Public Programs Keep Millions Out of Poverty

[Soggy in NOLA]

It is sad that so many here that consider themselves 'Christian' would prefer to see their fellow citizens starve than give them the minimal support that it takes to keep many of them above the poverty line. As for the 'get a job' yap-yap, we constantly see pictures of people lined up around the block for a couple of janitorial jobs paying minimum wages.

The people that are out of work in this economy did not create the present economic crisis. That was done at the top, by people that are still doing very well, thank you, when they should be doing hard time.

Yet people like Willow want to punish further those that are already hurting from this economy. And kiss the ass of the people that created the problems.

And, before you say it Willow, this old millwright is headed for another six figure year, if I don't retire first. So, without a doubt, I work harder than you do for what I get. And probably pay more taxes.

Given the state of the economy, I think that the taxes under Clinton should be re-instated, ASAP. And that would cost me more. But I would rather see that, and a good economy, than what we have today.

I doubt it would cost you anything, hence your support. I'm quite certain you're a 40 perecenter.

Tell ya what... why don't you empty your wallet, then call us.

 

[Trajan]

We assess the effectiveness of means-tested and social insurance programs in the United States. We show that per capita expenditures on these programs as a whole have grown over time but expenditures on some programs have declined. The benefit system in the U.S. has a major impact on poverty rates, reducing the percent poor in 2004 from 29 percent to 13.5 percent, estimates which are robust to different measures of the poverty line. We find that, while there are significant behavioral side effects of many programs, their aggregate impact is very small and does not affect the magnitude of the aggregate poverty impact of the system. The system reduces poverty the most for the disabled and the elderly and least for several groups among the non-elderly and non-disabled. Over time, we find that expenditures have shifted toward the disabled and the elderly, and away from those with the lowest incomes and toward those with higher incomes, with the consequence that post-transfer rates of deep poverty for some groups have increased. We conclude that the U.S. benefit system is paternalistic and tilted toward the support of the employed and toward groups with special needs and perceived deservingness.

An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Anti-Poverty Programs in the United States

With anti-poverty programs under serious attack in Washington, here’s something to keep in mind: a major new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) finds that public programs keep one in six Americans out of poverty — primarily the elderly, disabled, and working poor — and that the poverty rate would double without these programs.

Without the cash and non-cash income provided by programs such as Social Security, SNAP (formerly food stamps), and the Earned Income Tax Credit:

* The share of Americans below the poverty line in 2004 ($19,307 for a family of four) would have more than doubled, from 13.5 percent to 29 percent. That is, 45 million more Americans would have been poor.
* The share of Americans in “deep poverty,” with incomes below half the poverty line, would have more than tripled, to 21 percent.
* The share of Americans who are poor or near-poor, with incomes below one-and-a-half-times the poverty line, would have risen to about 40 percent.

Off the Charts Blog | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities | Blog Archive | Public Programs Keep Millions Out of Poverty, New Study Shows

Michael Harrington pick up the white courtesy phone. we have won or that is have won major battles in the war on poverty because we have decided to arbitrarily make it so....

an ideological hoax. Its part of the DNA by now.

 

[AVG-JOE]

It is sad that so many here that consider themselves 'Christian' would prefer to see their fellow citizens starve than give them the minimal support that it takes to keep many of them above the poverty line. As for the 'get a job' yap-yap, we constantly see pictures of people lined up around the block for a couple of janitorial jobs paying minimum wages.

The people that are out of work in this economy did not create the present economic crisis. That was done at the top, by people that are still doing very well, thank you, when they should be doing hard time.

Yet people like Willow want to punish further those that are already hurting from this economy. And kiss the ass of the people that created the problems.

And, before you say it Willow, this old millwright is headed for another six figure year, if I don't retire first. So, without a doubt, I work harder than you do for what I get. And probably pay more taxes.

Given the state of the economy, I think that the taxes under Clinton should be re-instated, ASAP. And that would cost me more. But I would rather see that, and a good economy, than what we have today.

I think this is more in line with what conservative christians would do, roxie:
"Give a Man a Fish, Feed Him For a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, Feed Him For a Lifetime"

Seriously?

