Poverty 101: Why the Poor Pay More

[MarylandsMissing]

interesting article

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...051702053.html

[ybnormal]

Big difference between the truly poor and those that merely claim to be in order to get the subsidized handouts.

[Gigi]

Thanks for sharing this article. The most disturbing part of me is at the end when the article discusses the fact that the working poor-the people who are actually trying to do what needs to be done, are the people our government (and my extention, us) are less likely to help and who have the biggest struggles in many ways. That is why I cannot support the welfare system as it exists today-the disincentives to work hard and make a better life for yourself.

[detectivemoose]

Couple of things I noticed about the article:

One, it seems that the article was implying that the middleclass are the evil doers. This may not be what you read in the article but it certainly seemed to be implying it to me.

Secondly, the article goes on the blame such things as "Real Estate" as part of the equation but leaves it at that. What I think the article should have expounded upon is that yes the "real estate" is higher due to higher taxes to pay for more and higher public services and programs that the cities have higher than the surrounding counties.

The third thing that caught my eye was the bemoaning of the cost of food stuffs and lack of transportation to cheaper venues. The article went on to inerview a person who said that their car broke down and had to take a bus etc. Well, maybe the extra cost locally is a function of the savings one incurs without having to pay gas to operate said vehicle.

In all, the article seemed very one sided. This is no reflection upon you, you merely posted it. But this article was IMHO far from balanced.

[ybnormal]

Originally Posted by ybnormal

Big difference between the truly poor and those that merely claim to be in order to get the subsidized handouts.

Need proof? Watch the evening news on Thanksgiving and watch all those "poor" and "needy" people waiting in line for their free meals. See how many have cell phones, are wearing designer outfits, HIB, loads of jewelry, $100+ sneakers, etc. as they laugh into the camera "'cause they be on TV". A disgusting display each and every year.

[JoeRoss578]

If I read any further than the second page, I think I would have thrown up. Worst bunch of "cry-me-a-river" trash I've read in a while.

[altworld]

That was indeed an interesting article and brought up some good points. When you are at that low point you do start swapping time for money, and it becomes a self-defeating cycle.

Some problems could be solved by access to a free checking account, and would certainly add 5-10% more to you check instead to the local check cashers pocket. If it comes with a Debt card you suddenly are able to pay your bill over the phone, cutting out the bill paying service.

Its just one step to putting more money back into the truely poors pockets.

Another would be regular cheap mass transportation, but we will never see the european every 5 minute model, ride for a $1 a day here because of urban sprawl, and infrastucture was never put into place.

Its tougher at the poverity line than some here realize, and there are the genuine poor who are trying to make good. And sadly there are those who play the system and trash it for those who really do need assistence.

[ybnormal]

Originally Posted by altworld

That was indeed an interesting article and brought up some good points. When you are at that low point you do start swapping time for money, and it becomes a self-defeating cycle.

Some problems could be solved by access to a free checking account, and would certainly add 5-10% more to you check instead to the local check cashers pocket. If it comes with a Debt card you suddenly are able to pay your bill over the phone, cutting out the bill paying service.

Its just one step to putting more money back into the truely poors pockets.

Another would be regular cheap mass transportation, but we will never see the european every 5 minute model, ride for a $1 a day here because of urban sprawl, and infrastucture was never put into place.

And sadly there are those who play the system and trash it for those who really do need assistence.

And therein lies the rub.

[HTMac]

This article is nothing more than socialist babble. Preparing us for the future where those that have (pretty much anything because they are working or have saved for reitirement) will be expected to support those that have nothing or very little because they refuse to work and/or have not planned for retirement or anything else past tomorrow! Be ready people. The powers to be will be coming for your money and possessions.

[jethro666]

None of this is new news to me. I do take exception to this: "The rich have direct deposit for their paychecks. The poor have check-cashing and payday loan joints, which cost time and money." because 1. I'm not rich by any stretch and have had direct deposit for decades and 2. many people, for whatever reason, who aren't poor, use check cashing places and liquor stores to cash their paychecks. It has never made sense to me. The stuff about the corner stores and inner city supermarkets is 100% correct. As is the last person's lament about making just too much to qualify yet folks who do nothing get better bene's. It ain't right!!

[stschott]

Originally Posted by ybnormal

Need proof? Watch the evening news on Thanksgiving and watch all those "poor" and "needy" people waiting in line for their free meals. See how many have cell phones, are wearing designer outfits, HIB, loads of jewelry, $100+ sneakers, etc. as they laugh into the camera "'cause they be on TV". A disgusting display each and every year.

I don't know what you've seen on TV, but I've never experienced that in my years of volunteer work. Maybe it's a Baltimore thing; all my of volunteer work was in York before I moved.

[SomeIdiot]

I think a big part of it is that schools don't teach people practical strategies for getting through day to day life like managing a personal/family budget or obtaining and dealing with credit issues or how to feed a family for cheap. Now don't get me wrong, we need advanced math training to be available for those who have the apptitude and the desire to be engineers and physicists and the like but the reality is more people would benefit from a class on managing a budget and home economics. People who aren't going into technical fields never use anything beyond basic algebra if even that nor do they ever need to know all those elements in the periodic table they had to study. We end up spending time and money trying to teach people advanced concepts that few will ever use while ignoring practical knowledge everyone could benefit from.

