the write described is what poor really is. Poor is not the people who have cable TV, cell phones, Nike's, or sell their food stamps for cash to buy for booze, cigs and drugs. The people he described need help. The ones I described that take money from Government assistance should be ashamed. They are robbing the really needy of the funds that the working class people are contributing. This is why we need reform. Obama wants to convince you that reform is taking from the poor. It's not to take from the poor, but to give the poor what others that are cheating the present system are taking from them.
how do you know? have you EVER had to apply for food stamps to feed your family?
I have close friends and family that are on food stamps. They have the latest phones, tvs, cars and clothes. I don't know how – but they do.
L your posts are obnoxious. Someone should restrict you, because you don't have a filter.
Do you really believe that Romney gives a damn about the poor? He said that the 47% who are being helped by government does not concern him. Or you just willfully blind and deaf. When it comes your time to receive Social Security I hope that you and every other Republican refuses it. That way you will not be amongst the 47% who are "takers". Somehow I kind of doubt that many Republicans will refuse Social Security or Medicare.
For some reason I feel that this is somehow misleading. I feel that there are many, many programs that provide these people with resources to get food, housing, and healthcare for almost nothing in return. Do food stamps and other organizations not provide enough food? I feel a less anecdotal account of poverty is more valuable.
Because, for some reason, I feel that some of these people (not all of them) may have things that I do not.
Can somebody be considered poor if they have an iphone?
I find it a weak excuse of having a tv or Iphone, when it's the people who get the 2000 buck tax returns buying such items, and being broke the rest of the year...
What do you notice about the picture at the top of this article?
COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FAT.
Just about all of them, right? Only in America do we consider a fat guy with a cell phone and a car to be in poverty. Sixty percent of the people who are supposedly in "poverty" have cable TV, according to a recent WSJ article. Seventy five percent have a car. Thirty percent have TWO CARS.
Yet if you ask them, they'll tell you how they are poor. Victimized by Big Bad Corporations. Held down by Evil Rich People. Romney could have said it more gently, but he was right– almost half of this country is convinced they are victims. Helpless. Need liberals and their gubbermint-funded Nirvana to make things right.
I hope there are enough self-reliant people remaining in this country to dispose of the Socialist/Democrat regime and their legion of parasitic voters.
Only here there are so many people believing that poor people can't or shouldn't be fat. This is the true sign of an ignorant culture.
I have lived poor, it is when the best part of the school year is when you go to JoAnn Fabric to pick out a new "patch" for the holes that always appear in the knees of the only pair of blue jeans you own as a kid. It is when one pair of shoes has to last the entire school year and getting glasses is something that distresses the family budget even though mom tries not to let you see.
I think the comment about fat people is ridiculous only because the food economy and the type of food that is cheapest is the type that causes people to become obese and diabetic. If you use obesity to measure poverty surely you can do a little research, in this country poverty is not categorized by bloated stomachs, stick arms and legs and large heads as in many third world countries. In our country, you cannot put a tin shack on public land and cover the door with a sheet. Malnutrition occurs, in this country, even in obese people because our food pyramid is upside down and cheap grains are thrown at the indigent while beef and vegetables come at an incredible price.
If you want to judge the people who live at the poverty level, restrict your income to $12,000 per year and find a way to live on it. Then, write an article about it or even a book.
Eye-opening ... and the sad part is so many more are at this point or on the verge because the economy STINKS and it NOT GETTING BETTER. Many unemployed and underemployed are just getting by .... VOTE FOR A CHANGE THIS NOV. ROMNEY/RYAN 2012
It can't be any worse than the last 4 years!
ROMNEY/RYAN buddies had brought us here!!!!!!!!
The Great Recession was brought to the US by Republicans and President Bush or is your memory so short that you have already forgotten about it.
MOVE TO CANADA OR SCANDINAVIA!
Not to take anything away from the experience of being poor in this country, but poor is always relative. The "poverty line" in this country is considered middle or even upper class in most of Asia and Africa. I lived in India for a couple years and the median income in Chennai (a city of over 15 million people) is around 500 dollars a year. In India and much of the 3rd world, economies exist that allow people to survive (not thrive, but survive) on 300 to 400 dollars a year. They can buy a kg of rice for 10 rupies (about 25 cents) and they can survive.
There have always been poor and there will always be poor in very society because "poor" is always a relative term (relative to the "rich"). In America, the 95th percentile of household income is roughly 10 times the 5th percentile ($150,000/year vs $15,000/year). While this is a big gap, in India, that gap is about 1,000 times (the 95th percentile is lower than the US at about $100,000/year but the 5th percentile is much much lower at about $100/year).
I personally feel that America has done more to help the poor in this country than almost any other country out there (with the possible exception of Singapore). We have minimum wage laws and welfare programs that keep the poor well above the survival line. Yes it is demeaning to be be poor and yes they struggle with basic "necessities" like healthy diets and heat. But you will never be able to eliminate poverty (the poverty line will always be drawn somewhere). The measure of a society is not whether it can eliminate the poor, but how well the poor are treated. In this regard, I believe that the US is well above the majority of the world.
The "Occupy" movement talks about the 99% and the 1%. But the bottom 99% in this country is the top 1% of the the world.
We need to keep that in perspective as we decide how to move forward with our national policies.
Will, GOOD POINT!!!!
Nice post Will.
Will/Glenn/Unafiliated, nice try buddy.
Don't count the immigrants and then tell me the %.
Obama didn't cause this. Too bad there are people that are in such denial (because they voted for those that DID cause it) that they can't see reality.
