How do the "poor" live so well in the US?

[xsited1]

the op lists things like refrigerators as ''luxuries'' the poor have today....

well, they are NOT luxuries, in today's standard, so the op and other people should not be soo ENVIOUS of the poor in this country owning a refrigerator, or a phone, for goodness sakes!

poor is relative to where you reside....i do agree in the usa, they are more fortunate than a third world country's poor.....but it is POOR, none the less....

Uh, okay. I can see how the entitlement generation got its start. Carry on.

Yeah..it basically started with the first fat government contract to build the navy warships and carries on today with the corporate bailouts.

Praise be to Obama!

BTW, that reminds me of a story from several years ago. Like many here, I volunteer my time and money to help the poor. I now help the poor in countries besides the US. Anyway, one time we delivered food to a poor family in Arkansas. There was no father and several kids. The house was sturdy, but the floor was made of dirt. What was interesting is that they had a brand new Cadillac in the front yard, a big-screen TV, a satellite dish and other extras, but they didn't have a refrigerator. They always complained about the food we brought them. I don't think they were ever appreciative of what we tried to do. I kept seeing this same pattern over and over again and decided my time and money would be better spent helping those who are truly poor. I never looked back.

 

[Care4all]

How many American recieve Welfare?

Anbybody really know?

What does it cost this nation?

Anybody really know?

Well we know it has gone up under Papa Obama
The "food stamp" President

are you implying that this president's congress wrote legislation to CHANGE the level of income people can make to collect food stamps?

couldn't the level of food stamp qualifiers be up, due to the rise in unemployment, bringing many 2 income families in to a one income family now qualifying? Without any legislation from obama's congress??

 

[rightwinger]

How do the "poor" live so well in the US?

Under President Obama, government will spend more on welfare in a single year than President George W. Bush spent on the war in Iraq during his entire presidency. According to the Congressional Research Service, the cost of the Iraq war through the end of the Bush Administration was around $622 billion. By contrast, annual federal and state means-tested welfare spending will reach $888 billion in FY 2010. Federal welfare spending alone will equal $697 billion in that year.

Indeed, Modern Poverty Includes A.C. and an Xbox

Data from the Department of Energy and other agencies show that the average poor family, as defined by Census officials:

● Lives in a home that is in good repair, not crowded, and equipped with air conditioning, clothes washer and dryer, and cable or satellite TV service.

● Prepares meals in a kitchen with a refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave as well as oven and stove.

● Enjoys two color TVs, a DVD player, VCR and — if children are there — an Xbox, PlayStation, or other video game system.

● Had enough money in the past year to meet essential needs, including adequate food and medical care.​

Under President Obama,[/URL] government will spend more on welfare in a single year than President George W. Bush spent on the war in Iraq during his entire presidency

Isn't that good news?

How is it not better to spend money to help Americans who live in poverty than to start an unnecessary war ?

 

[Sallow]

Uh, okay. I can see how the entitlement generation got its start. Carry on.

Yeah..it basically started with the first fat government contract to build the navy warships and carries on today with the corporate bailouts.

Praise be to Obama!

BTW, that reminds me of a story from several years ago. Like many here, I volunteer my time and money to help the poor. I now help the poor in countries besides the US. Anyway, one time we delivered food to a poor family in Arkansas. There was no father and several kids. The house was sturdy, but the floor was made of dirt. What was interesting is that they had a brand new Cadillac in the front yard, a big-screen TV, a satellite dish and other extras, but they didn't have a refrigerator. They always complained about the food we brought them. I don't think they were ever appreciative of what we tried to do. I kept seeing this same pattern over and over again and decided my time and money would be better spent helping those who are truly poor. I never looked back.

I've done work for Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, God's Love We Deliver and other charities. On one of the Habitat for Humanity sites, we were painting the hallways of an apartment building..and I checked out the apartments. Damn. They were NICE! Some of them were going to families that were working..had families..but were living in apartments to small for their families. I supported that.

