Forum Post: Poverty at all time high: 49 Million make $5,500.00 a year or less!
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 8, 2011, 3:30 p.m. EST by TheCloser
(200)
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16% of the total population, according to the Census, live in poverty. 9% unemployment plus 7% working poor.
How dangerous are the poor? Have they had enough to take matters into their own hands?
Credit Card debt is 14 trillion. Find out more at #Balance Transfer Day
Consumer debt is an absolute wild fire right now. It's eating generations of peoples' prosperity right before their very eyes.
Yes, and the single biggest reason for personal bankruptcies in the United States is the inability to afford medical bills.
I know. The poor and elderly are asking themselves, "do I buy more cat-food and crackers or pay my medical bills?" It's a tough spot. But then again, life IS suffering. Personally, I'm mostly concerned about people who can't care for themselves: infants, elderly, sick.
please go to http://www.facebook.com/balancetransferday We have an interesting solution to make credit card rates low again
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Great film. Thanks for posting this link.
Quibbling about a few percentage points of income tax avoids the real problem. We need a complete revamp of the system. We should equalize everyone now. http://www.equalize-now.org/
Sure. Our 'debt-bias' tax system stinks! You get taxed to earn a living, yet you get to 'write off' mortgage interest. You pay taxes on your savings, and 'carry forward' on your investment losses. It's BONKERS I tell ya.
"You load 16 tons whatdaya get .. another day older an deeper in dept. ...owe my soul to the company store."
Jesus says the poor will always be with us.
HE also said to give to the poor......I do that .....how about you?
Ok Christian, thanks for noticing yourself on this post. I think we're all obliged to care for anyone in need to the extent that does not disrupt our safety.
Whatever you do, don't tell them they can keep what they find in the houses of the rich.
It works for other people. The Chinese oil companies manipulated the Sudanese gov't to use the Janjaweed to clear villages away in Darfur and keep whatever was left. When there's oil business to be done - the show must go on at all cost. It could happen here as well.
Yikes! ...Machetes are a crude method of redistributing wealth, although it is the fear of them that prevents such imbalances in the first place. Constitutional Law needs to be implemented to be of value.
THANK YOU for posting this.
The plight of our poor is the prime reason why I'm involved in this Movement.
TIOUAISE, Since you care, how would you characterize the problem and is it headed towards danger?
I was just talking to a geopolitical analyst about this very question and he estimates that close to 50 million Americans are now living in poverty and that "social inequalities in the States now resemble those in banana republics". His conclusion : "Such a situation cannot last".
He's had concerns for many years about civil war erupting in the U.S., but the OWS Movement gives him hope that a nonviolent overhaul of the sytem is still feasible. IF THE 1% HAD ANY SENSE AT ALL, they would JUMP at the opportunity that is being offered to them by OWS of a peaceful solution to our national crisis. OWS is an incredible GIFT, even to the 1%.... let's hope and pray that they wake up in time to realize it!!!
Otherwise, I'm afraid the words of John F. Kennedy may come to pass : "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." John F. Kennedy, In a speech at the White House, 1962 35th president of US 1961-1963 (1917 - 1963)"
Violent revolution in this country would mean a bloodbath and I doubt that we could ever recover as a nation.
Why do you think Warren Buffett wants to pay more taxes, and Bill Gates wants other billionaires to donate half their wealth to charity? Because they know that this situation can't continue. The rich have been making class warfare on the poor, but let the poor complain then it is the rich who scream class warfare! But to be fair it is not necessarily the rich per say, but large corporations. Banks charging extravagant fees. Corporations undercutting wages, yet raising prices.
TIOAISE, great post! Personally, I think the scale of this problem will result in more deaths than the tobacco industry issued last year. And sadly, these things must happen.
You write :"And sadly, these things must happen."
I hope and pray that the 1% will WAKE UP just in the nick of time... Some in fact already have, declaring that they WANT to pay more taxes. So we musn't fall into despair and fatalism, we must do our utmost to RESTORE SANITY in this country in order to avoid a bloodbath.
Not all Corporations are bad actors. Let's hope there's competent leadership somewhere out there - otherwise things will get very, very messy.
You write : "Not all Corporations are bad actors." I agree! In fact I have a friend who is a well-to-do banker but a man of unimpeachable integrity and he is with OWS all the way. In fact, he argued passionately in favor of the Movement on TV.
