Poverty overstated in US?

[StageLeft]

You don't have to eat a lot to be obese. Lack of exercise is more of a factor than overeating.

6 of one, half a dozen of the other; it's excess calories, period. You can get them from eating too much or moving too little. In the end, you eat too much you get fat. That covers 95% of the reason people are disgustingly fat sloth-like land-whale piggy fat-fats. Those who obsess over the minutiae of macronutrient ratios, GI indexes etc. are missing the forest for the trees.

I think the obesity problem is just a great example of the weakness of humans. Some of us can handle it, and evidently most of us can't. I do find it hard to pity an obese person for not having the personal fortitude to dictate the direction of their life to any significant degree and get overweight, like a poorly-trained dog who eats until he's sick if he's allowed to. Our environment changes (more food) and our genetics do not (our bodies like to store extra weight). The overweight and obese are merely those who've not overruled their genetics and the environment takes control.

 

[Eos]

Originally posted by: marvdmartian

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Only in America, can you drive a new Cadillac to the welfare office.

Yeah if you are a Pimp or a Drug Dealer. There's nobody living soley on Welfare who can afford or even qualify to finance a new Caddy.

He failed to mention that Caddy is 30 years old but hey feed the hate against the poor by the rich.

Once again, drivel and fantasy abound.

Let me tell you a story, friend. Back in 79 (the "old days"), I was working part time as a stockboy at my local grocery store. One day I saw a woman who was NOT a minority going around the grocery store with her kids, loading up two grocery carts sky high with groceries. When she went to check out, I was called up to bag the groceries and help her out with them. I remember her grocery bill came out to over $300.......and that was back in the days when you could feed a family of 6 for a week on less than $100, easily! So a $300 grocery bill was ENORMOUS!!
When it came time to pay, I saw this woman pull out a booklet and hand it to the cashier. I was young and innocent, and had never seen food stamps used before, but saw that she paid for all but ~$25 with these vouchers, then paid cash for the remainder. I remarked that she must have a large family with these many groceries, and she remarked something to the effect of, "You have no idea!" I then told her that if she could push one cart, I'd take the other, and help load her groceries into her car.
She led the way out of the store, and started heading over to one side. I saw an old clunker of a station wagon, and assumed (since she had so many kids and was using food stamps) that it was her car, and headed in that direction. Imagine my surprise when she told me no, this was her car, and pulled her cart up behind a brand new Caddy! I know it was brand new, because it still had the paperwork in the side window, showing the price of the darn thing!! She proceeded to load her groceries in her new Caddy, loaded up her kids, and thanked me for my help, then drove off in her car.

When I got back into the store, I remarked about her using food stamps to pay for her groceries, and yet driving a new Cadillac to my manager, who was also the store owner's son. He told me to get used to it, she's not the only one shopping in that store with that situation, by far, and that there were plenty of (as he put it, NOT my words), "Welfare hags on food stamps, living off our tax dollars and driving new cars".

So you see? There's exceptions to just about anything you consider to be a rule. And there's people out there abusing the system, and collecting welfare and/or food stamps, that don't deserve it. I realize that's a difficult thought to roll around in your mind, but it's true........and just because you don't believe it's so doesn't make it untrue, okay? :roll:

Nothing like a 27 year old anecdote to prove nothing.

Is there ANY possibility that the car was a gift? A prize won through a contest? A loaner from a friend?

 

[Eos]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

You don't have to eat a lot to be obese. Lack of exercise is more of a factor than overeating.

6 of one, half a dozen of the other; it's excess calories, period. You can get them from eating too much or moving too little. In the end, you eat too much you get fat. That covers 95% of the reason people are disgustingly fat sloth-like land-whale piggy fat-fats. Those who obsess over the minutiae of macronutrient ratios, GI indexes etc. are missing the forest for the trees.

I think the obesity problem is just a great example of the weakness of humans. Some of us can handle it, and evidently most of us can't. I do find it hard to pity an obese person for not having the personal fortitude to dictate the direction of their life to any significant degree and get overweight, like a poorly-trained dog who eats until he's sick if he's allowed to. Our environment changes (more food) and our genetics do not (our bodies like to store extra weight). The overweight and obese are merely those who've not overruled their genetics and the environment takes control.

