Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?

[Deberg_1990]

Fascinating..


http://www.nationalreview.com/corner...k-ken-mcintyre



When Americans think of poverty, we tend to picture people who can’t adequately shelter, clothe, and feed themselves or their families.

When the Census Bureau defines “poverty,” though, it winds up painting more than 40 million Americans — one in seven — as “poor.”

Census officials continue to grossly exaggerate the numbers of the poor, creating a false picture in the public mind of widespread material deprivation, writes Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Robert Rector in a new paper.

“Most news stories on poverty feature homeless families, people living in crumbling shacks, or lines of the downtrodden eating in soup kitchens,” Rector says. “The actual living conditions of America’s poor are far different from these images.”

Congress is tying itself in knots figuring out how to cut spending and bring down a $14 trillion national debt. Lawmakers might well take a much closer look at the nearly a trillion dollars spent each year on welfare even though many recipients aren’t what the typical American would recognize as poor and in need of government assistance.

What is poverty? Americans might well be surprised to learn from other government data that the overwhelming majority of those defined as “poor” by the Census Bureau were well-housed and adequately fed even in the recession year 2009. About 4 percent of them did temporarily become homeless.

Data from the Department of Energy and other agencies show that the average poor family, as defined by Census officials:

● Lives in a home that is in good repair, not crowded, and equipped with air conditioning, clothes washer and dryer, and cable or satellite TV service.

● Prepares meals in a kitchen with a refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave as well as oven and stove.

● Enjoys two color TVs, a DVD player, VCR and — if children are there — an Xbox, PlayStation, or other video game system.

● Had enough money in the past year to meet essential needs, including adequate food and medical care.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I had some guy ask me for money this weekend. He said he was here from San Francisco for a tattoo convention, and he couldn't get back home.

I asked him why and he said he didn't have money, but he was only a few bucks short of getting his ticket.

I asked him why he didn't buy a round trip ticket, and he said he had a bike accident a few days ago that knocked out all of his lower teeth, and he showed me his gums. I'm not sure what that had to do with it, and didn't ask why he had brought his bike all the way from San Francisco to go to a convention.

I advised him to talk to his convention, because they could put him in touch with some sort of traveler's aid group, and he said he had no ID, and he needed ID to get help.

I asked him why he didn't have ID, and he said that he couldn't find his wallet. Then he said he either lost it or it was stolen. Then he said it disappeared when he had his bike wreck.

Then he offered to draw me some art and mentioned that he had his tattoo stuff with him. I'm not sure if he meant art for my refrigerator or if he wanted to give me a tattoo there on the street.

So I gave him ten bucks and went with the teardrop near my eye, because my clients will be afraid to question my market research if they think I've killed people.

It's all pretty much true but the last part.

But my point is that this guy couldn't even lie effectively. Why am I going to give money to a guy who can't even tell me a plausible lie?

While in SF this past January I walked by numerous panhandlers until I found three that were actually singing for their money. They were good too so I gave them 3 or 4 dollars, whatever singles I had anyway.

I at least wanted to wait until I found someone that wanted to put a little effort in being a bum.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

Anyone notice that a great majority of people in poverty have a cigarette hanging out of their mouth?

Have you calculated how much cigarettes cost a smoker anually?

You can say the same about drugs and alcohol. What a great investment these people make. Sorry but I don't feel sorry for your dumbasses.

Most of the hobos who panhandle for money around the Plaza in KC are smoking cigs while holding their little signs saying "Homeless and hungry, God bless." If you watch them long enough, they'll panhandle for a while, then go over and sit with their other hobo friends and drink beer through the day. Pretty rough...

[blaise]

Many of the people I worked in the office with complain about money. I used to wonder why they ate out for lunch every day and all had cable and Netflix, etc. I brought in my lunch every day, 2 s and a ziploc of chips I divided from a big bag. It wasn't until recently that we bought cable. We went to the library and got shows and movies for free. And I know that our household combined income was higher that most of my coworkers.

[Iowanian]

I'm a charitable person, probably to a fault.

Here is an example of what happens when you help the poor.
I've been mowing a couple of yards since 07-08 for up to 3 elderly people.
One who lives across the street knocked on my door and asked me to do it "as a gift" because they couldn't afford it. I wanted it mowed, so I've been doing and have received a grand total of 1 thank you in 3 summers.

Last week my home phone started getting messages from the guy, and one from his wife whom I've never seen in 4 years(Gilbert Grape's mama). "Our daughter is moving home to help my sick wife and you, our dear friend, said you would help, so come and help move her stuff into the house saturday"....8 days in a row of messages, of which I've never agreed to do. Progressively more demanding..."so be here at 8am, because our daughter will be tired". The old man says, as the wife bellows 1000wpm in the background on the messages.....

I'm out in a poker game until 3am saturday morning, but get up at 7 because I've got a long list of things to do at my home and the family is gone. 8am, not there, 9am, not there......so I begin on my projects, new light fixtures, interior door, fixing the odds and ends stuff I can't do when the family is home.

It's hot...12:30 I look out, and it's not a pickup, but a Uhaul van truck backed up to their house. I go over and find one other sucker, sweating trying to unload this truck. Guilt kicks in, and I tear into a pile of boxes to pack up the stairs(everything goes to 2nd floor).

I get to the top of the stairs and have 3 choices of rooms. I hear conversation and step to the room to find 2 fat hogs who look like bullfrogs sunning themselves stretched out on their backs on a bed. One points to the other room without saying a word.