This is the closest thing to a comment on the one and only solution presented in this thread?

The most effective program, either public or private, to take a righteous bite out of poverty?




Education.

So what do you think, kids.... shall we invest in education today or reward ignorance with cash payments tomorrow? Either way, we keep ugly people off the streets during tourist season.

How much would be saved in prison expenditures if we invested enough in education to be able to help each and every one of momma's littlest bastards find something productive to do?

Would we be able to start laying off cops for all the right reasons?

 

[Trajan]

The National Bureau of Economic Research (the people who conducted this study) have an interesting policy concerning their research and who can get it for free.
The National Bureau of Economic Research

Information about Free Papers

You should expect a free download if you are a subscriber, a corporate associate of the NBER, a journalist, an employee of the U.S. federal government with a ".GOV" domain name, or a resident of nearly any developing country or transition economy.

It's paid for from taxpayers money, it's our fucking research. Why the fuck are they not allowing free access to everyone? Bastards!

good point, or at the least they should offer a progressive survey, if you meet the criteria, you get the data and chance to dance in the end zone...

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

It is sad that so many here that consider themselves 'Christian' would prefer to see their fellow citizens starve than give them the minimal support that it takes to keep many of them above the poverty line. As for the 'get a job' yap-yap, we constantly see pictures of people lined up around the block for a couple of janitorial jobs paying minimum wages.

The people that are out of work in this economy did not create the present economic crisis. That was done at the top, by people that are still doing very well, thank you, when they should be doing hard time.

Yet people like Willow want to punish further those that are already hurting from this economy. And kiss the ass of the people that created the problems.

And, before you say it Willow, this old millwright is headed for another six figure year, if I don't retire first. So, without a doubt, I work harder than you do for what I get. And probably pay more taxes.

Given the state of the economy, I think that the taxes under Clinton should be re-instated, ASAP. And that would cost me more. But I would rather see that, and a good economy, than what we have today.

I think this is more in line with what conservative christians would do, roxie:
"Give a Man a Fish, Feed Him For a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, Feed Him For a Lifetime"

Seriously?

This is the closest thing to a comment on the one and only solution presented in this thread?

The most effective program, either public or private, to take a righteous bite out of poverty?




Education.

So what do you think, kids.... shall we invest in education today or reward ignorance with cash payments tomorrow? Either way, we keep ugly people off the streets during tourist season.

How much would be saved in prison expenditures if we invested enough in education to be able to help each and every one of momma's littlest bastards find something productive to do?

Would we be able to start laying off cops for all the right reasons?

Every time we "invest" in education, it gets worse, and we're then preached to that we need to "invest" more... and so on and so on.

We spend way too much as it is. Enough already.

 

[AVG-JOE]

I think this is more in line with what conservative christians would do, roxie:
"Give a Man a Fish, Feed Him For a Day. Teach a Man to Fish, Feed Him For a Lifetime"

Seriously?

This is the closest thing to a comment on the one and only solution presented in this thread?

The most effective program, either public or private, to take a righteous bite out of poverty?




Education.

So what do you think, kids.... shall we invest in education today or reward ignorance with cash payments tomorrow? Either way, we keep ugly people off the streets during tourist season.

How much would be saved in prison expenditures if we invested enough in education to be able to help each and every one of momma's littlest bastards find something productive to do?

Would we be able to start laying off cops for all the right reasons?

Every time we "invest" in education, it gets worse, and we're then preached to that we need to "invest" more... and so on and so on.

We spend way too much as it is. Enough already.

I never said the current system of education is perfect, I just said that the only way for us to end poverty in America is to teach everyone a marketable skill set.

Lets first see if we can find agreement or discontent on the concept spending on education in lieu of spending on prisons and cash payments to folks whose disability is that they can't read. First we need to decide if education is the answer before we start the nit-picking that may lead to reform that actually does the job of helping every kid find something productive to do with life.

 

[rdean]

Public Programs Keep Millions Out of Poverty

Like Medicare, SS and investing in American's infrastructure, Republicans call that "wasted money".

You really are this stupid?

Gee, I don't know. Talk to Paul Ryan.