Poverty in America

[DarkNacht]

Darwoth is right while there are some genuinely poor people in the US that just have been dealt a hard hand and when given a chance work hard and pull them selves up, most are poor because they are too dumb, lazy, or impulsive not to be. There are very few restrictions on what a lot of government benefits can be used on in the US and as a result we have some of the dumbest problems, like those that are deemed to poor to feed them selfs also have a massive obesity problem, not because they can't buy healthy food(most basic health ingredients are very cheap) but because they buy chips and sweats and call it food, or because they drink soda instead of water.
In the US we have the problem that most people see most of the poor as incapable of bettering their lives when really most of them are just unwilling, why bother working hard, saving money, and controlling your impulses when you can just have the government keep paying for your ass.

[TotalyMeow]

when i was a kid i frequently did not have food on the table and would have to hunt for meat to make a soup or stew for my sisters and me, we also had no cable, fancy clothes or other *****. we also did not collect government assistance of any kind. poverty ain't just in the cities among minorities claeyt, try going through appalachia sometime where even today many people do not have electricity.

I had a similar experience when my dad was sick of being so poor for most of my childhood that we only shopped at Goodwill and might not have gotten enough to eat if not for the local school had a free breakfast and lunch program for poor children. And if you think school lunches are bad... Other than that, we had no government assistance and managed to scrape along until one of the idiot doctors my dad kept seeing finally diagnosed him with Lyme Disease (easily curable, he shouldn't have suffered for 20 years) instead of 'depression, it's all in your head, snap out of it' as all the others kept saying.

The problem I have with government assistance is that a lot of people who need it don't get it and a lot of people who probably don't, do get it. My family didn't get anything for years because we couldn't prove my dad was really sick. When we could finally show Lyme Disease, we got a little disability for 2 years and my mom was no longer allowed to make as much money so that we actually didn't improve our situation. And when dad was able to work again and wanted off disability, they were all so shocked, we got an extra 6 months of payments before it stopped because no one ever actually wants to go back to work, apparently. And it's true, in the area I lived, I knew a few people who had 'back problems' and were on disability and were actually perfectly fine. And at least two kids in HS who's career ambition was to collect welfare.

And then there's my sister who has really figured out how to game the system. Her husband makes enough money that they could live simply if they were frugal. Instead, she manages to get at least as much money as my husband and I pay in taxes each year out of the government and lives better than we do as a result. :/ Perfectly legally, as far as I know. They don't pay taxes, it all gets refunded back to them. That's true of something like 50% of people in the US, they get all their taxes refunded.

Of course, some of them are legit and if our economy wasn't so in the toilet, at least some who aren't would also probably prefer the better lifestyle of actually earning a good living instead of mooching.

[saltmummy]

If there is so much poverty in the USA, how do you keep society stable?
And how is there no uprising?

Because I'm taxed around 600$ every paycheck so some ******* who doesn't want to work can buy cigarettes, beer, mountain dew and doritos.

Six hundred ***** dollars? Now I wonder what you do for a living that they can take 600$ (or so) from every paycheck and you are still able to pay your bills and all that.

when i was a kid i frequently did not have food on the table and would have to hunt for meat to make a soup or stew for my sisters and me, we also had no cable, fancy clothes or other *****. we also did not collect government assistance of any kind. poverty ain't just in the cities among minorities claeyt, try going through appalachia sometime where even today many people do not have electricity.

I had a similar experience when my dad was sick of being so poor for most of my childhood that we only shopped at Goodwill and might not have gotten enough to eat if not for the local school had a free breakfast and lunch program for poor children. And if you think school lunches are bad... Other than that, we had no government assistance and managed to scrape along until one of the idiot doctors my dad kept seeing finally diagnosed him with Lyme Disease (easily curable, he shouldn't have suffered for 20 years) instead of 'depression, it's all in your head, snap out of it' as all the others kept saying.

