POVERTY IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD…..TIS THE SEASON!

POVERTY IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD…..TIS THE SEASON!

(Martin Ravallion, Aldi Hagenaars, Klaas de Vos)

(David Boyle, Alan Gillie, Adam Smith, Robert W. Greene)

(Courtney Mabeus, Frederick News-Post, The Nation, Bill Moyers)

(New York Times, Mark R. Rank, U.S. Census Bureau, Huffington Post)

(Greg Kaufmann, Deborah Weinstein, Dr. Mariana Chilton, Frazer Chronicle)

There are few topics in American society that have more myths and stereotypes surrounding them than poverty, misconceptions that distort both our political and domestic policy makers. Think about it for a minute, people in poverty seem to be woebegone folks, usually with a poor education, satisfied to lead the life that they are mired in…..and to many of us so called haves, these people are to be avoided like a plague.

There is a notion out there that poverty affects a relatively small number of Americans that the poor are impoverished for years at a time, that most of those in poverty live in inner cities that too much welfare assistance is provided and that poverty is ultimately a result of not working hard enough. Sadly, although pervasive, each assumption is dead wrong.

Today in America, contrary to popular belief, the percentage of the population that directly encounters poverty is exceedingly high. Research shows us that nearly 40% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 60 will experience at least a year below the official poverty line during that period, a little over $22 grand for a family of 4, and that 54% will spend a year in poverty or near poverty.

Even more astounding, if we add in related conditions like welfare use, near-poverty and unemployment, four out of five Americans will encounter one or more of these events. In addition, half of all American children will at some point during their childhood reside in a household that uses food stamps for a period of time.

CAUSES OF POVERTY IN AMERICA

The definition of poor primarily revolves around the purchasing power of an individual; it may not always be related to fulfillment of basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. In that context, one has to consider the purchasing power of an individual with respect to the average population.

Just as the definition of poverty changes with the condition of the economy, the causes of poverty also differ in that sense. While population explosion, lack of infrastructure, corruption, natural disasters, political instability, war, are some of the causes of poverty in third world, poverty in America can be on account of some other factors.

Shift in Business Economy; American economy has been greatly dependent upon manufacturing industries such as steel, textile, and automobiles. These industries presented a number of opportunities to the uneducated, but capable laborer. Most of the workforce in these areas consisted of African Americans; however, this scenario has undergone huge changes with the emergence of new economical sectors such as health care and information technology. As a result of this, the reliance of American economy on traditional manufacturing sector has been greatly reduced.

These sectors, now highly educated and trained professionals, which has caused a loss of business opportunities for the minimally educated workforce, leading to an increase in unemployment and poverty. The middle of the Midwest, or the rust belt virtually doesn’t exist anymore, and probably never will.

Lack of Education; I used to wonder about what value an education, a higher education really meant with regards to jobs that seemed to require experience as well as an education…..but not anymore, clearly there’s been a shift. As the economy continues an almost flat move, laborious jobs have diminished, leaving uneducated people to welter in poverty. As these people neither have the compulsory education nor the required skills, they have little or no prospects in gaining employment. This fact has led to an increase in poverty levels over the years.

Rise of Suburbs; Most American cities have sprawled to outskirts, leading to the creation of the modern suburbs. Suburbs offer better living conditions to people, and naturally many businesses have shifted their base of operation to these newly developed areas. People who live back in the core cities face a steep shortage of employment opportunities, which of course leads to poverty.

Breakdown of Family System; Increase in divorce rates means that there are more single parents, facing the challenge of raising a family on a single source of income. Women, especially, are more affected by this, a lack of education, unplanned pregnancies compound the problems of a single mother. As a result, they cannot find suitable employment to maintain their home life, causing the entire family to be dragged into poverty.

Limited Effects of Government Policies; A country of America’s stature should not have even minimal levels of poverty; the government has been involved in creating numerous welfare plans for the poor, with really little success. The war on poverty needs to be won here in America at all costs, and government should make it a top priority. While dealing with the problems of poverty, the emotional strain, as well as the physical issues that are caused needs to be understood, and dealt with.

While dealing with the issue of poverty, one cannot overlook the condition of minorities in America, and I’m not talking about the illegal immigrants…..(illegals should be shipped back to where they came from). The government needs to implement a holistic approach to curb poverty in our country.

MISSING IN ACTION: CONGRESS IGNORES AMERICAN POVERTY!

As poverty increases throughout almost all strata of life in America, lawmakers seem to be “missing in action,” there is little debate, and absolutely no action with regards to solving the problem. There has been only fleeting discussion among Washington lawmakers. Tucked into the budget proposal in February there was a proposal this year calling for a strategy to cut poverty in half in the next ten years.

Poverty and low paying jobs are a fact of life in the United States, a lack of meaningful education is prevalent in the lower middle class as well as the bottom part of our society. Health and a sustainable diet for all people needs to be dealt with, not in the next ten years, but now.

“Tis the season” is upon us, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, food pantries around the country will be taxed to serve the people that need these free food stuffs or meals. Toys, clothes and other similar items will be donated for those people that are less fortunate.

Volunteerism will be solicited for soup kitchens, food pantries, and in some cases, door to door campaigns to help the needy. All of this activity is a tremendous help…..however it’s not enough…..government, down both aisles needs to take action. Cutting these helpful programs that are already in place is not the answer that I’m talking about. Our government and our people need to look inside themselves…..and take the actions that their heart would have them do.

HAVE A NICE DAY!