Posted on 08/27/2004 9:27:18 AM PDT by NotchJohnson
Get out your hanky...it's time once again to feel sorry for all of the supposed Americans "living in poverty." The Census Bureau reported yesterday that the number of Americans living in poverty has risen. As a matter of fact, they are saying that 35.8 million people are now living below the poverty line. On top of that, they're now saying 12.9 million children are living in poverty. Quick...we must elect The Poodle! How can this be allowed to stand! Wait a minute! Forget The Poodle ... let's rush Hillary in there! She cares so much about the children! More money must be confiscated from those that earned it in order to "lift people out of poverty." Nonsense.
Actually, the truth is, there is no poverty in America. If you get beyond the biased media's hysterical headlines, let's apply a little common sense. First of all, according to the government, you could have a net worth of over ten million dollars, own two houses, have three cars and because you only earned a few thousand dollars in income last year, you would be living in poverty. Does Terreeeeza Heinz-Kerry draw a salary? Maybe she's living in poverty too.
It's a fact, folks. When the government measures poverty they're only concerned with paychecks, not with what you have already earned. The government doesn't look at your bank accounts, your balance sheets or that jewelry hanging around your neck. Only your paychecks.
Let's say you are a remarkably successful stock broker. You decide to take a year off and travel the country in your $800,000 Blue Bird Wanderlodge motor home. Guess what? For that year, our government says you're "living in poverty."
Why is it so? It started back during the LBJ "Great Society" years. Johnson wanted to create a method of measuring poverty that would provide a continued excuse for expanding the scope and nature of Johnson's war on poverty programs. That method of measuring poverty -- by only counting income -- is still alive today, and it is still being used by government hacks as a reason for ever more government and ever more government spending.
The average American defined as "poor" by the federal government enjoys a higher standard of living than the average European; not the average poor European ... the average European. It's a scam, folks. A scam to enable more government. If a person has a roof over their head, food in their cupboard, a television set, a washer and dryer, a microwave, air conditioning and a car. Sorry folks, but that ain't poverty. Just more leftist fantasies and imagined "emergencies" designed to create the need for more government. With very rare exception, there is not a single person living in so-called "poverty" in America whose own decisions have not led to their situation.
Poverty is a choice. It's a behavioral disorder. Poverty, my friends, is a mental disease.
Homeless and Poverty are two words, only mentioned in the press during a GOP administration.
No one! No one, in this country lives in poverty unless they choose so or incapable of choosing! This is CRAP! Got to Haiti. Now, those people live in poverty.
Is a drug dealer considered to live in poverty or do you think he actually files a proper 1040 with the IRS?
We should send all these people living in "poverty" to Bangladesh for a reality check.
anyone have any "sources or URLs" on boat people leaving the United States with a destination of Canada?
Especially the homeless theme. I noticed it during the news about the RNC. Where will all the homeless go? They can't stay near the convention. Poor poor displaced homeless. (How can a homeless person be displaced anyway?) It was all over the NYC news. Didn't hear anything about it with the DNC in Boston.
Good point. Another--"single" mothers with shack up boyfriends whose income is well above the poverty line or the incomes combine surpass it. Can think of several dishonest individuals who did this and I think it is quite prevalent.
bump or ping or whatever it is too read this later
NotchJohnson is only partly correct. If you want to see poverty, watch the Africa news clips. And both parties don't give a toot. And you know why? Cause they cannot vote.
They forgot starving the chilrun and kicking the elderly out onto the streets. What were they thinking.
Where is my dog? He needs to be kicked. I also have to run home and dump my used motor oil into the reservoir.
Well, being a former recipient of government handouts I can say that yes sometimes it was hard to pay bills, but we could have survived without it, and we had beat up vehicles. There were many in the lines who had very nice vehicles (a BMW comes to mind) and cell phones. It was reciculous. The government does not help the poorest of the poor, it is private institutions that do it.
I drove by a little tiny house in Knoxville last weekend that was maybe 700 square feet. Parked out front was a sparkling new Mercedes.
That's simply messed up priorities.
"Poverty is a choice. It's a behavioral disorder. Poverty, my friends, is a mental disease."
Now that would make a great banner to hang behind GWB at the Convention. Right, and make it the new Bush/Cheney '04 campaign theme!!!
Yeah, they have some really nice beaches there. Paging Mr. Kinison, please do your stand up for us.
Poverty is real and for one reason or another, some Americans are suffering from it. I'm not buying 35 million though. No way are 15% or so living in "poverty." You wanna see poverty, go to central America (outside the resorts). Most "poor" people here have a better TV than mine. Does that make me poor?
To be honest with you, I don't give a crap about Africa. When they start activing liked civilized people to one another, they can begin to improve thier conditions.
He (and a lot of the whiny, excuse-making, lazy, inferiority complex-laden Democrat white trash who support him) will shut his mouth when thinking about talking on "Poverty" in America. Americans haven't the slightes understand of "poverty."
The poorest of Americans are KINGS compared to 1/3 of this planet.
In this country poverty means...
Mom gets eggs, milk, cereal, cheese and peanut butter all through pregnancy. Formula included, after.
Kids get fed breakfast and lunch at school.
Food stamps buy the rest of the food in the household.
The housing is free.
The medical care is free.
Telephone, Cable, cellphone(s), DVD players, VCRs, one or two cars.
Poverty?
Half the world's population lives on less than $2/day.
The USA "poverty line" is $12/day.
'nuff said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.