Over 40 million americans living in extreme poverty.

[Turboswede]

Sorry, but you're wrong. Just because you're not receiving benefits does not mean you're not looking for a job. That's where the two systems differ, and the 9.5 million people currently unemployed AND looking for jobs is based on a national survey of 60,000 households, it has nothing to do with the records at the Department of Labor.

160,000 not 60,000

You do realize that there are people in America who work and still live at or below the poverty level, that’s why we have the earned income tax credit.

 

[N4mddissent]

They're two statistics that pull from the same pool of citizens. If 9.5 million Americans are looking for jobs and 26.5 Americans live in poverty, there's a huge chunk of Americans living in poverty that aren't doing a damn thing about it.

Sorry, it's pretty easy logic to follow.

If you assume joblessness, is the criteria for poverty. I don't believe it is.

 

[Jon]

160,000 not 60,000

"There are about 60,000 households in the sample for this survey," from the link I provided.

You do realize that there are people in America who work and still live at or below the poverty level, that’s why we have the earned income tax credit.

Of course I do, but I'm not talking about those people. Actually, I am, but in reverse. I'm talking about the people who live below the poverty line and do NOTHING about it. They don't work, and they aren't looking for a job. If there are 26.5 million adults living below the poverty line, and only 9.5 million looking for jobs, you tell me what the rest of them are doing.

 

[Jon]

If you assume joblessness, is the criteria for poverty. I don't believe it is.

Not "the" but "a."

 

[xsited1]

Because they are necessary. Without them, the Democratic Party would not exist.

 

[Turboswede]

"There are about 60,000 households in the sample for this survey," from the link I provided.



Of course I do, but I'm not talking about those people. Actually, I am, but in reverse. I'm talking about the people who live below the poverty line and do NOTHING about it. They don't work, and they aren't looking for a job. If there are 26.5 million adults living below the poverty line, and only 9.5 million looking for jobs, you tell me what the rest of them are doing.

The rest of them are working but still earning less than $14,000 for a family of four.

 

[Turboswede]

"There are about 60,000 households in the sample for this survey," from the link I provided.

Sorry about that, I was looking at the results for 2007 not the estimates for 2008.

 

[N4mddissent]

And again... your personal responsibility to earn and take care of yourself is your issue.... as the mantra of entitlement has been pushed forward, the more and more you have believing that someone else owes them... that it is someone else's problem they are poor or don't get the compensation they think they deserve
Sounds like a lot of people should have paid more attention to their education, their advancement in job skills, the decisions they have made, their choices in life, their work ethic, how seriously they take their responsibility to take care of their family, etc

There's a place for personal responsibility that isn't always recognized. There's also a place to recognize that the simple explanation of personal responsibilty is a sacred mantra being pushed forward as well.

The sense of entitlement makes me angry as well, but in tageting it, you might want to take a step back from the scope and get a broad field of view. I don't think it's right for someone to sit around and feel like the nation owes them something they haven't earned. Likewise I don't think it's right for those who sit around feeling entitled to all of their advantages that they haven't earned. The guy drinking with his buddies with no decent work ethic, who can't hold down a job. Yeah, he's an ass for wanting someone to take care of him. However, that description of personal characteristics describes G.W. Bush accurately also. Maybe he straightened out later, but thing of all the screw ups. It seems likely there was a lot of trouble that he avoided due to money and name. If nothing else, the fact he was still able to go to Yale, should illustrate the situation. Neither is entitled, neither has earned, yet one receives while another does not. And when one has means that one did not earn, and then advocates a position of they just need to work harder, and denouncing the poor for feeling entitled, that is the worst sort of hypocrisy.

 

[N4mddissent]

Not "the" but "a."

This isn't using the 14,000 a year or less for a family of four poverty line stats?

 

[Jon]

The rest of them are working but still earning less than $14,000 for a family of four.

All of them?

Besides, even single mothers with three kids work more than one job if need be. Hell, I know an accountant who took on a second job to take care of his family.

 

[Mad Scientist]

I wonder why those living in poverty don't just ask those not living in poverty how they got there? What things they can do to extricate themselves from their current situation.
If I wanna' be a mechanic, I'll talk to a mechanic. If I want to be a police officer...
If I want to be self sufficient and/or wealthy, it stands to reason that I should ask someone who is well off correct?

 

[Larkinn]

All of them?

Besides, even single mothers with three kids work more than one job if need be. Hell, I know an accountant who took on a second job to take care of his family.

Sure, if they can find that second job. But those searching for a second job aren't included in unemployment stats.

 

[Turboswede]

All of them?

Besides, even single mothers with three kids work more than one job if need be. Hell, I know an accountant who took on a second job to take care of his family.

I didn’t quantify it, I am just pointing out that the same statistics that point to 16 million lazy good for nothing unmotivated leaches could also represent 16 million people working had but still unable to feed their families.

I know it’s hard to believe, and even harder to accept, that anyone who works in American can live in poverty but they do, and from the statistics I have seen there are more and more of them every day.

More than Abortion or the Taliban, the thought that a mother can work in America and still be impoverished to me is pure evil.

 

[Jon]

Sure, if they can find that second job. But those searching for a second job aren't included in unemployment stats.

You're right. Underemployment is not taken into consideration.

 

[Turboswede]

I wonder why those living in poverty don't just ask those not living in poverty how they got there? What things they can do to extricate themselves from their current situation.
If I wanna' be a mechanic, I'll talk to a mechanic. If I want to be a police officer...
If I want to be self sufficient and/or wealthy, it stands to reason that I should ask someone who is well off correct?

Um, the answer is simple, the people who are not in poverty had parents that were not impovrished. So how does that answer help?

 

[dilloduck]

Um, the answer is simple, the people who are not in poverty had parents that were not impovrished. So how does that answer help?

ahhhhh poverty is genetic ! Well that's an easy fix !

 

[Jon]

Um, the answer is simple, the people who are not in poverty had parents that were not impovrished. So how does that answer help?

My mother lived in poverty and still would if I didn't help her out. Care to guess again?

 

[dilloduck]

My mother lived in poverty and still would if I didn't help her out. Care to guess again?

Worlds 50 poorest countries.

World's 50 Poorest Countries — Infoplease.com

 

[Turboswede]

My mother lived in poverty and still would if I didn't help her out. Care to guess again?

So did mine, she grew up in foster care and was on her own from the age of 16. I would consider us the exceptions rather than the rule.

Ironic, my family members who are still live in poverty are all staunch McCain Supporters (well more Palin than McCain) and think I am an elitist for voting Obama.

 

[Larkinn]

ahhhhh poverty is genetic ! Well that's an easy fix !

Nope. Try again?