[Tax-chick]

We have families who claim they cannot afford to pack a sandwich for their child to take to school.

Off topic, but do you believe there is actually any family who could not reduce some expenditure ... cigarettes, for example, or beer, or cable, or the electricity to run the big-screen tv ... and buy lunch supplies for their children?

[ClearCase_guy]

Oh, I agree with you. But the essence of what makes someone "poor" -- in almost all cases -- is a an ability to consistently make bad choices. Dropping out of school, having children out of wedlock, drinking too much, punching the boss, etc.

Could these people cut back on cigarettes in order to feed their children? They sure could. But they (apparently) don't. And will they buy fewer lottery tickets so that they can afford lightbulbs? Naaaaah ... they want to be millionaires.

[PATRIOT1876]

*Off topic, but do you believe there is actually any family who could not reduce some expenditure ... cigarettes, for example, or beer, or cable, or the electricity to run the big-screen tv ... and buy lunch supplies for their children?*

With the wages that are paid today combined with the high price of rent, I’m surprised many families can even pay rent. The cigarettes, beer, and cable probably left long ago. The want ads will show many single digits per hour jobs. 20%+ actual unemployment (vs 9% govt spin) is a terrible thing.

(Recession: your neighbor is unemployed Depression: you are unemployed)

Nothing is impossible for the guy who doesn’t have to do it.