Liberals.. THINK for one moment in time. I know how difficult that is for many of you but try anyway without emotion. What if you had two homeless panhandlers... one with a squeegee on one corner and the other with a sign asking "anything helps" on the other corner. Whom do you think will have more money at the end of the day? Go ahead, take a guess...
The one with the sign will have more money. The reality is, the guy with the squeegee will only be hired by those that will take advantage of his situation. They won't pay him much – no matter how hard he works. The one with the sign will collect a buck or two often enough – from those that feel badly that people are in his situation. Then, there are those that won't even make eye contact with either of them.
WRONG!
Duke, I would like to think they both would have enough to survive that day, for that is all that GOD has promised, one day at
a time.
If you are poor, don't buy that Xbox,
...and don't buy a dog....or a ferret....or a python. You don't have the means to properly and ethically keep them.
Oh, AND DO NOT HAVE KIDS!!!!!!
To be stone cold broke and decide to create a family???? That is almost child neglect and abuse the moment you get impregnated!
"...the moment you get impregnated"? LOL. So, I assume, from your statement, that you feel only the woman is responsible, eh?
I'm sure that if they didn't have money, they couldn't get impregnanted. Romney logic 2012...money can't buy common sense.
You speak like a true "romney", completely disconnected from reality. Haha
you are all forgeting that this is still all George Bush's fault. lol. GO ROMNEY RYAN
Yes , by all means ....GO...
Blake068, that's not true, WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE are to blame, this is – Government for and by the PEOPLE....
You forget that many republicans distanced themselves from ROMNEY's camp, because they are embarrassed by Romney's comments.
I have republican leanings and am so angry people may think I have the same disrespect for the people not born to a magnate father.
Being middle class is not knowing what "self-efficacy" is and when someone explains it to you, you ask, "well, doesn't everyone have that?"
Being poor is not knowing what "self-efficacy" is and when someone explains it to you you say, "that's BS."
Wow look at how much fun they are having not paying taxes.
Amy why don't you come back when you learn to articulate an idea. Spewing invectives does not count
If you're focused on your hunger, then food is what will keep you alive.
If you're focused on the fact that you're 'fat,' then food is the monkey on your back.
If you're focused on being 'right,' then other people will appear as superior or inferior.
If you're focused on God/Allah/Krishna/Jehovah/All That Is, then whether you are in this dimension or another, whether you are fat or thin, whether you are learning or teaching, you are in Love.
heaaaavy! right on!
Folks. Borrow some money from your parents and start your own business. Being poor is your fault.
what if i gots no parents? den what? robba bank??
dowdotica, according to the GOP, at least you would be showing some individual inatiative!!!
You could do what Romney did and find some rich people funding death squads to give you some money to start a business shipping jobs away to China!?!
Poor=fat.. I didnt know it worked like that
You'd think that good quality food, personal trainer, less stress for what you're going to put on the table tomorrow for your kids, would amount to something, right?
poor=high calorie diet,low nutrition diet and lack of exercise. That's the unfortunate truth.
Fat food is cheap food. Healthy food is expensive, Fruits and vegetables = $$$. Ramen = pennies. Still don't know it works like that?
Great job Obama!!! Still can't believe their our idiots out there that will vote for you.
And so many of them are the poor that he helped get to being poor. And Abe doesn't get it because he isn't poor.
This "one in five" children statistic includes the one in five children who are thirld-world immigrants, both legal and illegal. Of course they're overwhelmingly poor, because their parents are generally uneducated and struggling (which is why they immigrated here). I'd like to know the true poverty statistic for people born and raised here.
What is it like to be poor?
From personal experience after Bush's fiasco, I can say IT SUX!
But thanks to Obama, things are a lot better for me and profits for my business are increasing every day..
Bad beginning but great going forward. Good luck.
It's getting better because you're in front of your computer on CNN making comments how bad you had it? ummmm wonder why you had it so bad.
Honestly, good for you. Clearly, 46 million don't have the same success story. IT IS NOT A REPUBLICAN/DEMOCRAT ISSUE. IT IS A LOOK OUT FOR MY OWN POLITICAL CAREER ISSUE AND DAMN ALL THE PEOPLE IN MY WAY ISSUE. But, good luck with your business.
No
Poor is having a car for the household. Poor is having a cell phone for everyone over 18 in the household. Poor is having a current generation gaming system. Poor is having a flat-screen TV. Poor is having air conditioning. Poor is having a washer and dryer in the house. Poor is having a dishwasher.
Simply picking the worst case scenario doesn't really give a good description of what is meant by "poor". You have to look at what the average "poor" household has, which is what I've listed above. Also, the people who make up the "poor" are constantly changing. Most people move out of this definition into the middle class after several years, to be replaced in the group counted as "poor" by recent graduates or others who are temporarily down on their luck.
Joe, you are referring to the temporarily poor. But I think the article is talking about the folks who are almost without hope; those who have slipped from middle class and are not likely to get back.
Consumer goods (the dishwashers and air conditioners you mentioned) are the cheapest they have ever been, thanks to the globalization of capital and labor. However, the real needs for a good life include housing, health care, and education, all of which consume larger shares of income than was the case 30 years ago. A roach filled apartment with flatscreen and AC in a decaying neighborhood is still a lousy place to live or raise a family.
WOW... you mean a flat screen tv that you can buy for $100 something or used even cheaper. $20 a month cable tv, prepaid cell phones.... we are still in America right... if they make $900 p/mo. yes they are poor, but just because they buy a few things – gee maybe even a christmas gift for their kids. that makes them bad. being poor doesnt mean you should never do anything or get anything. I can see it right now... poor guy at Best Buy – hey sir – you can't buy that $100 electronic device "YOU'RE POOR" – we don't allow poor people to purchase items that aren't edible.