While working for the Red Cross in NYC..we were taking in Katrina victims. Most were really really nice people. One elderly black gentleman walked in and sat down. As I was processing him..he got up and politely said, "I thought it over, thanks, but I've worked all my life and I am not going to start taking charity now. I am going back home." I tried to talk him out of it..but he was a tough old bird. So I wished him luck.

 

[peach174]

How many American receive Welfare?

Anbybody really know?

What does it cost this nation?

Anybody really know?

Here is a link editec

Obama to Spend $10.3 Trillion on Welfare: Uncovering the Full Cost of Means-Tested Welfare or Aid to the Poor | The Heritage Foundation

We had 14% of this nation as being poor before the 60's welfare programs.
And we still have 14% of this nation as being poor. None of these programs have helped change how many poor we have.

 

[GHook93]

In reality we do want the America poor to live good. However, we want them to primarily support themselves, with some assistance if needed!

 

[rightwinger]

How many American receive Welfare?

Anbybody really know?

What does it cost this nation?

Anybody really know?

Here is a link editec

Obama to Spend $10.3 Trillion on Welfare: Uncovering the Full Cost of Means-Tested Welfare or Aid to the Poor | The Heritage Foundation

We had 14% of this nation as being poor before the 60's welfare programs.
And we still have 14% of this nation as being poor. None of these programs have helped change how many poor we have.

Poverty in the 60s was not the same as poverty in 2011

Poverty in the 60s meant no electricity, no heat, no running water

The war on poverty worked in raising the standard of living for our poorest Americans

 

[Care4all]

How many American receive Welfare?

Anbybody really know?

What does it cost this nation?

Anybody really know?

Here is a link editec

Obama to Spend $10.3 Trillion on Welfare: Uncovering the Full Cost of Means-Tested Welfare or Aid to the Poor | The Heritage Foundation

We had 14% of this nation as being poor before the 60's welfare programs.
And we still have 14% of this nation as being poor. None of these programs have helped change how many poor we have.

FYI

How has poverty changed over time?
In the late 1950s, the poverty rate for all Americans was 22.4 percent, or 39.5 million individuals. These numbers declined steadily throughout the 1960s, reaching a low of 11.1 percent, or 22.9 million individuals, in 1973. Over the next decade, the poverty rate fluctuated between 11.1 and 12.6 percent, but it began to rise steadily again in 1980. By 1983, the number of poor individuals had risen to 35.3 million individuals, or 15.2 percent.
For the next ten years, the poverty rate remained above 12.8 percent, increasing to 15.1 percent, or 39.3 million individuals, by 1993. The rate declined for the remainder of the decade, to 11.3 percent by 2000. From 2000 to 2004 it rose each year to 12.7 in 2004.
Since the late 1960s, the poverty rate for people over 65 has fallen dramatically. The poverty rate for children has historically been somewhat higher than the overall poverty rate. The poverty rate for people in households headed by single women is significantly higher than the overall poverty rate

National Poverty Center | University of Michigan

 

[xsited1]

Yeah..it basically started with the first fat government contract to build the navy warships and carries on today with the corporate bailouts.

Praise be to Obama!

BTW, that reminds me of a story from several years ago. Like many here, I volunteer my time and money to help the poor. I now help the poor in countries besides the US. Anyway, one time we delivered food to a poor family in Arkansas. There was no father and several kids. The house was sturdy, but the floor was made of dirt. What was interesting is that they had a brand new Cadillac in the front yard, a big-screen TV, a satellite dish and other extras, but they didn't have a refrigerator. They always complained about the food we brought them. I don't think they were ever appreciative of what we tried to do. I kept seeing this same pattern over and over again and decided my time and money would be better spent helping those who are truly poor. I never looked back.

I've done work for Habitat for Humanity, the Red Cross, God's Love We Deliver and other charities. On one of the Habitat for Humanity sites, we were painting the hallways of an apartment building..and I checked out the apartments. Damn. They were NICE! Some of them were going to families that were working..had families..but were living in apartments to small for their families. I supported that.

