OK, here’s the deal on poverty statistics. They do not count non-cash benefits courtesy of taxpayers. So, a family could be getting welfare, food stamps, free housing, free or subsidized utilities, Medicaid, schools with free meals for the kiddies, and even a free phone PLUS whatever small cash income they may or may not report, and still be considered to be living in poverty. It’s a scam.
I’ve been watching The First 48 lately, and in just about all the poor folks I’ve seen have cell phones (not just plain Obama phones, either), gold teeth, expensive athletic wear and shoes, expensive fake nails, and sometimes expensive vehicles, but I bet they are all counted in the poverty stats.
Oh, and many of them are armed to the teeth with expensive weapons. This is why the cops have started using military equipment.
You can’t keep people as expensive pets and expect them to maintain their dignity. The war on poverty is a disaster.
Real poverty exists in other countries where people are scrounging on garbage dumps for food and living in cardboard shanties.
We know a family of eight in our old neighborhood .... Filipinos who immigrated here about ten years ago. Mom and dad both work as nurses — but all the kids get the free lunch program. Everyday I see them on Facebook the kids are traveling to the beach, to various resorts, wearing spiffy new clothes and generally having a great time a looking very well fed.
Multiply it by the millions .... We’re being scammed every single day by people immigrating here and trying to “make a better life” for themselves. Well, they’re making great lives for themselves, while the rest of us watch our taxes go up to cover it.