The problem I have with government assistance is that a lot of people who need it don't get it and a lot of people who probably don't, do get it. My family didn't get anything for years because we couldn't prove my dad was really sick. When we could finally show Lyme Disease, we got a little disability for 2 years and my mom was no longer allowed to make as much money so that we actually didn't improve our situation. And when dad was able to work again and wanted off disability, they were all so shocked, we got an extra 6 months of payments before it stopped because no one ever actually wants to go back to work, apparently. And it's true, in the area I lived, I knew a few people who had 'back problems' and were on disability and were actually perfectly fine. And at least two kids in HS who's career ambition was to collect welfare.

I liked the school lunches...
I used to be on unemployment, but it ran out. Used to be on food stamps too but according to my states new regulations, I am now too poor to be on food stamps. (If you are able to work but are unemployed, you are not eligible for food stamps.) Being without unemployment is fine, If I need something I can make it. Being without food stamps is fine, I keep animals and the food bank gives me bread for my birds and the occasional crate of canned food in exchange for fresh eggs every month. To be clear, I don't receive benefits from the food bank. What I get from them is basically in trade for what I provide. What irks me is the required health care thing. I'm required to have the mandatory state health insurance, except I can't get it. For the last bunch of years since the affordable care act was passed, I have attempted to sign up for this system (because by law, I must) and every time have found that I cannot because according to the sign up system, I do not exist. How good can something really be for me if it refuses to acknowledge my existence?

a large majority of the people in "poverty" in this country the way people like claeyt reference them are not people who grew up like i did, instead they are lazy bums that have a big screen tv, cable, a 5 year old car and free "food" stamps that they use for cigarettes and junk food or trade for money to buy drugs.

Can't buy cigarettes with food stamps, but I've met people who traded food for drugs. I had one "friend" who was too lazy to sign up for food stamps so someone who had a food card but claimed he didn't need it would lend it to him and he would buy pizza, chips, and soda with it.

[Darwoth]

Can't buy cigarettes with food stamps, but I've met people who traded food for drugs. I had one "friend" who was too lazy to sign up for food stamps so someone who had a food card but claimed he didn't need it would lend it to him and he would buy pizza, chips, and soda with it.

yes you can, any ****** neighborhood has several seedy check cashing places that also have cigs and alcohol for the illegals that will accept them for a markup over retail, the ones that do not will trade you cash for them at a large conversioon hit. from what i understand the new EBT cards are even easier as you simply swipe it like a typical visa while in line at your wal mart and so on.

[Claeyt]

I had a similar experience when my dad was sick of being so poor for most of my childhood that we only shopped at Goodwill and might not have gotten enough to eat if not for the local school had a free breakfast and lunch program for poor children. And if you think school lunches are bad... Other than that, we had no government assistance and managed to scrape along until one of the idiot doctors my dad kept seeing finally diagnosed him with Lyme Disease (easily curable, he shouldn't have suffered for 20 years) instead of 'depression, it's all in your head, snap out of it' as all the others kept saying.

The problem I have with government assistance is that a lot of people who need it don't get it and a lot of people who probably don't, do get it. My family didn't get anything for years because we couldn't prove my dad was really sick. When we could finally show Lyme Disease, we got a little disability for 2 years and my mom was no longer allowed to make as much money so that we actually didn't improve our situation. And when dad was able to work again and wanted off disability, they were all so shocked, we got an extra 6 months of payments before it stopped because no one ever actually wants to go back to work, apparently. And it's true, in the area I lived, I knew a few people who had 'back problems' and were on disability and were actually perfectly fine. And at least two kids in HS who's career ambition was to collect welfare.

And then there's my sister who has really figured out how to game the system. Her husband makes enough money that they could live simply if they were frugal. Instead, she manages to get at least as much money as my husband and I pay in taxes each year out of the government and lives better than we do as a result. :/ Perfectly legally, as far as I know. They don't pay taxes, it all gets refunded back to them. That's true of something like 50% of people in the US, they get all their taxes refunded.

Of course, some of them are legit and if our economy wasn't so in the toilet, at least some who aren't would also probably prefer the better lifestyle of actually earning a good living instead of mooching.