While working for the Red Cross in NYC..we were taking in Katrina victims. Most were really really nice people. One elderly black gentleman walked in and sat down. As I was processing him..he got up and politely said, "I thought it over, thanks, but I've worked all my life and I am not going to start taking charity now. I am going back home." I tried to talk him out of it..but he was a tough old bird. So I wished him luck.

That's what I'm talking about. Katrina was an exception. It proved to me that private citizens could respond faster and provide more help than the government. Only those who stuck with 'welfare mentality' or to put it another way, were part of the entitlement generation could not be helped. The rest were a joy to help.

 

[Claudette]

The poor live as they do because we the taxpayer are forced to support them.

The poor don't worry about money.

Their EBT cards will always have money so they will always have food. Their medical bills will always be payed. (They don't worry about those either), their rent and utilities will be payed.

Three cheers for the American taxpayer.

I'd say the poor don't have to much to worry about unless they run out of other peoples money.

You make it sound like the poor don't work. Really? For your information they comprise the largest labor market in our Country. Not everyone is born into privilege. Your Daddy probably bought your first car for you, pampered and overly sheltered you. What a snob that doesn't seem to be aware that not everyone lives like you do.

There are a lot or programs that we do not need I agree. What pays for those programs though? Taxes do, and they pay taxes as well and believe me it hurts their checkbook worse than yours. Because the poor are our largest labor force they pay more taxes collectively than any other. When you retire you will like everyone else get S.S.. I bet you won't send that check back in the mail. Read a couple of years ago that just about EVERY rich or wealthy person cash's their S.S. check as they get it. You would think that since most rich folks are against entitlements they would send them back. YEAH RIGHT!

If they are working then they should be able to take care of themselves.

As for them paying Fed taxes?? I rather doubt that. 47% of folks pay no Fed taxes at all.

I'm sure these programs you speak of are all funded with taxpayer dollars.

You can bet I will keep my SS check since I payed for it. BTW I'm not rich. I've worked two jobs most of my life and have done pretty good job of taking care of myself. I just made responsible decisions something loads of poor people don't do.

The poor aren't my problem or my responsibility and I despise the fact that our Govt has decided we taxpayers should take care of them. Kudo's to anyone who wants to open up their wallet and whip out their checkbook to assist the poor. Believe me. They will take all that you want to hand out.

I feel no driving need to assume other peoples responsibilites. If you do. Feel free.

 

[Care4all]

The poor live as they do because we the taxpayer are forced to support them.

The poor don't worry about money.

Their EBT cards will always have money so they will always have food. Their medical bills will always be payed. (They don't worry about those either), their rent and utilities will be payed.

Three cheers for the American taxpayer.

I'd say the poor don't have to much to worry about unless they run out of other peoples money.

You make it sound like the poor don't work. Really? For your information they comprise the largest labor market in our Country. Not everyone is born into privilege. Your Daddy probably bought your first car for you, pampered and overly sheltered you. What a snob that doesn't seem to be aware that not everyone lives like you do.

There are a lot or programs that we do not need I agree. What pays for those programs though? Taxes do, and they pay taxes as well and believe me it hurts their checkbook worse than yours. Because the poor are our largest labor force they pay more taxes collectively than any other. When you retire you will like everyone else get S.S.. I bet you won't send that check back in the mail. Read a couple of years ago that just about EVERY rich or wealthy person cash's their S.S. check as they get it. You would think that since most rich folks are against entitlements they would send them back. YEAH RIGHT!

If they are working then they should be able to take care of themselves.

As for them paying Fed taxes?? I rather doubt that. 47% of folks pay no Fed taxes at all.

I'm sure these programs you speak of are all funded with taxpayer dollars.

You can bet I will keep my SS check since I payed for it. BTW I'm not rich. I've worked two jobs most of my life and have done pretty good job of taking care of myself. I just made responsible decisions something loads of poor people don't do.