They should make advanced maths and sciences more optional in public school but require everyone to take home economics and budget planning 101. With any luck that would help keep people from falling into the trading money for time cycle that the article talks about and the people who want to go farther in the technical fields will have the option to do so.

[overtaxed]

Originally Posted by jethro666

None of this is new news to me. I do take exception to this: "The rich have direct deposit for their paychecks. The poor have check-cashing and payday loan joints, which cost time and money." because 1. I'm not rich by any stretch and have had direct deposit for decades and 2. many people, for whatever reason, who aren't poor, use check cashing places and liquor stores to cash their paychecks. It has never made sense to me. The stuff about the corner stores and inner city supermarkets is 100% correct. As is the last person's lament about making just too much to qualify yet folks who do nothing get better bene's. It ain't right!!

I agree, direct deposit is easy and most places offer it. My son, in high school, works part time at Giant and they have direct deposit.

[Researcher]

Was there anything in the article about the poor folks not finishing school, not trying hard in school, not graduating from high school or college?
Anything about how they were raised? Two parent household?

[ybnormal]

Originally Posted by jethro666

None of this is new news to me. I do take exception to this: "The rich have direct deposit for their paychecks. The poor have check-cashing and payday loan joints, which cost time and money." because 1. I'm not rich by any stretch and have had direct deposit for decades and 2. many people, for whatever reason, who aren't poor, use check cashing places and liquor stores to cash their paychecks. It has never made sense to me. The stuff about the corner stores and inner city supermarkets is 100% correct. As is the last person's lament about making just too much to qualify yet folks who do nothing get better bene's. It ain't right!!

Yep, I see all the "poor" lined up at the check-cashing joint in Woodlawn on Fridays in their new Volvos, Audis, BMWs, Escalades, Jags, etc. It must be terrible to be that "poor".

[ybnormal]

Originally Posted by stschott

I don't know what you've seen on TV, but I've never experienced that in my years of volunteer work. Maybe it's a Baltimore thing; all my of volunteer work was in York before I moved.

Be sure to tune in on Thanksgiving evening - it'll make you sick. I left out the part about how these "poor" park their high-end luxo vehicles a block away around the corner to avoid detection. I have a family member who works at a church that serves up the free meals and he witnesses this every year.

[ybnormal]

Originally Posted by HTMac

This article is nothing more than socialist babble. Preparing us for the future where those that have (pretty much anything because they are working or have saved for reitirement) will be expected to support those that have nothing or very little because they refuse to work and/or have not planned for retirement or anything else past tomorrow! Be ready people. The powers to be will be coming for your money and possessions.

And when those with money no longer have any due to supporting those that don't/won't, what then? Will the freeloaders actually have to get a job to support themselves? The gravy train WILL come to a stop one of these days.

[JBartco]

Originally Posted by Researcher

Was there anything in the article about the poor folks not finishing school, not trying hard in school, not graduating from high school or college?
Anything about how they were raised? Two parent household?

How would that help progress the one-party cradle to grave system??

[MarylandsMissing]

My sister-in-law teaches elementary school in an Applachian coal mining area where there is severe poverty. Most is regional poverty as opposed to situational poverty. 90% of the jobs in the area involve coal mines, so when those jobs are reduced, there is a high amount of poverty.

Sadly, she's had a lot of young girls who believe their lot in life is to grow up and be on welfare. They seemed stunned when she tells them otherwise. Most of these girls come from shanties where they don't know many employed people unless the coal mines are hopping. So, I guess a lot of this is what you know.

She says you will literally see kids coming to school in the same clothes for days. Hygiene is an issue. This isn't due to parents not caring, it's due to many who don't have running water in their house, and sometimes electricity. These kids have parents who show up at all the school events, etc. They are in church every Sunday, and few of them drink or smoke. Many are illiterate, however.

Some of those types though she has to report to DSS. Because they are 'proud' families who will not take welfare. She's had kids come to school who didn't eat anything all weekend. Who have frostbite in the winter because there's no heat in the house. Many are constantly ill.

The region was booming this time last year. The families like above suddenly have working Dads and these problems diminish. Then, you'll see a whole 'nother type of welfare people.

Every year all the school teachers donate $25 at Thanksgiving time, but after last year, the school is discontinuing this. This money goes toward buying meals for poor families. When the jobs are scarce, the families like above are very grateful for the meals. My SIL has received a few knitted items from grateful families.

On the other hand? My sister-in-law called a family last year who lived two blocks from the school telling them to come to the school to pick up their food. They tell her she can bring it to them.

She pulls up to a house. Two kids are running around the yard, neither come to help her. One boy yells in to a man in the house that a woman is carrying food out of the car to the house. Grown man at home while the coal mines are about begging people to come work. Man doesn't even budge to come help her. Instead, she makes to trips to the house. Knocks. He opens the door and tells her where the kitchen is. He sits back down. Beer can in one hand, remote control in the other. Doesn't even say thank you.

[JBartco]

Originally Posted by MarylandsMissing

My sister-in-law teaches elementary school in an Applachian coal mining area where there is severe poverty. Most is regional poverty as opposed to situational poverty. 90% of the jobs in the area involve coal mines, so when those jobs are reduced, there is a high amount of poverty.

Coal ain't cool any more.

I'd leave if I was them.