I see we're all in the 'I grew up poorer than you' moment here. Well unless you were an American or European who was physically homeless or in foster care or an orphan I don't want to hear it. You guys sound like jackasses talking about this when I'm sure there's somebody on this forum who's family lives somewhere with actual poverty and starving people down the street. So shut it.

If your family owned a home, you should shut it. If your family rented an apartment, boo hoo, you should shut it. If you didn't go more than a week without eating anything but school lunches you should shut it. If you didn't have a single drug addicted or drunk mom as your only care taker then shut it. Unless you never met your dad you should shut it. I don't want to hear it. I've taught, worked with families in crisis and written special education plans for more kids in actual poverty than there are people that play this game on a daily basis and you guys have no idea what actual poverty is in America.

Until you've dropped off 3 kids under 10 at a Domestic Abuse and Intervention Center by THEMSELVES after they slept with their mom for the night at the hospital on the floor because some drunk guy she dragged home beat her face in you don't know what poverty is. Until you find one of the kids with special needs you're trying to teach picking ***** chicken skin out of the cafeteria trash because he hasn't eaten anything but school food for a week because his mom is a prostitute with a drug problem then you don't know what poverty is. Until you've had to go to the hospital to try and get a homeless mentally ill woman who's an alcoholic who got alcohol poisoning from drinking rubbing alcohol and god knows what else to try treatment again for the 4th time in a year after she's been in the ER 6 times, Detox 4 times and the Mental health floor 5 times IN A YEAR you don't know what suffering or poverty is.

I've done all this and more as a Social Worker, Special Ed Teacher and with my work with DAIS in my town so why don't you cry babies just stfu. You had families and doctors and food and are now sitting on a computer reading this so shut it. You don't know what real poverty is and neither do I. I was born on a goat farm in Rural Canada but I had a dad and mom and goats and a garden and we were not that poor and I've never been that hungry, or sad or scared as those kids or people. So I'll never ***** and moan about poor people like you guys apparently want to.

Food Stamps help people. Federal Disability helps people. Welfare helps people. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen people who would be dead or living in an alley without help like this and **** bags like you have ZERO idea what you're talking about when you talk about poverty so shut it. I highly recommend you guys pull your heads out of your asses and go try and find the worst in your area and try and fix it.

Darwoth, why don't you stfu about the Walmart Banjo Starvation Land of your 'Hill People' upbringing. You don't sound like you were homeless or without parents and you seem to be able to afford an internet connection so stop with the *****.

Tmeow, poor people who don't pay income tax STILL PAY MORE IN TAXES THROUGH SALES TAX, FEDERAL TAX ON STUFF LIKE GAS AND ELECTRICITY AND PROPERTY TAX THROUGH RENT AND OTHER ESSENTIALS as percents of their total income than the rich pay as a percent of their total income so just stop. Your sister pays taxes on stuff. Instead of criticizing her for getting help, wonder if she was maybe a paycheck away from being homeless without that help. Everything you've described in your life story there is not true poverty and 50% of Americans pay more in taxes every day in rental property tax, gas tax and sales taxes on just regular needed stuff like food as a percent of their income than the rich do in income tax as a percent of their income. Mitt Romney payed 10% of his income as tax. I've known homeless people who pay more than 10% of their income in various taxes including income tax.

...and NO Darwoth, you can not legally buy anything but food with an EBT or Food stamps card. You can't even buy toilet paper or toothpaste. You can only buy food. I've had to explain this to a lot of people when I was a Social Worker. And although there is a small percentage who engage in food stamp fraud the VAST majority of poor people don't risk it because they're afraid of losing their EBT benefits.

[Inotdead]

Unless you never met your dad you should shut it.

I've seen my father once, when my grandma died, and I didn't know who that man was. Does it count?

[Claeyt]

Unless you never met your dad you should shut it.

I've seen my father once, when my grandma died, and I didn't know who that man was. Does it count?

Sure why not. Does that make you feel any better?

