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I am not poor. I worked hard, went to school for an education and both my husband and I have good incomes and sound jobs. I am not a democrat or republican but tend to be a liberal conservative:-) I spread the wealth in ways that help the poor better themselves. I tutor for free, I sponsor kids for camps they can't afford and until recently I sponsored several families at Christmas. I decided last year to stop. I requested POOR families, ones who needed help , lived hand to mouth , needed to make sure their kids were provided for over the holidays with food & "Santa" goodies. The last few families turned me off. Maybe I stereotyped what I was seeing but some people know exactly how to abuse the system and do it well. Some who need to ask for help seem to have too much pride and these are the ones I really want to reach out to, but how do you find them? The final straw was when I delivered my Santa goodies and food to this "single mom" and her son. I had filled all the requests on his Santa list and had even bought the mom stuff and bags of groceries, a turkey, ham etc. I drive up to the modest home in not such a good area and the mom comes out with a very expensive weave with extensions. She has long artificial nails with appropriate "bling" I told her she looked nice and made small talk and that is when she said she just got her extensions and they were a "deal for less than $300"..Ok spoken out of ignorance for sure because I was there to help the less fortunate. She invites me inside and I see bags and bags from Belk's, Torrid, shoe boxes from various athletic stores and she apologizes for "the mess". I follow her into the kitchen and she introduces me to "the baby daddy"....There he sat with enough bling to sink a ship and well groomed with the finest clothing. They were both thankful and appreciative telling me I had made a difference in their holiday. I told her I'd like to meet her 12 yo son. She woke him up (it was 2 PM in the afternoon ) I went to his room and when she opened his door I could have fainted. He was in what I would refer to as a throne bed. Very elaborate and he had high end electronics galore and stacks of games everywhere................Moving on............After almost 10 years,this was the second year of "helping the less fortunate" where I realized that they would rather starve then be without the latest big ticket items. I called the Salvation Army and told them I wanted to do what I could to help but give me "poor" people. They said they screen as best they can but alot just know how to dupe the system. I don't think I am the only person this has happened to. I know the numbers of people helping have dropped with these programs. I now just call churches in my area and ask for families in need. This has worked the best. So maybe the "poor" get richer because they work the system and just have no idea how to use the money they have or to save up.
Ok off my soap box. I really miss doing for families through the S.A but the true poor are the ones I want to help.
The poor in this country have a very high standard of living compared to other countries.
Food, clothing, shelter, education, health care, job training just to name a few are all available to the poor.
That is probably why so many poor immigrants are taking risks coming here. We do take care of the poor even if they are not citizens.
Are we doing too much ? Probably. This temporary safety net of social services has turned into a lifestyle for some. When everything is handed to you the incentive to do it yourself disappears.
until recently I sponsored several families at Christmas. I decided last year to stop. I requested POOR families, ones who needed help , lived hand to mouth , needed to make sure their kids were provided for over the holidays with food & "Santa" goodies. The last few families turned me off. Maybe I stereotyped what I was seeing but some people know exactly how to abuse the system and do it well. Some who need to ask for help seem to have too much pride and these are the ones I really want to reach out to, but how do you find them? The final straw was when I delivered my Santa goodies and food to this "single mom" and her son. I had filled all the requests on his Santa list and had even bought the mom stuff and bags of groceries, a turkey, ham etc. I drive up to the modest home in not such a good area and the mom comes out with a very expensive weave with extensions. She has long artificial nails with appropriate "bling" I told her she looked nice and made small talk and that is when she said she just got her extensions and they were a "deal for less than $300"..
Ok off my soap box. I really miss doing for families through the S.A but the true poor are the ones I want to help.
The only fail-safe method is to walk through neighborhoods, knock on doors, and get to know people. Through the entire year. It is the only workable way, and the most re-assuring.
The poor in this country have a very high standard of living compared to other countries. are not citizens.
Are we doing too much ? Probably. This temporary safety net of social services has turned into a lifestyle for some. When everything is handed to you the incentive to do it yourself disappears.
The righteous indignation displayed, in some of these posts, against the poor receiving all this "free" stuff is somewhat misplaced. Or, maybe not misplaced, but rather unbalanced. I have not seen an equal level of indignation directed at the upper income people who take advantage the tax laws that allow them many ways to defer or even avoid taxes. Deferred compensation, real estate investments, insurance policies to avoid gift tax, etc. There are many tax laws that provide havens for the wealthy. It is not surprising that this is so, the people writing the laws are some of those that get the benefits of those laws. Certainly there are many people, poor, that take advantage of the social benefits available to them. Is that any more contemptable than the wealthy taking advantage of the welfare to which only they are privileged? I don't think so. In fact I do take advantage of some tax loopholes. I am fortunate that I can, don't think it is fair, but until the laws change, will continue. The economic burden for both ends of this, is on middle income families. I guess, to some, that we can say "the poor in this country have a very high standard of living compared to other countries" and it may be "too much", may be a little telling us. How do we value the poor vs how we value the rich. Our country provides opportunities for many of us, but not all.
The righteous indignation displayed, in some of these posts, against the poor receiving all this "free" stuff is somewhat misplaced.
Wait, the thread is about how "the poor" has improved over time, not about what people are getting for free. Are you aware of this free stuff somewhere that no one else knows about?
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida.bob
Or, maybe not misplaced, but rather unbalanced. I have not seen an equal level of indignation directed at the upper income people who take advantage the tax laws that allow them many ways to defer or even avoid taxes. Deferred compensation, real estate investments, insurance policies to avoid gift tax, etc. There are many tax laws that provide havens for the wealthy. It is not surprising that this is so, the people writing the laws are some of those that get the benefits of those laws. Certainly there are many people, poor, that take advantage of the social benefits available to them. Is that any more contemptable than the wealthy taking advantage of the welfare to which only they are privileged? I don't think so. In fact I do take advantage of some tax loopholes. I am fortunate that I can, don't think it is fair, but until the laws change, will continue. The economic burden for both ends of this, is on middle income families. I guess, to some, that we can say "the poor in this country have a very high standard of living compared to other countries" and it may be "too much", may be a little telling us. How do we value the poor vs how we value the rich. Our country provides opportunities for many of us, but not all.
Thread isnt another "rich envy" thread, again, its about how the poor arent so bad in society.
Wait, the thread is about how "the poor" has improved over time, not about what people are getting for free. Are you aware of this free stuff somewhere that no one else knows about?
Thread isnt another "rich envy" thread, again, its about how the poor arent so bad in society.
I was referring to the jist of many of the posts, not the premise of the thread. I am sorry if I didn't make that clear, although, I thought I had. But there I go, reading and thinking about what I read.
We sure do treat our poor very well in this country. I don't think you could find a poor kid without a playstation or nintendo player with all the latest games. Plus they have unlimited food to eat. There's really no motivation to work for a living when you already have it all. It's the middle class that's being squeezed, not the poor and not the rich.
Yet their schools are still underfunded, they lack healthcare, have higher percentages of debt, have higher dropout rates in secondary and post secondary levels, and live in the most crime ridden communities. The poor have it soooo good.
Forget about inflation or those stagnating incomes, everyone having dryers and microwaves is the best metric to measure our economic condition.
Exactly.
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