Worse to be born poor in Allegheny vs neighboring counties? (Bloomfield: 2014, consignment)

[wanderlust76]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Maybe someone better than I can analyze out the why on this chart:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...abt=0002&abg=1

Originally Posted by bluecarebear

BS. A child grows up in Clarion County and will make 12 percent more? Where are those people working?

It takes into account people that move and/or break out of whatever situation they grew up in. It's not a county income vs county income analysis. It's saying that more poor kids in some counties for whatever reason on average go on to have better lives and make more money, compared to their peers.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

Inflammatory? Not meant to be.

Not to drag this any more into politics than it already is, but the worst along those lines is how the word "entitlement" is now used by some as if it's a slur. Really all it means is there are benefits (Social Security, Medicare, that someone becomes entitled to by virtue of paying into the system. This distinguishes them from social welfare programs like TANF and food stamps, which people get from the government without directly paying money into.

[Copanut]

I was at the Giant Eagle in Soulless Cranberry the other night and saw 2 very well-dressed 30 somethings with a young child using WIC checks. Guess it's not unusual, but they sure didn't need any financial assistance based on their clothing and vehicle. I was so mad I followed them all the way to their home in Brighton Heights.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Not to drag this any more into politics than it already is, but the worst along those lines is how the word "entitlement" is now used by some as if it's a slur. Really all it means is there are benefits (Social Security, Medicare, that someone becomes entitled to by virtue of paying into the system. This distinguishes them from social welfare programs like TANF and food stamps, which people get from the government without directly paying money into.

thank you!...yes. people are just nuts anymore with the English language. I can never understand how saying someone is "fat" is an insult. And, never call a man "skinny". To me, that would be a complement! It means you are healthy, and likely will have knees that aren't painful when you are over 50. Apparently, "skinny" is an insult.

I was at the Giant Eagle in Soulless Cranberry the other night and saw 2 very well-dressed 30 somethings with a young child using WIC checks. Guess it's not unusual, but they sure didn't need any financial assistance based on their clothing and vehicle. I was so mad I followed them all the way to their home in Brighton Heights.

and when you got there....you ended up staying the evening, playing canasta and watching "Twin Peaks" with them!

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Not to drag this any more into politics than it already is, but the worst along those lines is how the word "entitlement" is now used by some as if it's a slur. Really all it means is there are benefits (Social Security, Medicare, that someone becomes entitled to by virtue of paying into the system. This distinguishes them from social welfare programs like TANF and food stamps, which people get from the government without directly paying money into.

It's not a slur. It's pointing out that some people consider the government programs they use to be more like "insurance" and "social welfare." It's calling out a social fiction. It's not as if you have a choice to participate in the system or not, if you don't cheat on your taxes. It's just definitions created to make middle aged, middle class white people comfortable and to put the social programs they (we) use come first in line for budgeting.

You pay into the system for Medicare by reaching the age of 65 with a disability or having paid taxes (or had a spouse pay taxes) for ten years out of your whole life. You could call that "paying into the system" if you really want, but effectively that means the same as "being alive for 65 years". How that's more "paying in" then somebody getting food stamps while actually working and paying taxes on their income (which most adult food stamp recipients are), I don't even understand.

And plenty of people don't pay in at all for some of these programs. For example, if you are disabled before 22 or if you get end stage renal failure, you get into the "entitlement" part of the social welfare system.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I was at the Giant Eagle in Soulless Cranberry the other night and saw 2 very well-dressed 30 somethings with a young child using WIC checks. Guess it's not unusual, but they sure didn't need any financial assistance based on their clothing and vehicle. I was so mad I followed them all the way to their home in Brighton Heights.

What does style of dress have to do with WIC checks? How should a person recieving WIC checks look and dress? Was there a layoff involved? Did medical bills cause the couple to file for bankruptcy? Or did a wealthy relative take the family to Ross Park mall for retail therapy?

[RogersParkTransplant]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I was at the Giant Eagle in Soulless Cranberry the other night and saw 2 very well-dressed 30 somethings with a young child using WIC checks. Guess it's not unusual, but they sure didn't need any financial assistance based on their clothing and vehicle. I was so mad I followed them all the way to their home in Brighton Heights.

I'm sorry, but this is creepy and scary. And soulless. You drove that far because their superficial signs of money made you angry?

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

I'm sorry, but this is creepy and scary. And soulless. You drove that far because their superficial signs of money made you angry?

Whoosh?

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

I'm sorry, but this is creepy and scary. And soulless. You drove that far because their superficial signs of money made you angry?

[sealie]

Jay, you're on a roll with the visual aids lately. I like.