How poor ARE the poor in the USA? - GoFuckYourself.com

sperbonzo · 10-29-2004, 08:49 AM

Interesting article.....

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1713es.cfm

If poverty means lacking nutritious food, adequate warm housing, and clothing for a family, relatively few of the 35 million people identified as being "in poverty" by the Census Bureau could be characterized as poor. While material hardship does exist in the United States, it is quite restricted in scope and severity.

The average "poor" person, as defined by the government, has a living standard far higher than the public imagines. The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:

Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.

Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.
The typical poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)

Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.

Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.

Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.

Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.

Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists, and politicians

JesseD · 10-29-2004, 08:58 AM

Good post. I think few people actually know these stats - especially if you are not here in the US. People from other countries tend to think the US has a great number of poor people - but they don't understand that there are hardly ANY real poor people.

Dawgy · 10-29-2004, 09:00 AM

u really think that the truely poor, impoverished, homeless people filled out the census? i think those stats are skewed considerably simply because of who actually is counted in the census.

C_U_Next_Tuesday · 10-29-2004, 09:01 AM

funny..they seemed to take statistics of people that actually live in houses and have utilities..did they forget about all the homeless and street people.

If you have a roof over your head and food in your stomach, you are not poor.. you are surviving.

jayeff · 10-29-2004, 09:11 AM

Sure, poverty is relative, so what? And where do those stats mention the population equivalent of a very large town which lives homeless in our country's capital alone? Where do they point out that in Washington, people living within a mile of each other may have life expectancies 20 years apart, for no other reason than their economic status.

I really don't care if your morality or political philosophy is such that poverty is of no concern to you. Just be honest. Pretending that poverty doesn't exist or that it is inconsequential, is as disgusting as denying the holocaust.

directfiesta · 10-29-2004, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dawgy
u really think that the truely poor, impoverished, homeless people filled out the census?

Sure. They were called on their cell phones

TheMob · 10-29-2004, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JesseD
Good post. I think few people actually know these stats - especially if you are not here in the US. People from other countries tend to think the US has a great number of poor people - but they don't understand that there are hardly ANY real poor people.

ha, just walk down the street, I can't believe how many homeless people there are and they definitely don't have 2 color tv's, they have one and they tuck it in their mobile shopping cart home.

the article just pats itself on the black and makes it easier for us sheep to look the other way. sad, really.

Basic_man · 10-29-2004, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JesseD
Good post. I think few people actually know these stats - especially if you are not here in the US. People from other countries tend to think the US has a great number of poor people - but they don't understand that there are hardly ANY real poor people.

Yeah, that's interesting

EddiePulp · 10-29-2004, 09:37 AM

The word poor is only relative.... someone who earns $4/week is poor to someone that earns $400/week and that person that earns $400/week is poor to someone that earns $4000/week

Gottis · 10-29-2004, 09:44 AM

Generally speaking, I feel pretty rich when travelling around in the US. The overall standard cannot be compared to for example Sweden. My

Tala · 10-29-2004, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheMob
ha, just walk down the street, I can't believe how many homeless people there are and they definitely don't have 2 color tv's, they have one and they tuck it in their mobile shopping cart home.

the article just pats itself on the black and makes it easier for us sheep to look the other way. sad, really.

Agreed. Apparently there's a difference between poor and homeless, and the homeless don't count. How sad.

BoNgHiTtA · 10-29-2004, 10:33 AM

Im poor

Gynecologist · 10-29-2004, 10:37 AM

There are fat homeless people here in Santa Monica. So I don't feel sorry for them one bit. They sleep in green parks next to the ocean and there are organizations who set up food stations on a daily basis.

Peaches · 10-29-2004, 10:43 AM

The vast majority of people who are homeless are homeless because of their own choosing. Many have mental or addiction problems and they refuse the free treatment they can receive. They don't want to stay in the shelters. They have family that will help them, but they refuse that help.

The government hands out billions of dollars each year in free medical, dental, housing, utilities, education, food, child care, bus tokens, etc. There are people who just won't accept it for whatever reason and there are people who take advantage of it.

Go look at the "poor" in other countries and ask yourself where you'd rather be "poor".

TheMob · 10-29-2004, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gynecologist
There are fat homeless people here in Santa Monica. So I don't feel sorry for them one bit. They sleep in green parks next to the ocean and there are organizations who set up food stations on a daily basis.

Yeah, well it's pretty badhere in San Francisco

pornguy · 10-29-2004, 12:45 PM

Yeah. I am POOR.

TheMob · 10-29-2004, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pornguy
Yeah. I am POOR.

McD's is hiring, I heard.

JesseD · 10-29-2004, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by C_U_Next_Tuesday
funny..they seemed to take statistics of people that actually live in houses and have utilities..did they forget about all the homeless and street people.

If you have a roof over your head and food in your stomach, you are not poor.. you are surviving.

These are not surverys taken in the street - they are actually numbers that are all encompassing and do take into consideration people that do not have homes or live in shelters.

Manowar · 10-29-2004, 02:17 PM

poor isnt really poor anymore

BigWebRev · 10-29-2004, 02:18 PM

we are very poor & like it

lol

xclusive · 10-29-2004, 02:21 PM

There are millions of people out of work because of Bush...