As an old Indian saying suggests, you should really try wearing the moccasins before you make such statements you have made. I am not poor but I, by choice, walk beside the poor every day. You are partially right. I do sometimes see a car. When I go to the rescue with a can of gas. The gallon or two they were able to buy didn't get them home again from the store. I see them when I go along to car shop–looking for $500 pile of junk that hopefully can chug to the doctor, school and back. They are dead on their doorstep about half of the time. And the cell phones! Ah yes, most have limited minutes only. When they are used up (as they often are) no calls go in or out. The lucky ones can still
send a text in an emergency or call 911. The school, family, doctor calls me to go take them a message or see if they are all right. Washer and dryer? Dream on..,. Piles of dirty clothes? Many live off the top of the pile simply because two loads is all their scraped up change will pay for at the laundromat.
I am fully aware of individual differences in the character development of the poor as well as the stable and the wealthy. There are bad apples in every barrel. But let's not disavow compassion for the poor simply because some may not "deserve it",
Thanks to Mr.Obama for 46.2 poor americans
Poverty is degrading.
There were just as many people living below the poverty line with the Unintelligent One in the office
Actually, the number has grown in recent years under Obama, but the number was surpringly high under Bush, too. We live in a society where no one wants to talk about it....not til election time anyway.
Being poor is attaching a string around your sugar cube and letting it dip into your coffee cup just long enough to prevent the whole cube from dissolving in the coffee, and having enough of the sugar cube left for the next couple of days.
This article brought tears to my eyes. It's sad that in 2012 families live like this and as a father who's currently poor,I endure everything on that list. And yet I have the rich (Romney) calling me a leech. It hurts it really does. The only thing that feels like has any real value in my life is my family and my right to vote.
You're only a leech if you don't do anything to get off government support. I think people with common sense understand what he is referring to. You have thousands of welfare families and welfare babies who go from birth to grave on the tax payer's dollar.
Romney is not blaming "everyone" that is poor. There are those taking advantage of the system – generational which make it hard for those who really need help. I know A LOT of people like this. In my opinion neither running for president should be in the White House. Obama has added to the ranks of the poor and is rich himself. It's a fact that Romney can't just kick "everyone" off assistance. Don't let the scare mongers get to you on the dem side.
Get off your butt and get a job, go to college and get a degree. NOTHING comes to you if you dont take charge. What the hell do you expect? the money to come to you? Do something with your life instead of wasting it, be a benefit for society instead a leech
Maurice, let me be the first to tell you that you are rude and inconsiderate. When you pass through a "bad" neighborhood, instead of locking your doors, get out and talk to people. Find out what keeps them from getting IN to college (yes, not everyone has a high school diploma and not everyone can pass the tests to go to college), ask what the barriers to a job are for them (stable address, telephone connection (ability to pay that cell bill every month), daycare costs for children while working, health problems, etc.)
There should be an exam prior to distributing voting rights...it's ridiculous that those who "have" and who do not understand can take self-sustainability away from those who "do not have" and in reverse do not understand the "system" constructed around them.
We Americans used to to be united, we all can not be doctors, or lawyers, or stock brokers, there is a place in this country
for all of us, even the poor... The problem today is so few jobs for so many people, a country that moves its low skill jobs
off shore to markets to inprove the bottom line of corporations is just wrong.
It's evident that the forces of evil control the 'world'. Why else are so many people in poverty?
Im 24 years old, what will this place be like in 5 or 10 years. This country is going to be 3rd world real quick and its very sad. Itdoesnt matter who the president is. To be honest, with how everything is going right now I wouldnt mind if the world came to an end this December.
Well aren't you a basket of rainbows and fluffy bunnies?
LOL
You sound so dreary and I am so sorry. I hope you reach out to someone to get beyond the dreary. Good luck.
Did anyone else catch the irony of his "poor" list? Here in America, when you're poor you still have:
– TV
– shoes
– sandwiches for your kids
– a car
– a place to live
– electricity
I'm not saying it isn't still tough; I do some of those things today, and I have a job! Still, we have it pretty darn good compared to most of the world.
Yes, but when you live in a country with people driving around lambos, that is a pretty huge gap.
And why are "poor" people in America so fat? You want to see "poor", look at people in third world countries that are actually hungry. Look at the photo above? See anyone that isn't overweight?
One of the reasons is because the cheap food they can afford (ramen, mac & cheese, McDonalds) has very low nutritive value and is high in carbs, calories, fat and salts, not to mention chemical preservatives and artificial ingredients.
Mitt will fix that! Romney 2012
And what if you had all that "stuff' BEFORE you lost your job, your car and your health insurance???
Good point!
I couldn't agree more. We don't understand poverty here in the USA. Our poor have big screen tvs and satellite dishes. Let's open our eyes and see how good we have it, see other parts of the world where poverty is real. I'm poor I only made 17,000 last year but that's a hell of alot compared to other people in other places. I've lived in my car, I've scrounged for change to buy some canned food at the 99 cent store but I always know how good I have it. If you're concerned, truly concerned then help someone out, give that guy on the subway some change, give the lady begging a dollar, don't judge just help. There's nothing wrong with being poor so don't stigmatize us.
It's not people like you – it's people taking advantage of assistance. You are right, people don't know what poor is.
If you earn your money or get it from family IT IS YOUR MONEY. I worked my way up to what I make today – I am 48 and it took 27 YEARS to get a college degree because I knew it would help me. I pay A LOT in taxes and I shouldn't pay a penny more for anyone, especially those who want to do NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING to better themselves. Obama has a lot of money too so lets not compare who is richer!
