Poverty in the U.S.

[Nick]

Some interesting facts:

1. The number of people receiving means-tested welfare benefits is greater than the number of people with year-round full-time jobs

2. 1.2mm public school students are homeless

3. 48% of public school students are from low income homes

4. 49.2% of Americans receive benefits from some government program

5. 1 in every 6 Americans is living in poverty

6. The wage inequality in America is at an all-time high, with 5% of the population earning 22.3% of the income

7. 1 of every 4 part time workers lives in poverty

8. More than half of Walmart hourly employees make less than $25,000 per year (Walmart just announced today that they will promote 25,000 people in response to criticisms)

9. 1 of every 4 Americans has a job that pays less than $10/hr

10. 20% of Americans did not have enough money to buy food for their families at some point during the year

11. 37% of American families with a head of household under 30 are living in poverty

12. 1 of every 5 Americans receives foodstamps

13. The average foodstamp benefit is $4/day

14. 1 in every 4 children is enrolled in the foodstamp program

15. 45% of children in Miami live in poverty, 50% in Cleveland, and 60% in Detroit

16. 37mm Americans are being fed in soup kitchens or food pantries

17. 4 of 5 Americans have struggled with joblessness, near-poverty, or reliance on welfare for at least part of their lives

[Zullock Holmes]

No one gives a fuck. The opportunity to not be poor in this country is better than anywhere else in the world. Our system requires lazy fucks to work.

[Calabrate2]

No one gives a fuck. The opportunity to not be poor in this country is better than anywhere else in the world. Our system requires lazy fucks to work.

We also have a great system that promotes laziness... Why work when you can collect in many of the programs.

[Zullock Holmes]

very true. I believe 9 out of ten people living in poverty choose to be there

[Nick]

Just putting the facts out there for some discussion

Believe me, I get accosted by people every single day in New Haven so I can understand the lack of empathy

I was just out to get coffee at Dunkin for 15 mins, and was asked for money 3 times

At the same time, I recognize that in order for this country to function, there can't be such an extreme gap between rich and poor that is slowly eroding anything that resembles a middle class

[Zullock Holmes]

the problem lies in the slow loss of a middle class


I agree that there are definitely some factors the need to be looked at.

While I don't support someone at mcdonalds making $15 an hour. I do believe that a minimum precedent should be set for people in skilled labor areas. ie. a skilled welder should never have to make $16 an hour.

A lot of it falls on companies treating/paying their employees fairly. If you have a college degree or a skilled labor there is no reason you should make under $50k-$60k a year at a job in your field.

[ct67_72]

the problem lies in the slow loss of a middle class


I agree that there are definitely some factors the need to be looked at.

While I don't support someone at mcdonalds making $15 an hour. I do believe that a minimum precedent should be set for people in skilled labor areas. ie. a skilled welder should never have to make $16 an hour.

A lot of it falls on companies treating/paying their employees fairly. If you have a college degree or a skilled labor there is no reason you should make under $50k-$60k a year at a job in your field.

I sort of agree with that. The fact of the matter is, that you dont HAVE to make 16$ as a welder. If that isnt enough, than dont take the job. The problem is that someone will take it for that much money. So as long as someone is willing to be paid that much to be a welder, the jobs will always start there.
Just like Mcdonalds, or Walmart. Raising minimum wage for these people is asinine to me. If you want to make more money, make an effort and get a better job. They pay minimum wage to these employees because that is what they are worth. But as fat, lazy entitled Americans they think they deserve more to welcome people to Walmart and sweep the floor. Fuck you. Make an effort, go to school, learn a trade and you will make more money. Dont make a career out of flipping burgers and bitching that life is unfair.

[Daven]

The 1% wealthiest people control 40% of all the wealth.
This great country of ours is so divided on small bullshit issues we won't ever manage to fix anything before multiple other issues arise.

It seems most of us on this board are lucky enough to come from at least something, now I'm not saying anyone should get a free ride ever because that is not the case. However, some people never get to stop grinding away at minimum wage jobs just to get by. Sure it's easy to say "get a better job" or "go to college" but those are just not real solutions. Then when you look at our own GOVT who has the one of the worst spending habits and is called a "budget" how can you expect people to fare better?

Slavery = Work --> Food + Shelter
America 2013 = Work --> Money --> Food + Shelter


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slTF_XXoKAQ[/ame]

[Nick]

I sort of agree with that. The fact of the matter is, that you dont HAVE to make 16$ as a welder. If that isnt enough, than dont take the job. The problem is that someone will take it for that much money. So as long as someone is willing to be paid that much to be a welder, the jobs will always start there.