I was merely commenting that a person does not only gain weight from overeating, as implied in the OP that I quoted.

He posted that Americans eat too much, are fat because of it and this proves that no one can be poor if you're fat.

I called bee ess.

 

[blackangst1]

All I know for sure is from personal experience. I used to work for a rent to own company years ago, in three major cities. Our target clients are poor folks. I would say 60-70% got SOMETHING from welfare.

I have also traveled to two different continents, and 5 different countries and I can tell you our poor live better than some "middle class" of some of the countries I have been to, and lots better than the poor of every country I've been to. Ask someone on welfare if 1. They have electricity, 2. they have running water, 3. they have a TV, 4. they have a car, and 5. they have a phone of some kind. Odds are most will say yes to all 5. Now ask that of the middle class of some countries...

 

[sierrita]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

You don't have to eat a lot to be obese. Lack of exercise is more of a factor than overeating.

6 of one, half a dozen of the other; it's excess calories, period. You can get them from eating too much or moving too little. In the end, you eat too much you get fat. That covers 95% of the reason people are disgustingly fat sloth-like land-whale piggy fat-fats. Those who obsess over the minutiae of macronutrient ratios, GI indexes etc. are missing the forest for the trees.

I think the obesity problem is just a great example of the weakness of humans. Some of us can handle it, and evidently most of us can't. I do find it hard to pity an obese person for not having the personal fortitude to dictate the direction of their life to any significant degree and get overweight, like a poorly-trained dog who eats until he's sick if he's allowed to. Our environment changes (more food) and our genetics do not (our bodies like to store extra weight). The overweight and obese are merely those who've not overruled their genetics and the environment takes control.

I doubt they want your pity, many probably would feel like kicking your ass for your implication that they are to be pitied.

 

[Orignal Earl]

Originally posted by: blackangst1
All I know for sure is from personal experience.

I have also traveled to two different continents, and 5 different countries and I can tell you our poor live better than some "middle class" of some of the countries I have been to, and lots better than the poor of every country I've been to. Ask someone on welfare if 1. They have electricity, 2. they have running water, 3. they have a TV, 4. they have a car, and 5. they have a phone of some kind. Odds are most will say yes to all 5. Now ask that of the middle class of some countries...

And yet here in Canada, and lots of other countries ( Ireland and Britian for sure ) We are constantly bombarded by ads for these guys

There are millions of starving children right here in the U.S.

And during the half hour shows, none of those poor folks have a car. Looks pretty much like a shack with newspaper walls

 

[1prophet]

A picture is worth a thousand words, this is what poverty on a large scale looks like , hopefully we won't see this again

Kind of makes you appreciate what we have today.

 

[HombrePequeno]

Originally posted by: marvdmartian

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Only in America, can you drive a new Cadillac to the welfare office.

Yeah if you are a Pimp or a Drug Dealer. There's nobody living soley on Welfare who can afford or even qualify to finance a new Caddy.

He failed to mention that Caddy is 30 years old but hey feed the hate against the poor by the rich.

Once again, drivel and fantasy abound.

Let me tell you a story, friend. Back in 79 (the "old days"), I was working part time as a stockboy at my local grocery store. One day I saw a woman who was NOT a minority going around the grocery store with her kids, loading up two grocery carts sky high with groceries. When she went to check out, I was called up to bag the groceries and help her out with them. I remember her grocery bill came out to over $300.......and that was back in the days when you could feed a family of 6 for a week on less than $100, easily! So a $300 grocery bill was ENORMOUS!!
When it came time to pay, I saw this woman pull out a booklet and hand it to the cashier. I was young and innocent, and had never seen food stamps used before, but saw that she paid for all but ~$25 with these vouchers, then paid cash for the remainder. I remarked that she must have a large family with these many groceries, and she remarked something to the effect of, "You have no idea!" I then told her that if she could push one cart, I'd take the other, and help load her groceries into her car.
She led the way out of the store, and started heading over to one side. I saw an old clunker of a station wagon, and assumed (since she had so many kids and was using food stamps) that it was her car, and headed in that direction. Imagine my surprise when she told me no, this was her car, and pulled her cart up behind a brand new Caddy! I know it was brand new, because it still had the paperwork in the side window, showing the price of the darn thing!! She proceeded to load her groceries in her new Caddy, loaded up her kids, and thanked me for my help, then drove off in her car.