I agree, the process in which they assume who is poor is extremely exaggerated. I went into business for myself 2 years ago. If you look at it on paper, I'd qualify for welfare. Because i was raised to work for your money, I couldn't see filing welfare when I have a nice stock portfolio and a nice size inherited IRA that I am re-investing. My first year, I showed a profit of $3,500. Now many agencies will accept my business taxes and give me free benefits because it appears i made $3500 in a whole year. What they don't even consider is, this is after I have taken cash payouts to myself all year to pay my bills. It makes the system extremely easy to play for a sole proprietor. When they ask for a W-2, I reply,"I have my first year business taxes, which they accept. My personal income is deducted from my net gain or loss. I do it the honest way for 2 reasons, the first being, I was raised to do the right thing, secondly, i don't want to go to jail for tax evasion. Lot's of work needs done to fis this nation......
Actually, people with nice sized stock portfolios generally don't qualify for welfare.
Ever try to eat healthy on a limited budget? Check out how much chicken and veggies cost versus McDonalds dollar menu or top ramen. I used to look down at fat people using food stamps, thinking "Looks like you have enough to eat." until I later realized that most cheap food is full of fat and sodium. So now you have overweight poor people with health problems.
Poverty, tailspin, and socialism: vote Obama. Prosperity, economic freedom, and liberty vote republican. Romney speaks the truth: those on the doll will ALWAYS vote for Obama and the democraps, until they resolve to make their own way and get off the government dole. Its not politically correct, but its true.
Did you get a TBI in any of those wars?
No Gary: I got a CIB and three bronze stars. You liberals sleep under the blanket of freedom and protection provided by better men and women than yourself......thats service. A concept alien to mouthy, gutless, socialist inclined liberals.
You must be an angry poor white guy from the country (or the south)...the Republican party (the party of the rich) has duped you undereducated people to vote for their ideology by making issues of silly things like gun control, abortion, etc., all the while they deregulate the market, send your job to China, and tell you democrats want to take you liberty away, whatever that means. Wake up confused boy. Better yet, go read a work of nonfiction, rather than the bible, and maybe you'll something.
If your a veteran of 3 wars then you got paid, you get a check every month from the government, you get free medical care and prescriptions, you get low interest loans, you get free education etc and you complain because people are on the dole. I myself am on the dole my dad was a veteran of WW II Tunis, Tunisia where my dad took 28 pieces of shrattinal into his chest and later died when I was 18 I was never able to enjoy some of the benefits that you enjoy and the VA pays for because my dad enlisted.
To Veteranof3Wars. Last time I checked, there still wasn't a draft for military service. For many who join the U.S. Armed Forces, although not all, enlisting is the ultimate example of on-the-dole. You just join up; most will make it through basic, then you get an instant job with on-base housing, PX, free healthcare, cheap golf, etc. Also, some enlisted get food stamps. Are you service-connected and on-the-dole V3W?
People like you, that have no respect for the men and women in our armed forces fighting for your freedom so that you can bash them on a CNN comments page, are DISGUSTING. Shame on you.
Sarah-I am not poor but I have done all those things because I live frugally and therefore manage what I do have so that it goes further.
If you send $2 BILLION to Egypt...?
How many $25,000 per year jobs (for 1 year – no employer match or expense), is that?
Answer: 80,000
being poor is hoping u close at the restaurant that way you can get the mis cooks that all the unthankful customers complain about so u can have dinner at 11 at night.
you know you are poor when you get evicted and your parents aren't alive to move in with. You are an only child and too proud to tell anyone what happend. You sleep in your car thinking things will change soon.
or typing about it on your home computer? Rather Tomyour definition of "poor" is better suited to "Loser"
Or you could always use the computer at the library for free. Simply posting online does not guarantee that someone owns a computer.
Did you know that the US poor are still in the 25% of Standard in Living when combined with the World Population.
Only if they took their money out of the U.S. to live. I'm a king in some parts of Africa, not here. You are rich or poor only compared to what is around you.
I don’t know which is sadder, the poverty memories in the story or the comments above. Feels like this nation is doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. No nation has thrived while there has been a large divergence in wealth and income.
But it is obvious that the only thing thriving in this nation is hate and ignorance.
Being poor is taking a calculator to the grocery store to make sure u can pay the tax.
Why are we so judgemental. If we can not help we have no right to insult any one. He is just victom of the todays situation. I blame totally our President OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBama. I think every one need to see the movie 2016 Obama America. Then decide who you want to vote. We can not insult any one just because they are standing on the side walk and ask for help. IF YOU CAN NOT HELP, DON'T HURT THEM EMOTIONALY.
It's amazing how the poor and middle class are completely apathetic and refuse to fight for their diminishing rights. Give the masses iPhones, video games, and other cheap entertainment to occupy their time and they become too stupid to see what is going on because their too preoccupied. The gap between the wealthy and middle class (which really shouldn't be called the middle class anymore, but borderline poor), continues to grow. This isn't a democracy, its a farce of epic proportions. The wealth divide got much, much worse after we started deregulating all of the markets in 1999-2000 for the big banks, after they spend hundreds of millions of dollars in lobbying efforts to repeal Glass Steagall and impose the god awful Commidities Futures Modernization Act, which essentially allows them to manipulate the shadow derivatives markets with almost no oversight. Before the Commodities Futures Modernization Act was imposed the typical American family spent only 7% of their disposable income of food and fuel. After the criminals in Washington that were bought out by special interest groups implemented CFMA and killed Glass Steagall, the costs for food and fuel for the average American family have no shot up to over 20% of disposable income. The real criminals are on Wall Street and in Washington. Our entire government and system has been poisoned from top to bottom and from the local, state, and national government level with trojan horses for big special interest groups that continue to funnel wealth from the 99% to the elite chosen few that reside in the 1%. It's time for an American revolution to rid ourselves of this systemic and widespread poison that continues to demolish what's left of this so called democracy.