The other man and I unload the entire truck, while the old man attempts to help but physically can't....and the entire time, via a hallway, I can see Gilbert Grape's mama's Arm hanging off of a chair with a soda and her leg....and a 60" big screen. She's bitching about 500mph because the truck isn't unloaded fast enough, we're letting air out because I had to take the door off to get the F'ing sofa indoors and up the stairs.

Eventually we get everything unloaded in the sweltering heat......not 1 box..not a single box was carried by the 2 sows who now live across the street with the old people.

I'm pissed, have the truck unloaded and am putting the door back on, when one of the bullfrog twins trots to the door and starts in about how I need to put in the window AC in her room and switch headboards and on....and I finally have my fill and say "you know what, you are rested up enough to handle that shit yourself.

4 people in that home....not 1 thank you.

I've been mowing their yard for free for 3 years, they've got a bigger TV than I do. Ask for help, but bitch while I litterally do it all.


In short....This guy, is NOT feeling very sympathetic to the plight of people who don't take care of themselves.

And yes....Their AC was running to keep that house cooler than I can keep mine.

[MOhillbilly]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

Why go work in the heat like an idiot when you can stay home in the ac, play xbox in your govt funded home eating your taxpayer funded doritos...

Cause doin it on your own makes you feel good about yourself and misery loves company.

[HotRoute]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

Anyone notice that a great majority of people in poverty have a cigarette hanging out of their mouth?

Have you calculated how much cigarettes cost a smoker anually?

You can say the same about drugs and alcohol. What a great investment these people make. Sorry but I don't feel sorry for your dumbasses.

All rough estimates but:

$5(pack of cigs) a day x 365days = $1825

$20(case of beer) a week x 52weeks = $1040

$35(bag of weed) a week x 52weeks = $1820

That comes to a total of $4685 annually, all bad habits that do nothing but harm. And for what? To be cool, hip, social?

Not worth it to me.

[ElGringo]

Originally Posted by HotRoute

All rough estimates but:

$5(pack of cigs) a day x 365days = $1825

$20(case of beer) a week x 52weeks = $1040

$35(bag of weed) a week x 52weeks = $1820

That comes to a total of $4685 annually, all bad habits that do nothing but harm. And for what? To be cool, hip, social?

Not worth it to me.

I would agree with most of that, but believe your beer estimate is low. I no longer drink like I used to, but when I was "poor" in America I would go through at least 3 or 4 cases of beer a week, so, I would say the $4685 annually is a very conservative estimate.

[Demonpenz]

I know some poor people that always drive a decent car because family/friends get alot more joy giving their stuff away than doing it for themselves. Damn enablers.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by MOhillbilly

seen some ****in blurb yesterday about how people were goin to get help with utilities cause of the heat.
One ****in buck toothed white trash bitch said somethin to the effect that she needed help because they had run the Ac non stop for months. Looked to be in there 20s.
Im sure these are the same people who in winter crank the heat to 90 and when it gets to ****in hot they crack a window, all night.
**** your assistance bitch. real n***ers work hard so you can keep your dirty ass kids and no work old man cool...ya **** you.
that is all.

+1

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Data from the Department of Energy and other agencies show that the average poor family, as defined by Census officials:

● Lives in a home that is in good repair, not crowded, and equipped with air conditioning, clothes washer and dryer, and cable or satellite TV service.

● Prepares meals in a kitchen with a refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave as well as oven and stove.

● Enjoys two color TVs, a DVD player, VCR and — if children are there — an Xbox, PlayStation, or other video game system.

● Had enough money in the past year to meet essential needs, including adequate food and medical care.

You can go places like this and get rewarded for being poor.

You get a FREE PEPSI HAT for using your EBT card!

While you're there, and still poor, you can buy a few small items to take home and try and feed your family.

[ElGringo]

Oh, and living poor in the U.S. is living like a king here. In my house I have a window A.C. unit in my bedroom that never gets used (even though the highs here are almost always above 90), 1 color T.V. (once again, never gets used), and a water heater (most people only have cold water here). I only have Internet at work, because I run an internet cafe. To top this all off, with my house, my internet, I am said to be living like a king with all my creature comforts, and I am very happy with how little I have.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by ElGringo

Oh, and living poor in the U.S. is living like a king here. In my house I have a window A.C. unit in my bedroom that never gets used (even though the highs here are almost always above 90), 1 color T.V. (once again, never gets used), and a water heater (most people only have cold water here). I only have Internet at work, because I run an internet cafe. To top this all off, with my house, my internet, I am said to be living like a king with all my creature comforts, and I am very happy with how little I have.

Good on you.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by KC Fish

Most of the hobos who panhandle for money around the Plaza in KC are smoking cigs while holding their little signs saying "Homeless and hungry, God bless." If you watch them long enough, they'll panhandle for a while, then go over and sit with their other hobo friends and drink beer through the day. Pretty rough...

Give them a break, that's work.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by ElGringo

Oh, and living poor in the U.S. is living like a king here. In my house I have a window A.C. unit in my bedroom that never gets used (even though the highs here are almost always above 90), 1 color T.V. (once again, never gets used), and a water heater (most people only have cold water here). I only have Internet at work, because I run an internet cafe. To top this all off, with my house, my internet, I am said to be living like a king with all my creature comforts, and I am very happy with how little I have.

It's not quantity, it's quality.

[vailpass]

[QUOTE=4th and Long;7756915]You can go places like this and get rewarded for being poor.QUOTE]

What makes them poor in the first pic? That tractor costs more than some people's houses so I know that isn't it.