The Heron · 10-29-2004, 02:22 PM

Shit I must be poor, I don't have a fucking dishwasher!

jayeff · 10-29-2004, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Peaches
The vast majority of people who are homeless are homeless because of their own choosing.

The vast majority of people who watch Fox News do so because of their own choosing.

polish_aristocrat · 10-29-2004, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Manowar
poor isnt really poor anymore

That was deep

Peaches · 10-29-2004, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jayeff
The vast majority of people who watch Fox News do so because of their own choosing.

I don't see anyone complaining about the government not doing enough for the people choosing to watch Fox News

Doctor Dre · 10-29-2004, 05:26 PM

When you live in tha ghetto tell me about it . I've never lived there but I know people who has and life is way harder then you think .

10-29-2004, 08:49 AM	#1
sperbonzo I'd rather be on my boat. Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 9,748	How poor ARE the poor in the USA? Interesting article..... http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1713es.cfm If poverty means lacking nutritious food, adequate warm housing, and clothing for a family, relatively few of the 35 million people identified as being "in poverty" by the Census Bureau could be characterized as poor. While material hardship does exist in the United States, it is quite restricted in scope and severity. The average "poor" person, as defined by the government, has a living standard far higher than the public imagines. The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports: Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio. Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning. Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person. The typical poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.) Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars. Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions. Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception. Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher. Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists, and politicians __________________ Michael Sperber / Acella Financial LLC/ Online Payment Processing [email protected] / http://Acellafinancial.com/ ICQ 177961090 / Tel +1 909 NET BILL / Skype msperber

10-29-2004, 08:58 AM	#2
JesseD Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 473	Good post. I think few people actually know these stats - especially if you are not here in the US. People from other countries tend to think the US has a great number of poor people - but they don't understand that there are hardly ANY real poor people. __________________ TUBE TITANS - GET PAID ON ALL FREE LIFETIME REGISTRATIONS!

10-29-2004, 09:00 AM	#3
Dawgy Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 5,856	u really think that the truely poor, impoverished, homeless people filled out the census? i think those stats are skewed considerably simply because of who actually is counted in the census. __________________ the revolution is coming.

10-29-2004, 09:37 AM	#9
EddiePulp Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Australia iCQ:408018496 Posts: 1,332	The word poor is only relative.... someone who earns $4/week is poor to someone that earns $400/week and that person that earns $400/week is poor to someone that earns $4000/week __________________ I dont need a sig.

10-29-2004, 10:33 AM	#12
BoNgHiTtA Confirmed User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,176	Im poor __________________ Wanna see how Adult Site Traffic Scammed me? Click Here:

10-29-2004, 09:01 AM	#4
C_U_Next_Tuesday WW4L Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: over the river and through the woods Posts: 10,581	funny..they seemed to take statistics of people that actually live in houses and have utilities..did they forget about all the homeless and street people. If you have a roof over your head and food in your stomach, you are not poor.. you are surviving.

10-29-2004, 09:11 AM	#5
jayeff Confirmed User Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 2,944	Sure, poverty is relative, so what? And where do those stats mention the population equivalent of a very large town which lives homeless in our country's capital alone? Where do they point out that in Washington, people living within a mile of each other may have life expectancies 20 years apart, for no other reason than their economic status. I really don't care if your morality or political philosophy is such that poverty is of no concern to you. Just be honest. Pretending that poverty doesn't exist or that it is inconsequential, is as disgusting as denying the holocaust.

10-29-2004, 09:44 AM	#10
Gottis Confirmed User Join Date: May 2004 Location: VIP NO ID Posts: 1,746	Generally speaking, I feel pretty rich when travelling around in the US. The overall standard cannot be compared to for example Sweden. My

10-29-2004, 10:37 AM	#13
Gynecologist Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,184	There are fat homeless people here in Santa Monica. So I don't feel sorry for them one bit. They sleep in green parks next to the ocean and there are organizations who set up food stations on a daily basis.

10-29-2004, 10:43 AM	#14
Peaches Old broad Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Away Posts: 13,933	The vast majority of people who are homeless are homeless because of their own choosing. Many have mental or addiction problems and they refuse the free treatment they can receive. They don't want to stay in the shelters. They have family that will help them, but they refuse that help. The government hands out billions of dollars each year in free medical, dental, housing, utilities, education, food, child care, bus tokens, etc. There are people who just won't accept it for whatever reason and there are people who take advantage of it. Go look at the "poor" in other countries and ask yourself where you'd rather be "poor".

10-29-2004, 12:45 PM	#16
pornguy Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Homeless Posts: 62,911	Yeah. I am POOR. __________________ PornGuy skype me pornguy_epic AmateurDough The Hottes Shemales online! TChicks.com \| Angeles Cid \| Mariana Cordoba \| MAILERS WELCOME!

10-29-2004, 02:17 PM	#19
Manowar jellyfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 71,528	poor isnt really poor anymore

10-29-2004, 02:18 PM	#20
BigWebRev Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: L A Posts: 1,631	we are very poor & like it lol

10-29-2004, 02:21 PM	#21
xclusive Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 35,218	There are millions of people out of work because of Bush... __________________ I support MediumPimpin.com / Shemp's Outlawtgp.com /

10-29-2004, 02:22 PM	#22
The Heron Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 4,488	Shit I must be poor, I don't have a fucking dishwasher!