If not, then I'd suggest going out and finding a little kid to help who's never met his dad. I'd suggest 'Big Brothers and Big Sisters'. That usually makes guys I know with missing dads feel better.

...and he would buy pizza, chips, and soda with it.

The reason poor people can buy anything with EBT or Food Stamps is because it would cost to much for the grocery chains to monitor or separate food based on purchases. The federal government does do that with the WIC program (single moms and kids) and you'll see WIC signs on your grocery shelves but the grocery stores charge a fee to the feds to separate them and place them in some cases. WIC is generally for emergencies and extra for pregnant women and stuff like that.

Mostly it's that we as Americans (and food manufacturers) don't really want the federal government telling us what to eat. Do you really want to tell a poor single mom that she can never buy ice cream for her kids? Of course you're going to get idiots who eat like **** but you'd be amazed at how healthy the breakdown of EBT/Food Stamp purchases actually are. I've seen the charts and it's not Soccer Mom organic food aisle purchases but it's mostly food staples like fruit, veggies, bread, milk and meat. Junk food generally costs more so they don't buy it.

Of course there's room for reform here. I'd love to see soda, candy and many restaurants and gas stations taken off the EBT availability list and that is happening in some states. Of course Coke and candy lobbies throw a **** fit and they stay on the EBT list. You'd actually be surprised which politicians protect them.

I'd like to see it limited to just grocery stores but there are problems with that. What if you have a family who don't own a car and they want to shop at the CVS down the street instead of having to catch 2 buses to the nearest grocery store 10 miles away. They can get less healthy food at the CVS but it's easier and sometimes the only choice depending on transportation. The government errors towards availability versus restriction.

[Flame]

You know? If someone say "i use it and it doesn't work the way you say", you should probably rethink what you say and wonder who have fault.
Grocery too lazy? Then is their fault. Also, is true only in a specific place and a specific situation. So it doesn't have value for a debating.

I see too much often people raging against "duded with privileges", without knowing nothing about those privileges. "They eat with our money!!" and when you go to see the reality, they don't. Most of the time is totally different. Most of the time is the mafia taking advantage of some burocratic rule. Or black market run by criminals. All things that waste your money and don't give food to who deserve it.

It is similar to this situation:
A company hire two man. One from India, one from italy. The one from india have a lower rent and the italian one is then payed lower. The italian dude rage against the indian one. The company laugh, and pay both less, without any risk that someone will rage against him.
Even if the fault is only the company one, that take advantage of a difference between standard rents in two countries.

So, what i see here, is people raging against people that aren't the ones they should be angry with.

Grocery gives stuff? Rage against them.
Black market and drugs sold illegally with food? Rage the criminals.
Who doesn't have nothing, will try to hold what he have and the same you would do in the same situation. Is pretty much like if youre raging against yourselves, since it would be exactly the same thing you would do.
Take what you can, when you don't hold nothing.

Blame who waste your money giving them what they don't really need.

[Inotdead]

Sure why not. Does that make you feel any better?

If not, then I'd suggest going out and finding a little kid to help who's never met his dad. I'd suggest 'Big Brothers and Big Sisters'. That usually makes guys I know with missing dads feel better.

I never felt bad about it to begin with. As a kid, if you never met your dad, you don't really think anything is wrong since you don't know any better. Never in my life, whether as kid or not, did I think that I would've been so much happier if I had a father. It's only if one remembers dad then it could be indeed traumatic.
Buy then again, I wasn't surrounded by images of "happy marriage/family" when I was a kid, so it might be different these days.

I appreciate your concern though.

[Dallane]

Good to see cleaty closing his eyes and saying alalalalalalala to most of the scum that is the lower class. I witnessed the other day a family buying more food for 4 people in a month than mine would eat in 6. Then they had a balls to steal pop and laugh about it and joke how all the food was free to everyone around.

Just because people didn't grow up in some ghetto you "worked" in doesn't mean they didn't have a hard life growing up. You talk a lot of **** and its obvious to anyone who has actually been in the world you are just blowing smoke up everyone ass.