When I got back into the store, I remarked about her using food stamps to pay for her groceries, and yet driving a new Cadillac to my manager, who was also the store owner's son. He told me to get used to it, she's not the only one shopping in that store with that situation, by far, and that there were plenty of (as he put it, NOT my words), "Welfare hags on food stamps, living off our tax dollars and driving new cars".

So you see? There's exceptions to just about anything you consider to be a rule. And there's people out there abusing the system, and collecting welfare and/or food stamps, that don't deserve it. I realize that's a difficult thought to roll around in your mind, but it's true........and just because you don't believe it's so doesn't make it untrue, okay? :roll:

That story would be applicable had welfare not been drastically reformed in the mid '90s.

I recall Reagan using a similar story about a woman who rode around in a brand new Caddy while collected several (something like eight) people's welfare. It made for a nice story but the reality of the situation was the woman was only collecting two welfare checks and rode around in a really ****** car. Sure, she abused the system but she was by no means well off because of it.

One problem with our measure of poverty is that it ignores money that comes in from EITC. It's interesting that the EITC is ignored even though one of the main reasons for it is poverty reduction (the other reason is offsetting the impact of FICA taxes). Considering that the EITC is a form of income, why should it not be included?

 

[fitzov]

Whatever helps you sleep at night...

 

[fire400]

if you work at a fast food joint and can pay rent and food and you have proper transportation, and you're not food-less when you need food, you are not in poverty, there are plenty of people like this, they don't hate it because they are single and are willing to relocate if the company needs them.

just a thought. oh yeah, that would be a horrible way to live your life here in America if you are fluent, able bodied and able minded. what a waste of potential...

 

[fire400]

 

[imported_Tango]

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: bobdelt

Originally posted by: shadow9d9

Originally posted by: bobdelt
Well I have a homeless friend in Australia, 3 friends who left Canada to work in the US, all of whom claim Canada is a $h*t hole, dont know anybody from Northearn Europe, but I doubt living standards are much better. Keep in mind most countries in Europe have unemployment rates that dwarf the US.

But please, show me, lead me out of my ignorance, teach about Canada, Australia, and Europe about how much greater it is than US, about how there is less poverty and people earn much more money.

I am sure people will go run out and find that proof for you.. as soon as YOU offer proof to back up YOUR claim...

I asked you to show me, and this is the response I get? Very nice of you to captalize those pronouns. I couldn't have read that if you didn't.

Unemployment rate in europe is almost 10%, under 6% in the US.

http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?t=100&v=69

According to that site, only one northern european has less poverty. Not to mention that the whole idea of comparing poverty between contries is bogus, since someone who is considered to be living in poverty in the US, might not be considered living in poverty in other countries.


What other countries can a homeless person end up getting the loans to go to college, and end up in a top 10 law school. From my understanding, (I dont proclaim to know everything unlike you, thats why I go online, to learn, instead of you, who goes around just telling people theyre wrong without elaborating), from my European friends, that that doesnt happen in the UK. Their government doesnt give guarenteed loans to students, if you come from a povered family, you wont go to a top school. I do know, that in the US, it is very easy for someone to get the loans, to go even to a big fancy private school.


Also, on that list, we had the highest immigration rate, except for Ireland, of the 20 countries I looked at. Nobody moves to a povered country. Especially since that is was probably (not sure) legal immigration, nobody flys half way around the world, to go to a country, that they dont think offers them the best opportunity.

Here is why that means nothing... Unemployment does not relate to poverty in Europe because of their welfare systems. European countires have high poverty rates because people get paid to stay out of work for quite a while, hence no motivation to get another job.

Also, the way Unemployement is calculated is different.