Question: Are the poor getting poorer?

[mikes12]

I often hear the refrain "the rich are getting richer while the poor get poorer."

I'm not arguing that rich are getting richer, although it doesn't bother me. My question is with the second part.

Are they?

I think most U.S. citizens have no true concept of poverty. Many of what we clasify as poor have cars, have clean water (except maybe in Flint, MI), refrigeration, cell phones, and a lot of luxuries that most poor in other countries dream of. Want to see poor? Step into some places loke Haiti or non-tourist parts of Central America.

Someone who is homeless and has nothing, can they really get poorer?

Is it just a political talking point designed to appeal emotionally without critical analysis?

I'm curious on others' thoughts on this.

 

[CajunCrimson]

If you can convince people that as long as someone has more than you, you are poor.....then you can sell socialism much more easily down the road.

 

[Bamaro]

Everything is relative.

 

[PacadermaTideUs]

I'll bet the truth is somewhere in between. The poor aren't truly getting poorer. They just aren't advancing nearly as quickly as the rich. And as the rich get richer, prices tend to rise, especially on luxury items. So though the poor aren't truly getting more poor, it may in fact be true that their overall purchasing power is in fact stagnant, or even being reduced. Possibly.

 

[CharminTide]

Comparing the degree of poverty between a first world country and a third world country is not useful. It's been well documented that the American middle class is shrinking, income inequality is growing, and the ability for people to change the socioeconomic situation they were born into is being negatively affected by the current state of wealth distribution. Dismissing that to claim poor U.S. citizens are not as bad off as poor Hatians sidesteps these real issues and is not productive.

 

[Tidewater]

Comparing the degree of poverty between a first world country and a third world country is not useful. It's been well documented that the American middle class is shrinking, income inequality is growing, and the ability for people to change the socioeconomic situation they were born into is being negatively affected by the current state of wealth distribution. Dismissing that to claim poor U.S. citizens are not as bad off as poor Hatians sidesteps these real issues and is not productive.

I wish that one party would propose raising the top margin tax rate to its historically highest rate: 100% and run on that platform.

 

[Bodhisattva]

States encourage poor people to play the lottery, which is a sound plan for personal finance. With such demonstrated compassion, it is logical and good that the state play a larger and larger role in the lives of the poor. Prosperity is just a little further down this path.

 

[RhodeIslandRed]

There is much more social pathology than ever in the history of the poor. Homocide and suicide rates are much higher.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

There's too many unemployable people in this country, and many who are employable do not bring anything to the table that merits paying them above minimum wage. Why should a business (especially a private business) be forced to pay workers based on what it takes to lift them out of poverty rather than paying them for the value they bring the business?

 

[cuda.1973]

The so-called "poor", in my part of town (you know, the ones that live in Section 8 housing) have cable TV (and 60" TVs), all their kids have cell phones, and drive newer/nicer cars than I have.

So, who is really the poor one?

(The one who pays for it.)

The so-called poor have no idea what poor really is. Their kids don't go barefoot, on dirt floors, with little or no shelter, over their head and probably don't go to bed hungry.

 

[pcfixup]

There's too many unemployable people in this country, and many who are employable do not bring anything to the table that merits paying them above minimum wage. Why should a business (especially a private business) be forced to pay workers based on what it takes to lift them out of poverty rather than paying them for the value they bring the business?

There are too many people, period. Malthus is right.