Mostly A but

I think the gov't has an obligation to try to eradicate the "poverty lifestyle".  I have no magic plan for it - that's not my area of expertise. 

I don't think we should be pouring more money into programs that simply allow people to continue to live on next to nothing in crappy housing with no idea of how to raise themselves out of it. 

I don't even know what is out there, but if I were 18 and a new single mom, here is what I would want (not expect but it would be darn helpful):  the state to compel child support from the father if he won't pay it on his own (they do, and its usually not enough because the dads are young and broke too), a vocational training program - allow me to take only a program that will enable me to get a decently paying job, pay for my childcare while I take the program, and when I am first starting out in the new job, help me with subsidized child care until I am paid well enough to make it worth staying at the job and not just going back on AFDC.   That would keep me off of welfare.  I have a friend who experienced help similar to that back in the early 90s, but I would bet that not all states have those options open to welfare recipients. Simply telling someone to go work at McDs for $6/hr is not going to cut it because daycare is expensive.  OK I also know that we are talking about people that might need to learn to read first, or get GEDs or a multitude of other reasons that they just can't cruise right into say, legal secretary school or training to work computer tech support jobs. I had another friend who never finished 9th grade and had 3 kids by age 20. She was married to the father, and they were making ends meet for a time, but she had a long road ahead of her if she ever wanted or needed to work at a decently paying job. 

Our "system" needs to be overhauled and I don't know where to start but its not going to happen if we leave it up to elected officials who get voted in and out of office too frequently to be there long enough to make effective changes.  I just don't know how to effect the change we need.

• Regarding poverty in America... A little survey - SM
  • It is so much more than A and B. It can't be - fully discussed here...sm
  • A combination of both, but mostly A - sm
  • Relevant article - Sandy
  • Both. Choice A "can" put you there, but so can a major illness, accident, fire, etc. - but..... sm
    • Thank you! Be careful though, - in a minute you will be ....sm
    • THIS economy is doing well, unemployment at 4.9%. Where do you get - the doom and gloom? NM
      • economy doing well? did you ever consider unemployment is lower because after people lose their job - empyMT
        • supposed to be, after people lose their jobs, they are forced to take part-time, lower-paying jobs.. - emptyMT
        • my post did not all post in the subject, my apologies... - emptyMT
      • Well...let's see. In 4 years rent in our area has increased at least $500/mo. - but..... sm
        • You need to move. That is terrible. Bless you. - Gosh
          • Why? Except for the rent all the rest is the same everywhere. - nm
            • Duh - I'm paying $2.79 for gas and - Gosh
              • LOL...do you have a TV? - sm
                • You were the one complaining, not me. I was just - Gosh
                  • Maybe there is a misunderstanding. - but....sm
                • Nothing has increased for me except gas and - Gosh
        • Well, all that is true where I live too, but you STILL can't park at the mall - or get a seat in a restaurant. nm
          • CREDIT, everyone is living on credit, and from what I see - emptyMT
        • Don't believe the news media (sm) - Peanuts
  • e:poverty..opinion from the inside out - MQ'r
    • You made several of my points.. - OP
      • Yes, she lived it. I'm curious though, - she mentioned her parents..sm
        • It's the same old story... - SM
          • Amen on babies having babies - MQ'r
            • The teenaged girls in my neighborhood are - it's all over the place
  • Complex question as others have - said - probably a bit of both..sm
    • A reply... - SM
      • More reading - sm
        • Me again - SM
          • You obviously didn't read the - article and have made up your..sm
            • This country has.... - SM
              • You only read what you want to.. - sm
                • OKay, we've got that much. Now what is your solution? - No msg
      • So how do you explain the numbers - in the article? sm
        • The BBC? - SM
          • Can't answer the question about - the growing gap between rich..sm
            • I don't have sound on my computer.. However, - sm
  • I think both, but not as simple as that. - mtathome
  • A - INDmt
  • Mostly A but - more complex than that
    • Learning to read... - SM
    • ABSOLUTELY. Poverty doesn't just happen. The programs - Yes, I'm from NY
      • I agree with you on here, but why pay someone less because they are poor - no name
  • poverty - kks
  • A - nm
  • Mostly A. - n.m.

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