America's Poor

[bhunter]

The L.A. Times Headline: "Record 46.2 million Americans live in poverty, Census Bureau says"

What the liberal media didn't say about those 46.2 million poor:


"The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau:


* 80 percent of poor households have air conditioning

* Nearly three-fourths have a car or truck, and 31 percent have two or more cars or trucks

* Nearly two-thirds have cable or satellite television

* Two-thirds have at least one DVD player and 70 percent have a VCR

* Half have a personal computer, and one in seven have two or more computers

* More than half of poor families with children have a video game system, such as an Xbox or PlayStation

* 43 percent have Internet access

* One-third have a wide-screen plasma or LCD television

* One-fourth have a digital video recorder system, such as a TiVo"

Further:

"As for hunger and homelessness, Rector and Sheffield point to 2009 statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showing that 96 percent of poor parents stated that their children were never hungry at any time during the year because they could not afford food, 83 percent of poor families reported having enough food to eat, and over the course of a year, only 4 percent of poor persons become temporarily homeless, with 42 percent of poor households actually owning their own homes."

cf. Heritage Foundation; U.S. Census Bureau, USDA

[merrylander]

Of course the Heritage Foundation is absolutely unbiased.

[piece-itpete]

I've seen it. Back when I lived in the hood, in the early 80s, a 'poor' family was lucky to own a beater that started and in hot weather everyone was outside. 1 ratty tv with a coathanger for an antenna.

Now, everyone's got air & cable and a tv in damn near every room. Gets hot, no ones outside. Many have multiple cars.

Pete

[finnbow]

It's all a matter of definition. From what I gather, the definition is something like less than $11K income per household. Needless to say, $44k goes further in rural Arkansas than midtown Manhattan. Whether or not $44K represents poverty for a family of four is debatable.

The number of people above or below this income at a given point in time is a relevant statistic. Commentary on whether or not they own TV's or microwaves is not. It's just right wing claptrap to make Conservatives feel better about pandering to the rich while ignoring the plight of the underclass.

[piece-itpete]

Hah! I see wonderful Dem leadership in places like Cleveland has done the poor a world of good.

Pete

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by finnbow

It's all a matter of definition. From what I gather, the definition is something like less than $11K income per household. Needless to say, $44k goes further in rural Arkansas than midtown Manhattan. Whether or not $44K represents poverty for a family of four is debatable.

The number of people above or below this income at a given point in time is a relevant statistic. Commentary on whether or not they own TV's or microwaves is not. It's just right wing claptrap to make Conservatives feel better about pandering to the rich while ignoring the plight of the underclass.

I believe the numbers are $11,000 for a single person and $22,000 for a family of four.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by merrylander

I believe the numbers are $11,000 for a single person and $22,000 for a family of four.

Thanks, Rob. I got my numbers twisted. Can you imagine trying to live around here with 2 kids in the house on $22K?

[d-ray657]

How many homes or apartments are built nowadays without air-conditioning? It's one thing to have it installed. It's another thing to be able to afford to run it.

Less than half have the internet. Can you imagine what it would be like in school for kids that don't have a computer or internet access. It would be like not having Big Chief tablets when we were kids (at least those of y'all close to my age). When I was in high school and college, electronic calculators were just coming into widespread use. Exams were written with the assumption that everyone would have a calculator available. Teachers now have the same expectation with respect to computers.

As far as modern appliances - have you been to a thrift store lately? Get a DVD for fifteen bucks or a VCR for five. You can get a decent TV for $25. Game systems are there too, but I haven't looked at the price.

Most places in the U.S. don't have adequate public transportation to provide reasonable access to work. Many of the poor are working poor. Without a car, they would more likely be unemployed poor.

By God, I draw the line at Tivo, though. We can't have them welfare queens watching their soap operas on Tivo.

Regards,

D-Ray

[piece-itpete]

LOL!

My experience is in Cleveland, where the county has a 1% sales tax to finance public transport. And it's hard to drive two cars at once. And boy these sure ain't new houses!

Except for Section 8 interestingly enough.

Agreed on the cost of electronics though. And how on earth can a family live on $10 an hour? (22k a year). Yikes.

Pete

[Twodogs]

I see it everyday when I go to the city for work. Cadillacs and Suburbans at the SS office. God bless you libs for having your hearts in the right places, but you also have to engage the facts now and then..