[QUOTE][B]The number of Americans living in poverty rose to 46.2 million last year, nearly one in six people, according to the US Census Bureau's annual report.
The 2010 data shows the poverty rate at 15.1%, from 14.3% in 2009. The number of Americans without health insurance also rose slightly to 49.9 million.
The poverty rate was the highest since 1983, and tied with the level in 1993.
The number of Americans living below the poverty line has now risen for four years in a row.
The US definition of poverty is an annual income of $22,314 (£14,129), or less for a family of four, and $11,139 for a single person.[/B][/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14903732"]Source[/URL]
I hope for all your guys sake this job bill goes through and actually does something.
darn
It's a different version of poverty than in the past, though.
I'm not trying to be a heartless dick, but really, people in poverty today aren't usually starving to death or dying of cholera in a 20 square foot basement.
At least they can get unemployment benefits, however meager that may be.
This is going poorly.
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;32280721]It's a different version of poverty than in the past, though.
I'm not trying to be a heartless dick, but really, people in poverty today aren't usually starving to death or dying of cholera in a 20 square foot basement.
At least they can get unemployment benefits, however meager that may be.[/QUOTE]
"Well, you may be poor and have difficulty paying for rent and food, let alone healthcare, but at least you aren't starving, have cholera or live in a tiny slum."
That doesn't really sound like much consolation to me.
i agree with the ATM, i think my funds are wildly insufficient
[QUOTE=Camundongo;32280646]I hope for all your guys sake this job bill goes through and actually does something.[/QUOTE]We hope so too. Anything that does something positive will be welcome.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;32280799]"Well, you may be poor and have difficulty paying for rent and food, let alone healthcare, but at least you aren't starving, have cholera or live in a tiny slum."
That doesn't really sound like much consolation to me.[/QUOTE]
Difficulty paying rent, or starving. You choose.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32280973]Difficulty paying rent, or starving. You choose.[/QUOTE]
I choose ramen.
but seriously, that jobs bill needs to be passed
I doubt it'd get passed. They won't allow really much of anything to pass.
[QUOTE=Mechwarrior;32288987]I doubt it'd get passed. They won't allow really much of anything to pass.[/QUOTE]
Which is fucking disgusting. Politics should never get in the way of basic humanity.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;32280799]"Well, you may be poor and have difficulty paying for rent and food, let alone healthcare, but at least you aren't starving, have cholera or live in a tiny slum."
That doesn't really sound like much consolation to me.[/QUOTE]
Out of the two, I sure as hell wouldn't pick the cholera/starvation option.
[QUOTE=Arachnidus;32289045]Which is fucking disgusting. Politics should never get in the way of basic humanity.[/QUOTE]
The politics aren't the inherent issue. It's the money. People just disagree on the most efficient way of dealing with the issue. A democrat with a terrible plan is not unlike a republican with a terrible plan, in the opinion of this FPer.
I suppose, though, that doing something is better than doing nothing at all.
But those two aren't the only alternatives. Poor people can enjoy a better living standard if only some policies are pushed that can compensate for their poverty.
I believe alot of them are college students. Technically both of my brothers are in poverty.
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;32280721]It's a different version of poverty than in the past, though.
I'm not trying to be a heartless dick, but really, people in poverty today aren't usually starving to death or dying of cholera in a 20 square foot basement.
At least they can get unemployment benefits, however meager that may be.[/QUOTE] Yea i'm in poverty but I never really think that since the word poverty makes me think of people who are starving or something. Being poor sucks but its way better then it used to be.
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32280995]we need to get our shit together.[/QUOTE]I did. Are families toilet stopped working so at this point its just filled to the brim with are combined shit.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32280973]Difficulty paying rent, or starving. You choose.[/QUOTE]
I'd rather starve for a while than lose my house/apartment actually.
Besides, I can't go get free apartments from the dumpster behind Mcdonalds.
