The poor: FB conversation

R.W. posted: The TRUTH about the poor in this country.

What You Don't Know About Poverty in America. In his address to the joint session of Congress last week, President Barack Obama called for $477 billion in new federal spending, which he said would give hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged young people hope and dignity while giving their low-income parents “ladders out of poverty.”

A.F.: Having been one of the poor people this article talks about I find it very offensive and misleading. Did you read the full report that it takes it's facts from?

R.W.: The facts come from the census. I have not read the full census. It does not change the facts. What we think of ad poor does not always mean homeless and starving. At least not in this country.

A.F.: You're right, it doesn't always mean homeless and starving. But often times it means being one paycheck away from that. Just because a person has a TV does not mean they're living the high life. No where in the data does it say how much these people had paid for any of these items. Maybe their TV is 20 years old and cost $10? All I can say is it is a life I would not want to go back to and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

J.J.: How poor do we have to be before we help, professor? Somalia poor? Mexico poor? Starving baby with flies around the eyes poor? Because they have a car they are fine? Is that it? I wish you would have resisted posting this. (by the way, that heritage report also calculates that most poor people have a refrigerator for food. Those lazy bastards.)

R.W.: J.J., it's too bad you couldn't resist chiming in. A.F., being one paycheck away, is not the same as BEING poor. J.J., if a person can afford an X-box and games that person does not deserve help from tax payer money. If a person has CABLE, that person does not deserve help from tax payer money. If he is spending money on Booze, cigarettes and hookers, he does not deserve tax payer money. Many of these Poor have flat screen Angela. Not all but some. Unless it was a gift, why are we subsidizing them with tax payer money. You two want to help the poor, write them a check. I have done it. I have brought them into my house. I have offered to pay for their treatment. My Mother has given them jobs around the house, and driven them to doctors. She has taken in the metally ill. Thousands of people do things like that everyday. All without stealing from anyone else. You want a charitable society? So do I. Our society however is NOT our government. It is our PEOPLE. Charity can not be forced. Being poor is also not a life long condition usually. People get into poverty and they work themselves out. It is almost ALWAYS a temporary condition. By Government standards, I'll bet my son is poor, and I KNOW my youngest is. Doesn't mean they need government help. And Angela, I grew up poor. VERY poor. I was in High school before we owned a house. 6 of us lived in a single wide, in the desert of Claifornia. We NEVER took government aid.

J.J.: You did not answer my question, professor. How poor before the government, we--we own the government. How poor before we help? At what point to you allow my government to help? Cholera outbreak? Starvation? When, Rick? Do we ever get to step in and help or do we just hope your mom has plenty of time?

K.M.: Poor in this country is undeniably different than poor in most other countries--we are a privileged nation. And these numbers do show some surprising things, things I never would have guessed. BUT, these numbers are still misleading in many ways. Like your friend said--when did they acquire these things? and how? What condition are they in? I have a friend whose family has one car, acquired years and years ago (by the way, until some siblings moved out that was one truck for a family of 7). It just got ruined in a car accident. Since unlike when they got it, one of the parents can't work now, they can't afford to get it fixed. But hey, they own a car. And they can say their kid hasn't been hungry in the past year, their kid is at a school that has scholarships that pay for food, that says nothing about how hungry they may have been or their private monetary situation. Some of the things you are talking about are in fact just as they appear, undoubtedly, and that is surprising, and gives us some perspective. But some of them aren't, and I question the validity of surveys that do not take specifics into account, and instead give us as little information as possible to make their argument appear stronger.

Me: Get out your checkbook and help.

J.J.: That is a good idea. If all of us band together and help we can really do some good. I wonder if there is a way to collect a large amounts of money and distribute it to those in need without each of us running over with a check ? When we work together good things happen.

Me: Absolutely. Catholic charities. The Red Cross. Samaritan's purse. Love Inc. Every single one of them gladly accept donations. None of them force you to do a thing. Voluntary. I will match you dollar for dollar.

R.W.: Damn it, Rich, you beat me to it! You can add Good Will, ANY hospital, Jerry Lewis, etc.

R.W.: It's funny that a smart guy like Jay didn't know this. Maybe he just expected others to do it for him.