Mike I couldn't agree with you more. If there were another revolution, it would be a handful of people against the masses of ignorance and apathy. People of this level of intellect probably deserve the slavery they're slowly receiving. I'm starting to think expatriation is the only thing left.
Deep thoughts there Mike! One quick reminder: the richest five percent of Americans pays fifty four percent of the entire national tax burden, while forty seven percent of Americans (Obama crew) pay nothing.
Thats socialism.
Socialism is where the govt. owns the means of production. We don't have socialism in this country. You can learn that in any simple textbook on basic political science wen you dare to learn facts. When you engage in hyperbole by simply calling any Democrat a socialist you discredit yourself. If Obama is a socialist, then Romney is a corporate stooge facist, and I'd rather be a socialist than a facist. Do ya like that?
Mike Brown, a revolution is all that's left to do. This thing can no longer be fixed from the inside. But we aren't at critical mass yet. Give it 5 more years.
And now with Citizens United, it will get worse and worse.
Sorry, I couldn't read your entire post because it was long and had some big words. Boring! Hey, did you hear Lindsay Lohan was arrested again?
hmmmm....did'nt romney just talk about the 47% and was called a fool for saying it???....oops.
True Romney does the one thing Obama has not done in four years...Tell the truth – Too many people just want to be lied to, I guess they are the ones who enjoy being peed on and being told it's just rain...
John, what truth are you talking about? People born to families that have this much money and power as Romney's do not have access to a real vision.
Look who they marry, who they choose to open their souls to, they seclude themselves within groups of big $$ and power, and they look down at the ones poorer than them.
When poor people with no education continue to have children, you have more poor people. When poor people with no education are allowed to sneak into our country we get more poor people. When the government encourages these 2 things you get more poor people. Next question please.
When the big banks gamble with the people's savings accounts, with their mortgages, when the lobbys become super-efficient, and laws are passed to favor the rich, the rich become richer, and poor become even poorer.
Those are the places you need to choose from when you move.
Poor is having your brother steal tampons and motrin because your in too much pain to run from the store yourself
Poor is finding creative ways to cook potatoes for a month cause thats all you have
Poor is wearing your brothers baggy pants to a department store so you can stuff as many bras and panties down your pants as possible.
Poor is sponge bathing in the bathroom sink because the tub is rotting through the floor
Poor is being cinderella at a friends house to have a safe place to sleep
Poor is your BFF's dad paying for your bus pass and school supplies so you can graduate like everyone else
Must Suck to be poor lol.
i would think so.
i meet one of those criteria (living next to (well, in my case 3 blocks away)) from the freeway
Poor is a relative term. Being poor is NOT having underwear, NOT having a heater, NOT having a TV to see what others have. If you are poor, be resourceful. Give up cigs, dope, booze, lottery tickets and take stuff that is there for the taking. There's lots of it. The times we are living in are tough but there is no excuse for anyone starving. If you truly need gov't subsidies, they are there for you. Make good choices, be of good cheer and don't give a damn about what others think. There are some great stories here of people who have come through their poverty by hard work and determination.
Wow, you're not poor if you have underwear.
What an idiot.
Have you ever seen a really dirty homeless person? yeah those people don't have underwear, if they do it's probably not clean. Wake up please, get out of your silly little mind.
Wait, What? You mean be accountable for your own action.???..Whooa..The left will never stand for that, That would be called – wait for it...... responsibility, Oh No...We can't have that, who would they blame ones poor life on if they can't blame it on some false made up excuse...or someone who works hard and does the right thing...no, that's crazy talk mister
Hahaha – So true. Weird...didn't CNN just publish an article about the highest demographic of flat screen TV owners are in this "poor" range. Maybe they should put down the flat screens to cloth and feed their children...just sayin.
Definitely relative my friend. I remember, as a Social Worker, transitioning to rural Social Work, and being amazed that people owned their homes. Your existence is defined by your reality. As a poor urbanite growing up, my family would have felt rich having our own property but without animals, seed, or the means to grow a crop and pay taxes owning property meant nothing.
Ha I just saw that economist article also, the level of low income people spending 20% of their income on ciggs and alcohol and bottom 13% spent 9% of income on lottery tickets. Crazy, but idk sometimes ciggs and lottery tickets give meaning to life because nothing else does. Most people buy things to fill this sense of pride that has been stripped away. I get it, totally, I've been there and right now as a college student and part time worker I have no savings to my name just 24K of student loans.
Of course there are poor, homeless people...mental illness is one of the reasons. But to say that one in five Americans is poor is a blatant lie. If you owe 24K for your education, I hope you are doing something about getting work to pay it off. You must have had the drive to get an education so use that same drive to better yourself. Stop pitying yourself.
Have you ever stayed without food for one day? All these theories only looks good on paper. You can stay cheer only if you get something to eat twice a day and feed your own family so that they don't go to bed empty stomach.
I think America is in deeeep do do because of the American people and not because of our politics. Washington is in the mess it is because we voted for these idiots and didn't stop, look and listen to what they said and did? We are personally in debt up to our eyeballs! We don’t know what is right and what is wrong and we have no value for a good basic education. All we want is what we can get right now and we elected people who told us they could give it to us only if you would elect me! America is getting what it asked for and we all are going to pay that piper! If you don't know your past you are doomed to repeat it! Some of you need to read a little world history! Ha ha ha ha ha !!!.... I hope you can protect you and yours because it will become necessary at the rate things are going? Oh, that flushing toilet sound is us going down the crapper!
