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Poor enough to get morbidly obese.
I've heard it said that poor people in America would be considered rich around the world. What I found is that to be poor in America is to own a home, car, tv/dvd player, Air Conditioning, cable television, and good nutrition. There is a 4.5 year disparity in life expenctancies attributed to smoking, obesity (not starving), and high blood pressure.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Wel...ad/bg_2064.pdfThe following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:
As a group, America's poor are far from being chronically undernourished. The average consumption of protein, vitamins, and minerals is virtually the same for poor and middle-class children and, in most cases, is well above recommended norms.
- Forty-three 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.
- Eighty percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, in 1970, 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 average 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; 31 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.
- Eighty-nine percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and more than a third have an automatic dishwasher.
Poor enough to get morbidly obese.
Holy crap, I'm poor... Where do I sign up to get my money?
So now we can blame the poor for not being poor!
"own their own homes"
really? Isn't it the mortgage lenders who hold the les?
How many "poor" have paid off their homes and own the le free and clear?
Whats the average household debt for the "poor" vs their household income?
What's %age of their earned income is paid to IRS?
How many of the "poor" have (sufficient) health insurance? (do they "just go to the emergency room?"
What %age of the "poor" declare bankruptcy vs other categories?
yes, the American poor are wealthy compared to the world's poor, so 'em. But please do cut taxes for the super-wealthy and corps ad infinitum.
not in Texas, but that's besides the point. They are building equity which is a far cry from the tree houses the poor around the world live in.
most people haven't done this, so it's irrelevant.How many "poor" have paid off their homes and own the le free and clear?
DTI, I don't know, but what's the point?Whats the average household debt for the "poor" vs their household income?
ZeroWhat's %age of their earned income is paid to IRS?
How many have porsches? What's your point? I focus on Life expenctancies, not somone can afford new teeth and someone else can't.How many of the "poor" have (sufficient) health insurance? (do they "just go to the emergency room?"
Again, what's your point?What %age of the "poor" declare bankruptcy vs other categories?
again, what's your point?yes, the American poor are wealthy compared to the world's poor, so 'em. But please do cut taxes for the super-wealthy and corps ad infinitum.
what is the point of this extreme hard right wing Heritage report?
are you arguing the facts? Facts are non-partisan in my book.
the point for me is using the "poor" as a political tool is ridiculous. The "poor" in this country are doing pretty well. Not everyone is en led to a jet ski, lakehouse, fine dinning, annual vacations, etc... I don't feel guilty about it either.
what about three meals a day? lunch programs for kids? We know you don't give a about anybody but yourself. Your a conservative..
I was poor growing up, but I didn't really know it because all my neighbors were poor too.
Regardless, I still think we are pretty generous in this country when it comes to taking care of the terminally stupid and lazy.
you can't see beyond your own bigotry. If you really want to make a difference for the poor, conservative values are what really work.
They're poor by American standards and the society we live in. That should end it.
How ironic you claim that I am blinded by my bigotry yet you lump all poor people as having tvs, homes, and cars. The reason you do this is so you can justify your indifference to our nation's poor. Hence you are a conservative. When speaking of poor people conservatives alwasy have to add " they shouldn't be buying 100.00 pair of shoes', or " they own tvs and their own homes".. The heritage foundation is a right wing org that will do anything to justify thier indifference to poverty.
What's a consevative value? The majority Dems work hard for their money. They serve this country and most put in a hard days work. Let me guess conservativbes have these cornered?
But they're not poor.
Maybe the real point is that the poverty threshold should be lowered. If you can afford cable or HD TV but you can't afford 3 meals then there IS something wrong.
I think there's pretty bipartisan indifference towards the poor. One side wants to throw money at the problem and the other side wants to ignore them.
you've never been to Mississippi
I did post the statistics didn't I?
My argument is that conservative values are more effective in helping the poor.The reason you do this is so you can justify your indifference to our nation's poor.
more bigotry from you.Hence you are a conservative.
I didn't see where I mentioned that, so there goes your always. Are you even open to discussion?When speaking of poor people conservatives alwasy have to add " they shouldn't be buying 100.00 pair of shoes',
I repeat, knowing the truth and then basing policy decision from that point will help the most people.or " they own tvs and their own homes".. The heritage foundation is a right wing org that will do anything to justify thier indifference to poverty.
That's why our poor are relatively rich. The picture you may paint of the poor are in the minority and personal responsibility is what those people need.What's a consevative value? The majority Dems work hard for their money.
again, go beyond your own bigotry.They serve this country and most put in a hard days work. Let me guess conservativbes have these cornered?
correct. see above post.
So why are you giving advice to help people that don't exist?
see post above, but if you're too lazy here it goes again. The picture of the poor that liberals paint are people that would benefit from personal responsibility, not class warfare.
But they're not poor.
I would imagine that there are many mechanics who bust their asses for 50 hours a week but can't afford health insurance for their familes. Would they benefit from more personal responsibility? What about those people work two jobs but still can't make ends meet? Do they need a good dose of conservative personal responsibility?
when you have something to say please let me know.
I don't see any valid indicators of wealth listed here. FYI, consumer electronics are pretty cheap, esp. if they are second hand. "Space" is a function of population density, not wealth.Forty-three percent of all poor households actuLuck_The_Fakers_ally 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.
Eighty percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, in 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
Only 6 percent of poor households are overLuck_The_Fakers_crowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.
The average 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; 31 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.
Eighty-nine percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and more than a third have an automatic dishwasher.
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