You know what? I wish the "men and women of good will" in the 1% would form a Movement whose goal would be to COOPERATE with OWS to restore SANITY and find ways of putting an end to the "war on the poor" that billionaire Warren Buffett spoke up about.
By the way, you might like this article :
http://www.thenation.com/article/164434/war-against-poor
Ok 'Nation' reader: I have no problem with the 'rich' whatsoever. I have a problem with the pervasive unconscionable conduct in order to take money and post earnings with only a quarterly perspective and no social conscience. We have corporations that feel obliged our to act fraudulently, especially if the legal costs to do so seem manageable. Don't look to your politician to solve this problem - they're a tool of the corporation - most corporations offer executive level, 'Politician Management' platforms in order to keep the legislative risk low and keep the fundraisers going. In balance, not all politicians are prey to the corporation - just most of them.
Agree.
You're cool. Keep up the diligence.
For a little "comic relief", you might want to try my new post :
http://occupywallst.org/forum/a-plot-by-young-extremist-cardinals-to-occupy-vati/
Here is one: www.activistpost.com/2010/08/10-signs-us-is-becoming-third-world.html
People don't understand. you can get money and start a business yourself you know. Become rich.
Working pour? minimum wage is more the 5500 a year! sooooooo.... yeah...you lie
OHHHHH - you can just "get money!" Wow. Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that I could just go "get money" - this will solve all my problems!
yeah. If you got good grades and got into college you would now you could. And you know how to spell! :-)
Strange. I have a master's degree, but have never found that it allowed me to simply "get money."
A master's degree from were a community college?
Don't criticize what i said because you have never tried it and i have and it worked so come back and comment when you have tried it.
This is a typical protestor trashing people who make suggestions because they don't want to work.
Lol... You've tried just "getting money?" From where? The money pile? Or Oz? I hear the city's made of emeralds there.
Well two things.
you would all love OZ since you are all thieves their and would steal everything.
I will put this in your terms: You make business people come and buy stuff from you ok?
OLLAG, Not everyone is fully employed at minimum wage. Many people are under-employed. Since you don't read the papers; I've provided a link to one: http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/new-measure-puts-u-s-poverty-rate-at-16.html/
A "basic income" (social security for all from birth) is a straightforward solution to the problem of poverty in the middle of material abundance: http://www.usbig.net
http://www.basicincome.org/bien/aboutbasicincome.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Credit
No one wants more danger. We want answers and accountability. Poor are dangerous when their children are threatened. If they can't feed their kids they will resort to crime or protests with leadership.
They are too lazy to do anything about it. Same reason they are poor. They have no work ethic.
You are a fool.
There are lazy people,yes. There are addicted people, yes. There are shiftless people, yes. But there are hardworking people that are still poor. There are single mothers with children that are poor. There are people who have had hard breaks, and are poor.
Do not let your heart be hardened.
Why are there so many single parents out there. Maybe the girls shouldn't be on their back if they aren't ready for the responsibility.
Yes, the men have absolutely no part in women becoming single parents. And they certainly can't be expected to use condoms.
If the women wouldn't let the men put it in, we wouldn't have this problem.
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"Adding the basic programs and you have:
Cash income: $5,000 a year. Food stamps: $8,000 a year. Rent subsidy: $4,000 a year. Tax refund: $3,000 a year.
Total: $20,000 a year.
Add Medicaid and it is $30,000 a year income.
That is not a whole lot of money but it is enough to get by without buying clothes at the local Goodwill. And of course I am leaving out free breakfast and lunch at school, which adds another $1,000 a year subsidy per school-age child (4 or older)"
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/45784
Good point. Generally, it's good to poor in America. That being said, if you we're dealt these cards, is it enough to keep you, from disruption in your life? Do you deserve more? Is it enough for the medicine for your children? I appreciate your link - there's a large scale problem with how people feed themselves - ever seen someone rich and fat? Sure you have!
This is the problem with a high minimum wage. We need to lower wages so that people can actually get employed and earn more.
It's an idea. I think the US does have a real problem trying to figure out how to price their labor and services. Why shouldn't our meritocracy work based on merit?
EXACTLY what the Demicraps want: more State dependents. The Demicraps largest constituency.
'oldfatrobby', I take it you're suspicious of the Democrats, as you should be. In all seriousness though, how dangerous is a population that has little to loose?