Excellent points.
46.9 million is a horrific number, but the bigger part of it is best resolved through an economy which produces jobs for americans. obama has proved himself incapable of providing jobs for this large group. from what i have seen of romney's career, i believe romney when he says he can get america back to work again. i can no longer believe Obama. So, i am moving on to Romney...and, yet, Romney is likely correct, most of those on assistance will vote for Obama because they are hooked on assistance more than they are hooked on helping their nation create jobs and a better economy.
46 Million? Wow Romney guessed 47off the top of his head. This guy is amazing. Goodbye and good ridence to Obama.
Did anyone teach you the difference between integers and percents in grade school?
Actually, his number was 47% of the population, which would have to be only 100 million for your point to be correct.
Actually Romney said 47% of people received government handouts. This article is talking about 46 million individual people below the poverty line. Bill your lack of reading comprehension skills is precisely why you are voting for Romney.
Hilarious. Another GOP retard heard from. Let me guess: hotel management major?
Dems can smell non-rich Republicans like you a mile a way.
How's that hope and change working out?
Well we aren't in a full-blown depression after finishing up WW3 so it's a heck of a lot better than had a republican been elected.
Much better than quoting an idiot from Alaska.
When Bush left office were bleeding hundreds of thousands of jobs a month. Now we are adding tens of thousands a month. While it is only barely enough to cover the increase in workforce size it is better than before.
So as far as 'Change', definitely better than staying where we were.
As far as 'Hope', I will take it over the voices of doom I am hearing from the other side.
It isn't. Republicans filibustered and obstructed it to death.
not really, there are a lot of hiding allocations all over the the National Budged, under different names and different sectors. We still a huge lack of accountability of how our Department of "Offense" use our taxes. We are full of loop wholes, allocations, amendments that we don't even know they exist. If you put all together is bigger than medicate and medicare.
Growing up as a kid being poor is pretty terrible for a kids psyche, I grew up very poor to Americas standards, and this was in the 90's when things were a lot better. My experience being poor was all I knew in life at the time, so now I am very grateful with everything I have. We stayed in anything from Cars, to shelters, to abandon homes. No electricity, no gas, no water. This happens in America daily.. I went to 8 different elementary schools, and missed a big part of being a kid, but in the end I grew up a lot faster than most. I think I am a much more humble person because of this experience. Money can never buy who I am.
Why are people pretending this is a real story. It doesn't matter how well the average American is doing it only matters how the average American Corporation is doing. Right Mitt?
This experiment we called "democracy" won't last much longer.
It is so sad to read this article and thinking I can be one of them tomorrow. I hope this changes soon and become better in coming years
You seem a kind and empathetic being. Should you become poor tomorrow, I have a feeling you'll be surrounded by friends and family to help you through.
DON'T HAVE CHILDREN PLEASE!!
VOTE for OBAMA that way we can ALL be below the POVERTY LEVEL!!!!! People lets wake up we will become the next CUBA at this pace!!!
Cuba actually feeds all of their people and has a health care system with better outcomes and at a lower cost than the U.S.
I have over 250k in the bank, own my house and car and have no credit card debt. Did I mention I'm only 31 years old.
Life doesn't seem that hard!
Yeah, this country has been good to you. This country has been good to about 10% of the population, but not to the other 90%.
It's time to switch that around.
I work 80+ hours a week. I've always worked hard, even in school. I went to grad school for free because I had great grades and got a PhD in engineering. I don't mind helping people out, but I think they should be working hard as well. In my experience, that is just not the case. Every single person I know that worked hard starting in their school years is doing very well. The slackers have had mixed results.
(A different Joe). I work in IT. I promise you we're working on offshoring your job to someone in China for 25cents an hour. Enjoy it while it lasts brother, as you'll get the empathy you deserve when your time comes.
Buying day old bread
Wearing clothes when you go outside and only underwear inside..saves laundry and wear
Re-glueing shoes together
Cutting your own hair...badly
Washing clothes without soap
Recycling cans and bottles for car gasoline money
Not going out with friends because you have no money
Learning to repair clothes
Mitt Romney makes me sick! As a child, my father left my mother with 3 kids to raise on her own. We were instantly thrown into poverty. We made it after years of living on the edge. But all 3 of us graduated from college and been successful with our lives.
But Romney's line of thinking would have put us all in the 47%...unworthy of his 'concern' to represent as president of the United States.
What a mor0n you are running, GOP! And I used to be Republican!
"Romney's line of thinking" doesn't change just because you wish to LIE about it.
Good riddance. If you are no smarter than that I hope you don't vote.
Add: Being poor is your Mom scrounging the alleys and making your Christmas and Birthday presents from it.
Being Poor is your Dad selling his blood to buy you school clothes.
Being poor is a pair of cheap flip flops for the summer.
LOL, You can think mostly the democrats for putting more people into poverty than any other organization. Think about how they have destroyed the black community with welfare checks. Obama just recently removed a work requirement to receive welfare, he decreased the qualifying to go on disability. Why? Because he's a socialist at best and he is simply pandering for votes anywhere he can get them. Welcome to the WELFARE STATE where everything is fee!!!
Ironically, "Duke" (David?), the typo in your last sentence increased, rather than decreased, its veracity.
LOL, That's the best you can do is point out a typo? wow
Let's ask Mitt Romney...
Or ask Obama...he's a multi-millionaire.
Oh right he pretends he was poor cause rich parents forced him to go to college before his trust fund.
Must of been hard getting rammen on 200k a year eh?
