Why Poverty?
America and problems go together like peanut butter and jelly, you can't have one on your sandwich without the other. One of the biggest problems I believe America faces is poverty. According to the US Census Bureau, the poverty threshold for a family of four is $23,850. In 2012, America had over 45.6 million people living in poverty. This is the largest amount of people in poverty seen within the last 54 years. These poverty estimates began 54 years ago meaning this is the largest number ever seen from the US Census Bureau.
Poverty also brings along the debate of why there are so many people in poverty. Are they too lazy to motivate themselves and get better jobs or is it because of our Capitalistic market that creates some winner but too many losers? Another debate that is slowly arising from poverty deals with the American education system. While many people blame teacher unions, another thought is that poverty is the reason for this education crisis. Test scores from students in wealthier districts prove that the American education system is not completely universal, yet the test scores prove that this educational crisis is only apparent in poverty stricken areas. This also proves that America's traditional public school system is not as flawed as it is thought to be because of how well the wealthier school districts perform given the same system.
All in all, while poverty can be debated about whether or not this is the biggest issue America faces, what cannot be debated is that it affects all of us.
Poverty also brings along the debate of why there are so many people in poverty. Are they too lazy to motivate themselves and get better jobs or is it because of our Capitalistic market that creates some winner but too many losers? Another debate that is slowly arising from poverty deals with the American education system. While many people blame teacher unions, another thought is that poverty is the reason for this education crisis. Test scores from students in wealthier districts prove that the American education system is not completely universal, yet the test scores prove that this educational crisis is only apparent in poverty stricken areas. This also proves that America's traditional public school system is not as flawed as it is thought to be because of how well the wealthier school districts perform given the same system.
All in all, while poverty can be debated about whether or not this is the biggest issue America faces, what cannot be debated is that it affects all of us.
Comments
Annie (manager at Walgreen's), "Now a days you can find almost anyone who has been or is in poverty. You may have a friend, a cousin, a coworker or even yourself be the person you know that is in poverty. It's not like this is just a disease or someway we label people, it is their life. They're the ones who are always asking 'what if' because one day a what if might come along. You can even see it here at Walgreen's when they swipe their EBT card. You probably can't tell by looking at them, but was the card is swiped you know."
Cindy (My mother), "It's a shame about how many people there are in America, even in the world for that matter, yet not much being done. We have about 50 million people in poverty, yet we spend how much on other things. If America wants to help other countries, we have to prove to them that we can help ourselves, too, and not just try to cover up the problem like a blemish."
President Barack Obama (Mr. President Barack Obama), "We are a country that keeps the promises we've made. And in a 21st century economy, we will make sure that as America grows stronger, this recovery leaves no one behind. Because for all that has changed in the 50 years since President Johnson dedicated us to this economic and moral mission, one constant of our character has not: we are one nation and one people, and we rise or fall together."
Cindy (My mother), "It's a shame about how many people there are in America, even in the world for that matter, yet not much being done. We have about 50 million people in poverty, yet we spend how much on other things. If America wants to help other countries, we have to prove to them that we can help ourselves, too, and not just try to cover up the problem like a blemish."
President Barack Obama (Mr. President Barack Obama), "We are a country that keeps the promises we've made. And in a 21st century economy, we will make sure that as America grows stronger, this recovery leaves no one behind. Because for all that has changed in the 50 years since President Johnson dedicated us to this economic and moral mission, one constant of our character has not: we are one nation and one people, and we rise or fall together."