People (Republicans) are probably going to use this data to try and crush the bill, claiming it's Obama's fault and clearly the jobs act is only going to make it worse because he's Obama and liberal socialism homosexuals
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32280973]Difficulty paying rent, or starving. You choose.[/QUOTE]
you are an inept human being if you cannot find food without having to pay for it.
[QUOTE=Moose;32297487]you are an inept human being if you cannot find food without having to pay for it.[/QUOTE]
Are you fucking kidding me?
[QUOTE=Moose;32297487]you are an inept human being if you cannot find food without having to pay for it.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, those poor folk can just find all the food they need for free, am I right?
[QUOTE=Moose;32297487]you are an inept human being if you cannot find food without having to pay for it.[/QUOTE]
Because finding a soup kitchen solves all your problems, right?
[QUOTE=A B.A. Survivor;32280721]It's a different version of poverty than in the past, though.
I'm not trying to be a heartless dick, but really, people in poverty today aren't usually starving to death or dying of cholera in a 20 square foot basement.
At least they can get unemployment benefits, however meager that may be.[/QUOTE]
Your right, instead they are contributing to rising violent crime rates, drug abuse, and the spread of AIDs.
Also, if you are above some percentage of the poverty threshold you don't qualify for those unemployment benefits a lot of time. Also, 20k for a 4 person family? Think about that. Thats 5 grand per person. How much does it cost to feed, house, and bath? Not to mention: most of these people can't afford insurance so they don't go to the doctor when they get sick, so they die or spread the disease.
[QUOTE=OogalaBoogal;32297676]Are you fucking kidding me?[/QUOTE]
i dont speak for people in the city but i see wild turkeys and squirrels and rabbits all the time. i could pellet those little fuckers and ration them throughout the winter if i had to. just grab a carbon steel blade and skin em and bam, you have a scarf too. i know it sounds disgusting and humiliating to some but if im struggling to survive without food i honestly dont give a fuck what anyone thinks about what im doing.
[QUOTE=Moose;32298233]i dont speak for people in the city but i see wild turkeys and squirrels and rabbits all the time.[/QUOTE] Yea well most people live in the city. I personally think food stamps and raising minimum wage would be better in the long run then having the poor create there own tribes for hunting and eating in the woods.
It's really scary how there's more people in poverty in America than citizens in Canada
[QUOTE=Moose;32298233]i dont speak for people in the city but i see wild turkeys and squirrels and rabbits all the time. i could pellet those little fuckers and ration them throughout the winter if i had to. just grab a carbon steel blade and skin em and bam, you have a scarf too. i know it sounds disgusting and humiliating to some but if im struggling to survive without food i honestly dont give a fuck what anyone thinks about what im doing.[/QUOTE]
wander around central park killing animals and eating them and see how far you get.
So they're hitting another depression, then?
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;32298287]Yea well most people live in the city. I personally think food stamps and raising minimum wage would be better in the long run then having the poor create there own tribes for hunting and eating in the woods.[/QUOTE]
Raising minimum wage wouldn't do shit except cause a whole lot of inflation and fuck up the markets.
[QUOTE=Megafanx13;32297725]Yeah, those poor folk can just find all the food they need for free, am I right?[/QUOTE]
Well with all that perfectly good food that supermarkets tend to throw out, yeah.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;32299981]Well with all that perfectly good food that supermarkets tend to throw out, yeah.[/QUOTE]
There also isn't a huge shortage of charities giving away free food year round.
[editline]15th September 2011[/editline]
Being poor isn't a matter of starving. It is actually very hard to starve yourself in the United States. Even homeless people tend to not go hungry because of the sheer number of food possibilities out there.
Being poor is about a mindset. You are constantly locked in survival mode, you are always in a constant struggle to pay your next bill, to keep your house, to sustain your job. It is about constantly worrying about your money, especially towards the end of the month. It's knowing that if an emergency comes you are completely unprepared for it because all your money goes to sustain yourself. It's worrying if that next inevitable injury will put you out of a career, if you can even pay for an injury. It's worrying if you can buy new clothes for your children, if you can send them to school when they grow up.
It's not as simple as fucking eating. Hunger is literally the least of our problems.
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