At least Obama paid taxes on his. Romney didn't do that, based on his refusal to release his tax returns for the time before he decided he was going to run for president....when he was being himself that is.
Additional generic comment.
Let's ask Mitt about KB Toys, Ampad, and Worldwide Grinding and where those employees are today and how he gutted those companies.
Being middle class is not owning a big-screen TV until in your 40s, turning it on, and seeing a big-screen TV in every house featured in COPS.
Huge laugh, thanks.
Good one!
Being poor means that you shouldn't be wasting your time posting stupid comments and instead looking for a job. There will always be rich and poor people. Some have it easy and others don't. It's called life. Things aren't fare so get over it and push yourself to succeed.
Being middle class is remembering what it's like to eat 10/dollar ramen and 5/dollar mac&cheese and being glad that you got an education, sacrificed, and worked hard to get out of it only to have people that never try to get out of it accuse you of being heartless and uncaring for not understanding why they don't get an education, sacrifice, and work hard.
WELL SAID! The "YOU CAN'T KNOW HOW I FEEL" crowd, seems to know exactly WHAT WE KNOW, and HOW WE FEEL, and HOW MUCH EMPATHY WE HAVE.
And the PRESIDENT keeps right on LYING.
When the offshoring slave-masters come for your middle class life, you'll get to experience the joy of Ramen all over again. Hard work and an education guarantee you nothing when someone decides they're paying you too much and you're living too well.
Joe, See, that's what I mean. I got out of it, and that makes me the enemy in your eyes. Typical success-o-phobe.
@Unafiliated Friend I'm doing fine myself and hope the same for you. I'm just saying that your eating some Ramen & Mac & Cheese in college doesn't amount to poverty.
Great post, could not have said it better myself! Plus, if they can afford a tv, I am not sure they are so poor after all. Tell those teenagers to go get jobs to help out the family!
Being poor is waking up with te expectation that you'll continue to be poor
Being poor is not knowing what the term "fire in the belly" means
Being poor means sitting on your hands and cursing your fate
Being poor is something you do to yourself
Thanks Obama
Thanks for what? You can think mostly the democrats for putting more people into poverty than any other organization. Think about how they have destroyed the black community with welfare checks. Obama just recently removed a work requirement to receive welfare, he decreased the qualifying to go on disability. Why? Because he's a socialist at best and he is simply pandering for votes anywhere he can get them. Welcome to the WELFARE STATE where everything is fee!!!
At least Romney can up his figures of who doesn't matter now. 47% was apparently too low thanks to 8 years of Bush and his cohorts looting the country and the Repubs favorite employment program...outsourcing. And 1 in 5 children are too lazy to get a job and support themselves? Disgraceful. Next on the Repub agenda...get rid of those pesty, unfair child labor laws.
Uncle Sugah...send me my welfare check early...things are looking bad...my flatscreen is broke...where is the government when I need em?
Karma is coming for all of you not showing empathy.
Funny empathy is why more on in poverty. Liberalism may have good intentions and yet giving a man a fish is very true. It just feels better doesn't it. I can go out everyday and make a good living mowing lawns, leaf blowing, raking leaves, washing cars, washing dogs, hauling etc.. Don't give me that B S about not feeling any empathy. Some people need help and I won't give money to the street pan handler who doesn't have a squeegee in his hand
Why show empathy for people who have the opportunity to do what ever they want, yet chose to accept it or blame white people, black people or other people different from them. Not one of those people in the picture looks like they need food, to them poor in America is only one flat screen and two smart phones. If President Oama wins, count on everyone depending on the Government in four years...Being poor is only a starting ground. It's up to the individual to make his destiny. Equal opportunity doies not mean equal outcome...When are you on the left ever going to see that?
I will not show empathy to someone who sits around with their hands out. There are jobs all over this country, you have to be willing to move, join the military, or work at any job you can find. Been there, done it myself. I got tired of eating mac and cheese everyday, and wanted better for my children.
The Federal Reserve doesn't care about the poor and are busier than ever with printing money to help relieve the big banks of more toxic assets and helping the Euro-zone while killing the value of the Dollar. It's the working poor that suffer the most when food and gas prices jump while pay stays the same. Though, Obama and Reid are blocking efforts to audit the Fed and Romney doesn't seem much better. The investor class is largely shielded, since stock prices go up with a devalued Dollar.
"The poor should first consider selling some of their stocks and mutual funds before asking the government for handouts." - Mitt Romney
Obama doesn't have enough empathy for us to quit LYING to us...
Obama wants all of us poor and on welfare, so we will vote for the Democratic Party.
Not going to happen.
Yours is the dumbest post I have read all day.
How many jobs has the GOP created in the last 4 years to help America recover from this economic disaster they put us into?
Answer: 0
Yet you will be dumb enough to vote for them.
The house has passed over 20 jobs bills ! Dirty Harry Reid won't bring them up for a vote slick !
Each of those "bills" had political riders about "personhood" or the Canadian oil pipeline. None were real and all were political theater. Do your homework.
spot on Rick. Pandering to poverty is the socialist, liberal way. Keep em on welfare, keep em on the doll, a chicken in every pot gets votes! (FDR)
Bingo ! You got it exactly right ! But whats actually going to happen is those poor people are going to BLAME Barrack ! And they ain't going to vote for the guy that forced them into poverty !!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111
And the winner of the 'Kool-Aid Post of the Day' goes to...
awe good luck with that.
> Being poor is living next to the freeway.
Oooooook.I thought being poor mean not having anything to eat. That is what being poor means everywhere else.
Outside of the US if you have basic food, a couple changes of clothes and shelter you are middle class.
