"most wealthy country of the world"

[Ronny]

Here we are! The level of poverty in "most wealthy country of the world" is really huge! I say, it started at the beginning of the 2000s when our D.C. smarties got into that mess in Afghanistan and then into Iraq and Libya. Now they have a watering mouth for Syria and Iran! And we, American taxpayers pay all those huge costs! I doubt actually we've made them all happy and enjoying freedom and all that you know.... People there look depressed and unhappy... And in this country we are not jumping with joy too you know.... They'd rather send all those huge sums to overcome poverty in here, to boost some social programs... Feeling rather badly amid this mess. I used to be proud of this country. Now I don't know if there's actually anything here I can actually take pride of. If those guys in D.C. stick to the line we'll have more poor and more homeless in this country than in Africa!

 

[Meister]

Here we are! The level of poverty in "most wealthy country of the world" is really huge! I say, it started at the beginning of the 2000s when our D.C. smarties got into that mess in Afghanistan and then into Iraq and Libya. Now they have a watering mouth for Syria and Iran! And we, American taxpayers pay all those huge costs! I doubt actually we've made them all happy and enjoying freedom and all that you know.... People there look depressed and unhappy... And in this country we are not jumping with joy too you know.... They'd rather send all those huge sums to overcome poverty in here, to boost some social programs... Feeling rather badly amid this mess. I used to be proud of this country. Now I don't know if there's actually anything here I can actually take pride of. If those guys in D.C. stick to the line we'll have more poor and more homeless in this country than in Africa!

Our level of poverty in this country would be living the life of luxury in most of those African countries you're referring to.

just sayin'.....

 

[Leweman]

Everything is relative. Many people in other countries would love to live in poverty in the US. I agree we spend way too much on our current foreign policy and would like to take a more isolationist approach to it, but it will never happen and I can understand why to an extent. I think America could be more self sustaining than any other country in the world but it's a world economy now and we have to be involved.

 

[eflatminor]

Here we are! The level of poverty in "most wealthy country of the world" is really huge!

I would agree with you, but you're wrong.

Everyone knows America's "poor" are rich compared to poverty around the world. Certainly, America's "poor" aren't hurting for conveniences. From the latest Census figures:

• 80 percent of poor households have air conditioning. In 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
• 92 percent of poor households have a microwave.
• Nearly three-fourths have a car or truck, and 31 percent have two or more cars or trucks.
• Nearly two-thirds have cable or satellite TV.
• Two-thirds have at least one DVD player, and 70 percent have a VCR.
• Half have a personal computer, and one in seven have two or more computers.
• More than half of poor families with children have a video game system, such as an Xbox or PlayStation.
• 43 percent have Internet access.
• One-third have a wide-screen plasma or LCD TV.
• One-fourth have a digital video recorder system, such as a TiVo.

America's "poor" aren't going hungry:

• 96 percent of poor parents stated that their children were never hungry at any time during the year because they could not afford food.

And lastly, America's "poor" are generally NOT homeless:

• Over the course of a year, 4 percent of poor persons become temporarily homeless.
• Only 9.5 percent of the poor live in mobile homes or trailers, 49.5 percent live in separate single-family houses or townhouses, and 40 percent live in apartments.
• 42 percent of poor households actually own their own homes.
• Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

Then there's this gem:

• The average poor American has more living space than the typical non-poor person in Sweden, France, or the United Kingdom.

Now, what was it you were saying about how bad poverty in America is???