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

Deberg_1990 · 07-19-2011, 07:45 AM

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.

**Dave Lane** · 07-19-2011, 07:52 AM

So if you have about $300 worth of used crap, TV, xbox, microwave, coffemaker you arent poor?

And most rental homes have AC and a refrigerator and even a stove!

ChiefaRoo · 07-19-2011, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

So if you have about $300 worth of used crap, TV, xbox, microwave, coffemaker you arent poor?

And most rental homes have AC and a refrigerator and even a stove!

The poor in America still have creature comforts and a comfortable roof over their heads. That's the point Dave my obtuse and feckless friend.

**Dave Lane** · 07-19-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefaRoo

The poor in America still have creature comforts and a comfortable roof over their heads. That's the point Dave my obtuse and feckless friend.

Are the poor supposed to be homeless or is that just the homeless poor?

Also people in prison have the same creature comforts minus a couple of things.

Radar Chief · 07-19-2011, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

So if you have about $300 worth of used crap, TV, xbox, microwave, coffemaker you arent poor?

And most rental homes have AC and a refrigerator and even a stove!

The rest of the world’s poor wish they had it like our poor.

**Bob Dole** · 07-19-2011, 08:03 AM

So basically, they have more than Bob Dole... (Who has a window unit for A/C and no video game system).

Not really at all surprising.

MOhillbilly · 07-19-2011, 08:09 AM

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.

KCUnited · 07-19-2011, 08:22 AM

America is that dummy handing the **** with a sign a couple of bucks every time the stop light changes, a couple hundred times a day.

lcarus · 07-19-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

America is that dummy handing the **** with a sign a couple of bucks every time the stop light changes, a couple hundred times a day.

There's actually a guy on a corner near my home that is notorious for being a "fake homeless guy". He really has a home and car, but he makes more money standing on a corner with a cardboard sign than he would working an average daytime job. I always see dumbass old ladies stopping to give him a wad of cash. Idiots. There's another corner in my city where these homeless people (yeah right) go to collect from morons. However it seems like it's a different guy every day. I don't think I've ever seen the same person there more than once.

KCUnited · 07-19-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcarus

There's actually a guy on a corner near my home that is notorious for being a "fake homeless guy". He really has a home and car, but he makes more money standing on a corner with a cardboard sign than he would working an average daytime job. I always see dumbass old ladies stopping to give him a wad of cash. Idiots. There's another corner in my city where these homeless people (yeah right) go to collect from morons. However it seems like it's a different guy every day. I don't think I've ever seen the same person there more than once.

Used to be a guy on the Hwy 71 exit/Emanuel Meat Cleaver exit with a "please help" sign. Guy's a ****, but has an apartment, Midtown bars every night. Claims that because his sign doesn't say homeless, he's not deceiving anyone.

I used to live in the River Market and would see the same rotation on the I35/Broadway Bridge stop light. Looked like an Italian wedding with cash being handed out by dumbasses every time the light changed.

**loochy** · 07-19-2011, 08:39 AM

Quote:

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.

pretty much this

vailpass · 07-19-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

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

Skyy God · 07-19-2011, 08:51 AM

Radar Chief · 07-19-2011, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pittsie

DC?

Eventually, I'm sure.

The Rick · 07-19-2011, 08:56 AM

If you think that's bad, here in Wisconsin, we give low income families free cell phones with texting, call waiting, voicemail, and rollover minutes.

07-19-2011, 07:45 AM	Topic Starter
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $94454	Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today? 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.
Posts: 68,684

07-19-2011, 07:52 AM	#2
Dave Lane Space Cadet and Aczabel Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Kanab, UT, USA Casino cash: $9333275 VARSITY	So if you have about $300 worth of used crap, TV, xbox, microwave, coffemaker you arent poor? And most rental homes have AC and a refrigerator and even a stove! __________________ Thanks, Trump for the civics lesson. We are learning so much about RICO, espionage, sedition, impeachment, the 25th Amendment, order of succession, nepotism, separation of powers, 1st Amendment, obstruction of justice, the emoluments clause, conflicts of interest, collusion, sanctions, oligarchs, money laundering and so much more.
Posts: 40,584

07-19-2011, 08:03 AM	#6
Bob Dole King Shit of **** Mountain Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Texarkana, Texas Casino cash: $-1344563	So basically, they have more than Bob Dole... (Who has a window unit for A/C and no video game system). Not really at all surprising.
Posts: 51,607

07-19-2011, 08:09 AM	#7
MOhillbilly Mama Tried Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Missouri Casino cash: $9949903	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 ners work hard so you can keep your dirty ass kids and no work old man cool...ya *** you. that is all. __________________ True Son of Liberty
Posts: 23,371

07-19-2011, 08:22 AM	#8
KCUnited Cheat Death Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Land of Drincoln Casino cash: $-1631756	America is that dummy handing the **** with a sign a couple of bucks every time the stop light changes, a couple hundred times a day.
Posts: 37,008

07-19-2011, 08:51 AM	#13
Skyy God 11-5, baby Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Livin the dream Casino cash: $2191557	DC?
Posts: 22,416

07-19-2011, 08:56 AM	#15
The Rick Veteran Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milwaukee, WI Casino cash: $6801320	If you think that's bad, here in Wisconsin, we give low income families free cell phones with texting, call waiting, voicemail, and rollover minutes.
Posts: 2,442

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