Poverty? How could we dare to talk about Poverty in America when we are not even interested in control the already monstrously big Military Budget? Including sending toys to mars. All our resources are going to private hands, and they keep asking as to keep consuming more and more to sustain "the economy". Double Message all over, Political Battles meant to go to no where, We need to worry less in technicalities and put our hand on the real problem here, the LEGAL Corruption going on. Corruption has no Ideologies. Corruption is the Key element to end up on the Third World. We are not too far. WAKE UP AMERICA. Republicans? Democrats? Time is clicking, and while you keep battling technicalities, the bout keeps sinking. You diced.
OUR FREEDOMS:
If our FREEDOMS are based of the Tyranny of others, then we don’t Need these FREEDOMS. If our LUXURIOUS LIVES depend on the Misery of others, then we don’t need this LUXURIES either.
Our greatness is based in our abilities to forge a future with our own efforts and scarify, our Freedoms are based in our Coexistence and ability to live under the Law and the cooperation with ourselves, not on the Conquest of other Nations, the bloodshed of innocents and the depletion of resources of other countries. We are turning into our Enemies of the Past. We need to be careful about it.
Yago
what are you talking about? Who is talking of the Arab Outrage, and who is blaming Obama? (besides, he is only a puppet, as well as the last 3 ex POTUS)
Sad but true. After Obama gets re-elected we can expect another 4 years of no help for American's from the GOP.
I wonder what some of these poor republicans think of the GOP. The GOP has failed America miserably by no helping to create more jobs in America. Obama may not be perfect but at least he has tried very hard and created jobs.
America's poor live better than many countries' rich.
We shouldn't let anyone TRULY in need starve. But my wife's experience in providing autism consulting services to inner-city families was a little different. Just about every family was on food stamps... and had multiple flat-screen TVs.
I've worked home health in inner city areas. Most people didn't have even ONE TV, and if they did it was old and they had rabbit ears to get local TV channels. Some of the places I had to go to take care of indigent, seriously ill children were places in which it was scary even in daytime, and these families lived there. Peeling paint, horrible neighborhoods, trash outside blowing around. Don't know where your wife was working, but that was not at all my experience.
yeah. Lets not worry about it until our Poor are the poorest in the world! America can be #1 again!
who cares!
aaaaaah yes. THIS is Change you can believe in! One in five Americans living in poverty! Just give ol Barak the socialist and his democrap apologist, social justice lemmings four more years!
VOTE FOR OBAMA !
Unemployment will sky rocket under Romney while he lets more jobs be outsourced to other countries.
Also the GOP will make every state a right to work state thus getting rid of unions thus creating more minimum wage jobs!!!
You do know the recession was started by the Bush Administration with over 8.5 million jobs lost BEFORE the President took office? Remember the two wars? The cut & spend economic plan? The corruption in the defense contracting sector? The lack of oversight of the financial district? The spiraling costs of healthcare?
Republicans met on the very first day to plan obstructing all progress so they could win seats in 2010. Remember how the House in 2010 held America hostage on the debt ceiling crisis until S&P lowered our bond rating? You right-winger radicals can use your Fox News phrases as much as you'd like, but independent voters are dropping the Republicans and Romney is finished. America is fortunate that everybody isn't bigoted, stupid, and brainwashed by the hate media.
Who will you blame for the world's problems when Obama leaves office? Who did you blame before you ever heard the name 'Obama'?
As if this is Barack's fault. What a massive bellend you are.
Israel is getting to be a pain in America's 'You Know What' , if we can live with Russia having all our major cities targeted for fifties years, the leader of Israel can live with a country that for now can only talk about erasing Israel off the map. First
they cried wolf about Saddam... Iran knows that if they attack Israel, a country we know has the bomb, they Iran would be
destroyed. If I was POTUS Benji would be removed from office, Israel needs a more sensable leader, you look at Nentiyahu , he seems like a man that enjoys war.
Glenn: as an apologist democrap clown its important that you know your history: Benjamin Netanyahu's brother was killed as the commander of the raid on Entebbe, you spinelesss, drivelly lemming liberal
Veteranof3Wars - under different names you keep attacking the posters on this site. The fact that you sign cowardly under an honorable name does not make you honorable. "Clown", really that's the best you can do?
In TODAY'S NEWS: Household Income went DOWN if 49 of 50 states this last month.
It does at the end of every summer. Lots of seasonal jobs end.
What it's like being poor is buying antibiotics made for fish because your kids were sick, and you knew they had an infection, but there was no money to go to the doctor, much less buy a prescription. What it's like being poor is attending church chosen only because they served breakfast before the service. What it's like being poor is waiting until the afternoon of Dec 24 to buy Christmas dinner because stores were selling meats, fruits, and veggies cheap. What it's like being poor is to peel uncanclled stamps off letters to send home-made birthday cards. What it's like being poor is to put children's clothes on them wrong-side out when at home, and then turning them to right side when going in public.
This all happened during the great Ronald Reagan years - NOT!. No real safety nets then. I understood that education would help, went to college, and ultimately earned a Ph.D. I am no longer poor, my children are all grown and are very frugal. And, I extend help to others whenever I can. I am blessed, and I know that. But those were tough, tough years.
Pathetic displays in the comments of people slamming those who have prospered. In due time we will all be in poverty at the rate this centralized government is taking us. Riots in the streets, because people can't get their free crap anymore.
Riots in the streets? Too funny. No my good man, heads will roll and the streets will run crimson with the blood of the oligarchs.
Tell me, a company close its plant in your community, they build a new plant in China, 6 months later, they have an ad on TV
new iphone 5 will be in your local Best Buy for $399, 1) Do you get in line the night before or 2) Refuse to purchase the new iphone 5 as a protest...