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

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I grew up broke as shit, in the poorest county in my state. I've gone to school with duct tape holding the soles on my shoes and my glasses taped together. I was working for other people at 8-9 years old, working on the farm, working on other farms when I was 12, and started traveling in summers throwing iron and tires for an auto salvage company and have paid taxes every year since I was 14. My dad had as many as 3 jobs outside of our farm. I worked construction and odd jobs that would make most others puke to get through college and spent the first year after sleeping on a blow up mattress.


Want to know why I'm not poor now?

I guarantee you I could start today in a new city, with $500 and no job, and by the end of the week have work. By the end of the year, I won't be poor. It's because I'm not a lazy douche-bag with twisted priorities.


My area has plenty of people who are perfectly happy to sponge off of working Americans.
I'll never have respect for the lazy. I've been in the shoes of the poor, and I know what I had to do to wear the ones I have now, which are much more comfortable.

I've earned the right to have the opinion I do. I don't give a rats ass if you think so and I feel perfectly informed to hold the opinions I have.

No way. Poor is like a terminal disease and nothing can be done about it except sit there and take it.

[JD10367]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

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.

Here's an idea: why don't they take better care to do better analysis of the recipients and track them and find out if they're ****ing lying or not? Almost everyone I've ever seen on Welfare or using Food Stamps doesn't look like they need it. Women crank out babies thinking, "Hey, more Welfare and Food Stamps." People who could otherwise work don't bother to, because it's easier to collect than bust your ass at a minimum-wage job. Instead, they throw money at the problem instead of FIXING the problem. Job programs? Education and training? Better monitoring? Nah, that's too hard; we'll just pour more money down the drain. It's getting to the point in this country where you're better off being "poor" than being middle-class.

[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.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

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

The solution: quit being an enabler.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by 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.

I wouldn't have lasted that long. You must be a better man than I.

I've been helping my sister with odds and ends stuff (including moving) for many years. I finally got tired of her not appreciating my efforts and decided I wouldn't help her any longer. The only reason I helped my brother roof her garage last Fall is because my mom guilted us both into it. She called the other day and asked if i was busy that weekend. I said "yes". She asked "all weekend?" I replied "yes, all weekend". And then she said I didn't have to sound so happy about it. Of course, I wasn't busy all weekend and I'm pretty sure she knew it.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by vailpass

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

The tractor is incidental. Could belong to anyone.

See the hanging banner? They obviously cator to the poor. *nod nod nod*

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

The tractor is incidental. Could belong to anyone.

See the hanging banner? They obviously cator to the poor. *nod nod nod*

Pepsi hat?
EBT accepted? (or is it DEBT and the D isn't showing?)
White Eagle?

Am I dense today?

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Pepsi hat?
EBT accepted? (or is it DEBT and the D isn't showing?)
White Eagle?

Am I dense today?

An Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card is the identification card for the SNAP/Food Stamp Program.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

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.

Have. You ever tried to feed a family porterhouses and lobster while being poor? Its not easy. You have to buy whatever soda is on sale.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Have. You ever tried to feed a family porterhouses and lobster while being poor? Its not easy. You have to buy whatever soda is on sale.

I knew people in college that would get food stamps and then only buy steaks with them. Since there were several of them they had steak dinners at least once a week.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

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.

Now see that is BS. People abusing the system. Food Stamps should be more like WIC. Meaning instead an amount to spend as you see fit you get vouchers. No steaks and sodas stuff like that.