The poor aren't my problem or my responsibility and I despise the fact that our Govt has decided we taxpayers should take care of them. Kudo's to anyone who wants to open up their wallet and whip out their checkbook to assist the poor. Believe me. They will take all that you want to hand out.

I feel no driving need to assume other peoples responsibilites. If you do. Feel free.

claudette, they pay no federal income taxes, but they do pay federal taxes.

they pay federal social security taxes
they pay federal Medicare taxes
they pay federal gas taxes
they pay federal cigarette taxes
distilled alcohol taxes


those making more than 105k a year, pay absolutely NO federal SS taxes on their income above that, while every middle class person pays it on every dime they earn.....the hundred million plus middle and poor pay the cig and gas and ss taxes in majority, and a much higher percentage of income is used by them, for these federal taxes....

i think the whole picture needs to be looked at, instead of just cherry picking against the poor and middle income families and you don't seem to be doing that???

 

[Againsheila]

The poor live as they do because we the taxpayer are forced to support them.

The poor don't worry about money.

Their EBT cards will always have money so they will always have food. Their medical bills will always be payed. (They don't worry about those either), their rent and utilities will be payed.

Three cheers for the American taxpayer.

I'd say the poor don't have to much to worry about unless they run out of other peoples money.

You make it sound like the poor don't work. Really? For your information they comprise the largest labor market in our Country. Not everyone is born into privilege. Your Daddy probably bought your first car for you, pampered and overly sheltered you. What a snob that doesn't seem to be aware that not everyone lives like you do.

There are a lot or programs that we do not need I agree. What pays for those programs though? Taxes do, and they pay taxes as well and believe me it hurts their checkbook worse than yours. Because the poor are our largest labor force they pay more taxes collectively than any other. When you retire you will like everyone else get S.S.. I bet you won't send that check back in the mail. Read a couple of years ago that just about EVERY rich or wealthy person cash's their S.S. check as they get it. You would think that since most rich folks are against entitlements they would send them back. YEAH RIGHT!

If they are working then they should be able to take care of themselves.

As for them paying Fed taxes?? I rather doubt that. 47% of folks pay no Fed taxes at all.

I'm sure these programs you speak of are all funded with taxpayer dollars.

You can bet I will keep my SS check since I payed for it. BTW I'm not rich. I've worked two jobs most of my life and have done pretty good job of taking care of myself. I just made responsible decisions something loads of poor people don't do.

The poor aren't my problem or my responsibility and I despise the fact that our Govt has decided we taxpayers should take care of them. Kudo's to anyone who wants to open up their wallet and whip out their checkbook to assist the poor. Believe me. They will take all that you want to hand out.

I feel no driving need to assume other peoples responsibilites. If you do. Feel free.

I agree, that's why we need to raise the mw.

 

[Mr Natural]

I've had my share of good fortune in life and, although I'm not a spiritual person in the religious sense, I'm not going to risk any bad karma by begrudging some down-and-outers few minor luxuries.

 

[eots]

How do the "poor" live so well in the US?

Under President Obama, government will spend more on welfare in a single year than President George W. Bush spent on the war in Iraq during his entire presidency. According to the Congressional Research Service, the cost of the Iraq war through the end of the Bush Administration was around $622 billion. By contrast, annual federal and state means-tested welfare spending will reach $888 billion in FY 2010. Federal welfare spending alone will equal $697 billion in that year.

Indeed, Modern Poverty Includes A.C. and an Xbox

Data from the Department of Energy and other agencies show that the average poor family, as defined by Census officials:

● Lives in a home that is in good repair, not crowded, and equipped with air conditioning, clothes washer and dryer, and cable or satellite TV service.

● Prepares meals in a kitchen with a refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave as well as oven and stove.

● Enjoys two color TVs, a DVD player, VCR and — if children are there — an Xbox, PlayStation, or other video game system.

