Realistically: Can we ever really END poverty? (minimum wage, salary, conspiracy)
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No. Because the premise relies on the childlike supposition that, given a chance, all people want to work, all people want to better themselves, and that all people will make rational decisions about their lives.
It's a utopian vision, and it ignores the fact that there is a sliver of society who will game the system and are perfectly content sitting at home all day waiting for the government check to arrive.
Case in point? I did some consulting work for a municipal housing authority. During my consultation, I had to interview literally dozens and dozens of residents with questions about why they had sought public housing, how long they had been there, etc. etc.
The interviewees fell into two broad categories. The first category consisted of those people who had had terrible luck, and public housing was the last option for them. Most of them were in the process of putting their lives back together and took advantage of programs that helped them develop job skills and gain education.
The other category were the people who were perfectly content with poverty. As long as they could get a government stipend and get paid under the table for the occasional menial labor, their attitude was that work is for chumps.
Besides, it's like ending homelessness. Does every bum on the street really WANT a home and place to live? No. Some are completely happy living on the streets without the responsibility. Don't make the mistake and assume that every individual is responsible.
You can't end poverty because everyone doesn't have the determination to raise themselves out of poverty. When you're given things you don't appreciate them anyhow. It's a never ending struggle for some people just to survive. We've all got free will. They have to will themselves out of poverty, not just be given a handout.
I suppose you're right on this not all are motivated, but many are. They're called the working poor and there are way too many of them in this country. However we can make it easier for those who want to get themselves out of poverty/homelessness to do so, don't you think?
I ask b/c I noticed on the "Who did you vote for?" thread that a poster wanted to vote for Edwards b/c he would "end poverty."
This is not snarky: Can we really ever end poverty?
there is no way to end poverty
even if you took every rich person and gave their money evenly to everyone, within 5 years you would have the same split of rich/poor
the only way to 'come close' to ending poverty is to get rid of all government handouts, and force survival of the fittest..then you 'might' come close
Yes. All we have to do is redirect all the money we spend on military operations and self-defense to the production and even distribution of food and other necessities.
There would still be poorer people and richer people but at least everyone would have their basic needs met.
In order to totally eliminate any socioeconomic gap, we would have to pool everyone's money and redistribute it among everyone evenly (which would never fly for obvious reasons).
Yes. All we have to do is redirect all the money we spend on military operations and self-defense to the production and even distribution of food and other necessities.
There would still be poorer people and richer people but at least everyone would have their basic needs met.
In order to totally eliminate any socioeconomic gap, we would have to pool everyone's money and redistribute it among everyone evenly (which would never fly for obvious reasons).
oh bull
we spend more on social services NOW than we do on the military
I suppose you're right on this not all are motivated, but many are. They're called the working poor and there are way too many of them in this country. However we can make it easier for those who want to get themselves out of poverty/homelessness to do so, don't you think?
There are very few "working poor" in this country. Most are poor because they are not working.
True. But would one rather be poor there, or in a country like India, if not Myanmar?
Well it would be much better to be 'poor' in a nation that pays you to be poor of course...
Where would you rather be unemployed,in a nation that doesn't have the dole or Australia where you are paid $235/week to be unemployed?
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