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Mister D
07-26-2011, 12:35 PM
I've been saying for a long while now that the term "poverty" is relative.

The Census Bureau reported last fall that 43 million Americans — one in seven of us — were poor. But what is poverty in America today?

The most recent government data show that more than half of the families defined as poor by the Census Bureau have a computer in the home. More than three of every four poor families have air conditioning, almost two-thirds have cable or satellite television, and 92 percent have microwaves.

How poor are America’s poor? The typical poor family has at least two color TVs, a VCR, and a DVD player. One-third have a wide-screen, plasma, or LCD TV. And the typical poor family with children has a video-game system such as Xbox or PlayStation.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/272689/plugged-poverty-robert-rector

Mister D
07-26-2011, 12:36 PM
http://global.nationalreview.com/dest/2011/07/25/xbox_special_amenities_and_poor_chart4.jpg

Conley
07-26-2011, 01:04 PM
Those statistics are insane. Honestly a microwave and coffee maker aren't exactly luxuries, and each can be had for way under $50, but multiple TVs, cable / sat bill, etc is just ridiculous. I wonder how much of this stuff is bought on lay away or a charge card accruing 25% interest.

Mister D
07-26-2011, 01:11 PM
Those statistics are insane. Honestly a microwave and coffee maker aren't exactly luxuries, and each can be had for way under $50, but multiple TVs, cable / sat bill, etc is just ridiculous. I wonder how much of this stuff is bought on lay away or a charge card accruing 25% interest.


Great point. We are encouraged to consume regardless of income. Granted, if you can't afford something you have only yourself to blame if you buy it. I'm just saying a consumer mentality pervades our society. We're steeped in it. My self included. I made a conscious decision to eliminate some of the material baggage in my life.

Mister D
07-26-2011, 01:13 PM
Like I said, poverty is very relative. Most of the world's poor would think our poor live like kings.

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 03:43 PM
why should the poor not have the right to buy whatever they want?

how is it anyone else's business?

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 04:02 PM
do you really not expect poor people to have microwaves, coffee makers, and televisions? those are supposed to only before the rich?

freecell
07-26-2011, 04:13 PM
why should the poor not have the right to buy whatever they want?

how is it anyone else's business?


Define poor. A family struggling to make ends meet, working, has every right to buy what they need. No one expects them to go without. Now a person living off the government and taxpayers money driving a Lexus, not trying to get a job,almost free rent , free medical, why should they be able to buy an expensive car while the poor and middle-class families struggling cannot? Wouldn't it be nice if all of us didn't have any bills except a car payment?

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 04:28 PM
there are no people living off the government at least not in this country. please show me where poor people are driving lexuses and not paying rent or getting their doctor visits paid for. you are on the right track that the poor and middle are really struggling these days. no one is getting rich off the government. if you look you will see there is less welfare and medical help then ever before.

freecell
07-26-2011, 04:37 PM
there are no people living off the government at least not in this country. please show me where poor people are driving lexuses and not paying rent or getting their doctor visits paid for. you are on the right track that the poor and middle are really struggling these days. no one is getting rich off the government. if you look you will see there is less welfare and medical help then ever before.


Wrong a women I know (Now i like her) her rent is $30.00 a month, she gets free medical care (not including seeing a dentist), food stamps, check every month, and she doesn't work or try to get a job. If she got a job she wouldn't be eligible for these things. She drives a new car.

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 04:48 PM
does she get disability or something? maybe there is a reason she cant work?

Mister D
07-26-2011, 05:47 PM
why should the poor not have the right to buy whatever they want?

how is it anyone else's business?


Sigh...you missed the point. Why am I not surprised? The point is that the term "poor" is relative. People with cable television and the other amenities discussed aren't exactly roughing it.

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 05:53 PM
it doesnt make sense to compare poor people in the us to poor people in africa or india or somewhere. they are poor based on what other people in america have. thats why in the article you linked they defined poor as around 20 thousand. of course if you make 20 thousand in africa you would be rich. so what is your point?

Mister D
07-26-2011, 06:25 PM
it doesnt make sense to compare poor people in the us to poor people in africa or india or somewhere. they are poor based on what other people in america have. thats why in the article you linked they defined poor as around 20 thousand. of course if you make 20 thousand in africa you would be rich. so what is your point?


What you mean to say is that it doesn't really make sense to call poor people in America poor. ;) Again, it's just a relative term and simply does not suggest real desperation and hardship in the context of the USA. In a global context, they are doing quite well.

hellraiser
07-26-2011, 06:32 PM
that doesnt really make sense. people here are homeless. some dont have food. you really think there are no poor people in this country? you must live somewhere nice. i see poor people every day. you can have a tv and still be poor. i guess you would rather poor people not have anything? is that what it takes to prove it to you.

Mister D
07-26-2011, 06:51 PM
that doesnt really make sense. people here are homeless. some dont have food. you really think there are no poor people in this country? you must live somewhere nice. i see poor people every day. you can have a tv and still be poor. i guess you would rather poor people not have anything? is that what it takes to prove it to you.


Yes, you can have a several televisions, an AC, a PC and a host of other amenities and still be "poor". You're sort of getting this...

MMC
07-27-2011, 12:54 AM
I got my Sun-Glasses from the Dollar Store.....no credit lol :-* O0

wingrider
07-27-2011, 05:59 AM
if you pay people not to work, and tax the ones who do work

you are guaranteed to have unemployment..