● Had enough money in the past year to meet essential needs, including adequate food and medical care.​

Because the uber-rich ruling class confiscate money from the not so uber-rich and transfer it to the people they keep enslaved in institutionalized low-income lifestyles.

your study says the "poor" not welfare recipients...poor is anyone living below a set income level and many of them are working and..I have i do hauling with and in this disposable society I routinely haul away perfectly good building materials, fridges,.stoves ,microwaves,coffee makers,cloths,TVs and almost ever other household good including computers and video games..

 

[MoistTrout]

I don't know if air conditioning is really a fair thing to put on the list, but more than one fridge, a big screen tv, and... a jacuzzi?

Sad thing is, I actually know people that do things like this. Married couple, still two kids at home and sometimes three because the oldest is still "finding himself". The work the guy does is kind of cyclical, so he has stretches where he does well and stretches where things are slow. I have talked to them about saving money and they complain that it's hard to do and money is so tight and so on. Then I point out the big screen tv, the motorcycle, the fact that the kids have three different video game systems, etc.

They seemed oblivious to the fact that all those things were luxuries and they were putting want ahead of need. These are good people, common sense just takes a vacation with them from time to time.

 

[eots]

I don't know if air conditioning is really a fair thing to put on the list, but more than one fridge, a big screen tv, and... a jacuzzi?

Sad thing is, I actually know people that do things like this. Married couple, still two kids at home and sometimes three because the oldest is still "finding himself". The work the guy does is kind of cyclical, so he has stretches where he does well and stretches where things are slow. I have talked to them about saving money and they complain that it's hard to do and money is so tight and so on. Then I point out the big screen tv, the motorcycle, the fact that the kids have three different video game systems, etc.

They seemed oblivious to the fact that all those things were luxuries and they were putting want ahead of need. These are good people, common sense just takes a vacation with them from time to time.

Ya get rid of the tv and the video games and they would soon be on easy street

 

[eots]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do1QDRIhiEE]‪Living on the Edge: Poverty in America‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

 

[MoistTrout]

I don't know if air conditioning is really a fair thing to put on the list, but more than one fridge, a big screen tv, and... a jacuzzi?

Sad thing is, I actually know people that do things like this. Married couple, still two kids at home and sometimes three because the oldest is still "finding himself". The work the guy does is kind of cyclical, so he has stretches where he does well and stretches where things are slow. I have talked to them about saving money and they complain that it's hard to do and money is so tight and so on. Then I point out the big screen tv, the motorcycle, the fact that the kids have three different video game systems, etc.

They seemed oblivious to the fact that all those things were luxuries and they were putting want ahead of need. These are good people, common sense just takes a vacation with them from time to time.

Ya get rid of the tv and the video games and they would soon be on easy street

I don't know about easy street, but considering the tv and two of the video game systems put together, including the games, were somewhere in the neighborhood of $1700 put together I'd say that a nice chunck of change for savings. That's not even including the motorcycle and various other items they didn't need.

 

[eots]

I don't know if air conditioning is really a fair thing to put on the list, but more than one fridge, a big screen tv, and... a jacuzzi?

Sad thing is, I actually know people that do things like this. Married couple, still two kids at home and sometimes three because the oldest is still "finding himself". The work the guy does is kind of cyclical, so he has stretches where he does well and stretches where things are slow. I have talked to them about saving money and they complain that it's hard to do and money is so tight and so on. Then I point out the big screen tv, the motorcycle, the fact that the kids have three different video game systems, etc.

They seemed oblivious to the fact that all those things were luxuries and they were putting want ahead of need. These are good people, common sense just takes a vacation with them from time to time.

Ya get rid of the tv and the video games and they would soon be on easy street

I don't know about easy street, but considering the tv and two of the video game systems put together, including the games, were somewhere in the neighborhood of $1700 put together I'd say that a nice chunck of change for savings. That's not even including the motorcycle and various other items they didn't need.

ya that should cover the the kids collage fund

 

[Sallow]

Poverty in the 60s was not the same as poverty in 2011

Poverty in the 60s meant no electricity, no heat, no running water
The war on poverty worked in raising the standard of living for our poorest Americans

Been there..done that.

No fun at all.