If that's the only job available, then you have to accept $16 an hour no matter what you think you are worth

Just like Mcdonalds, or Walmart. Raising minimum wage for these people is asinine to me. If you want to make more money, make an effort and get a better job. They pay minimum wage to these employees because that is what they are worth. But as fat, lazy entitled Americans they think they deserve more to welcome people to Walmart and sweep the floor. Fuck you. Make an effort, go to school, learn a trade and you will make more money. Dont make a career out of flipping burgers and bitching that life is unfair.

How can you go to school or learn a trade to improve your situation if you don't make a living wage? And of course generalizing every single person who works a minimum wage job as fat, lazy, and entitled makes sense. And because all these people make so little money, there is not enough buying power in America to sustain any sort of economic growth, which is a problem for everybody.

[Daven]

I think the main problem is people cannot budget their money for shit and have way too many bills. In high school they do not teach you shit about money or how to handle it. People should be taught about money, especially people who do not normally have excess money.

Poor people have to spend their money to buy shit like food, cloths, car repairs, etc

Rich people can save a lot more of their money and also use their money to make more money through investing and shit.

[Daven]

Raising the minimum wage will just increase inflation correct?

[Nick]

Raising the minimum wage will just increase inflation correct?

Not necessarily

[armadasx]

The main problem us people just don't give a fuck.I knew I didn't want to pay out the ass for college,so I went to a state run tech high school.available to all ct residents who attend public schools.I haven't made less than 14 bucks an hour since I was 17....you want to go to a public school and not do any other schooling you better be prepared to work at McDonalds or some other min wage job.

[ct67_72]

If that's the only job available, then you have to accept $16 an hour no matter what you think you are worth

Do you really? While it wouldnt help anyone in the short term, if no one would accept the job at 16$hr. than the employers would be forced to pay better wages. The employes would in turn have more money to spend and so on.

How can you go to school or learn a trade to improve your situation if you don't make a living wage? And of course generalizing every single person who works a minimum wage job as fat, lazy, and entitled makes sense. And because all these people make so little money, there is not enough buying power in America to sustain any sort of economic growth, which is a problem for everybody.

You dont need to make a living wage to go to school. At least not a basic college, or hell, even entry level classes. There are plenty of State funded programs to help people as well.
So is the problem that companies arent willing to pay enough to create economic growth or are people not willing to put the effort in to move up in their positions and earn the money?
Are people just entitled to more money now simply because it would stimulate the economy?
I came from nothing. When I was young and wanted to buy something my parents told me to get a job. So I did. When that job didnt pay enough to support my hobbies I looked for a better job, or I learned what I needed to in order to advance in my current position. Im not saying that I do great, but I make more money than most of my friends that went to college.
Also it wasnt easy. I worked very hard to get where I am. The economy certainly didnt help. My point in this is that this used to be common practice, and now it seems like no one wants to do honest work and earn their money. Not that this applies to everyone but in general it is true.
I run a repair business. To find a decent tech that is really willing to work hard has become nearly impossible. Everyone thinks that they can slack off, and be on their phone texting and still deserve a raise.

[Nick]

Do you really? While it wouldnt help anyone in the short term, if no one would accept the job at 16$hr. than the employers would be forced to pay better wages. The employes would in turn have more money to spend and so on.

That depends on everyone refusing to take the job, why risk someone else getting it if you refuse to take it, then you're left with $0/hr

You dont need to make a living wage to go to school. At least not a basic college, or hell, even entry level classes. There are plenty of State funded programs to help people as well.

Federal minimum wage equates to $15,000/yr. How would you be able to cover all your other expenses and still afford to go to community college? The answer is you can't, which means the government has to step in and provide for you like you said, which you previously stated you are against.

So is the problem that companies arent willing to pay enough to create economic growth or are people not willing to put the effort in to move up in their positions and earn the money?
Are people just entitled to more money now simply because it would stimulate the economy?

Companies are not willing to pay enough. Paying more hurts corporate profits, which hurts stock prices, which hurts bonuses. Do the math. People are entitled to not be stuck in the cycle of poverty that the US welfare system has created, yes.

I came from nothing. When I was young and wanted to buy something my parents told me to get a job. So I did. When that job didnt pay enough to support my hobbies I looked for a better job, or I learned what I needed to in order to advance in my current position. Im not saying that I do great, but I make more money than most of my friends that went to college.
Also it wasnt easy. I worked very hard to get where I am. The economy certainly didnt help. My point in this is that this used to be common practice, and now it seems like no one wants to do honest work and earn their money. Not that this applies to everyone but in general it is true.
I run a repair business. To find a decent tech that is really willing to work hard has become nearly impossible. Everyone thinks that they can slack off, and be on their phone texting and still deserve a raise.

The fact that you had a home and parents sets you apart from a vast majority of those people in the statistics. My point is that opportunity in this country is not equal, as it should be. The circumstances into which you are born largely dictate the outcome of your life. Of those 1.2mm homeless kids, how many will escape poverty? 5-10%? Meanwhile, because of the situation I was born into, it is highly unlikely I will ever face those struggles.