In Reply to: RE: Chris, there are no poor in America, really--- at least none that posted by chris.redmond2@bushinternet.com on January 23, 2010 at 17:53:10:
among the middle and upper classes but, because of their family and resources, they can continue on, i.e. treatment, leaves of absence, loans, allow life to be placed on hold.
Also, many offenders come from the poorer ranks and their incarcerations then keep them from finding employment upon release; society seemingly says they've paid their debt but it really ain't so. During their internment, their families also suffer and it doesn't take a Dickens to realize the ripple-effect. Keep in mind that many poor are jailed from drug-related offenses, the same kind that the rich and middle classes are exempt from or at best are remanded to treatment and care facilities.
Lastly, we have a 50% divorce rate in this country. The largest percentage of the poor at any time are moms with kids and NO male provider--- and a significant number of these women are divorcees with court-awarded alimony/child support but with no collections because of a huge class of male, the "delinquent dad." The women bear the burden of child rearing and are pejoratively labeled by conservatives whereas the dads skip all mention.
Any society also has a significant percentage of folks who are mentally ill enough so as to be unemployable; it doesn't take a very serious emotional problem to make a person undependable or ill-tempered enough to preclude any socialization on a regular basis.
Lastly, a capitalist society needs a 5% unemployment figure so that there are bodies available for growth and to keep the wages down. This isn't debatable, it is taught in Economics 101.
At any rate, it is interesting that in the richest country the world has ever seen, the most popular of modern presidents, Ron Reagan, made a career out of blasting the poor.
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Follow Ups
- There probably are just as many people with serious drug and alcohol issues - tinear 19:27:01 01/23/10 (2)
- RE: There probably are just as many people with serious drug and alcohol issues - chris.redmond2@bushinternet.com 09:47:06 01/25/10 (1)
- RE: There probably are just as many people with serious drug and alcohol issues - DFaulds 08:17:10 01/28/10 (0)