A Reality Checkon Americans Living In Poverty

by John Waddey⁽⁴³⁾
firstcenturychristian

Those who make their living in the poverty industry insist that there are 35 million Americans living in poverty. The implication is that those of us who are fortunate not to be poverty-smitten should support every governmental initiative to provide assistance for these suffering citizens. Especially should we not complain about higher taxation to meet their needs.

On Fox Cable News I chanced to see the following information about those 35 million poor neighbors. Of that number 46% own their homes. Seventy-three percent own a car. Seventy-six percent have air-conditioning, 96 percent have a color tv and 78 percent have a VCR.

Other factors have to been considered. If we extract from that 35 million those who are here illegally the number plummets dramatically. We have no national obligation to citizens of foreign countries who slip into our nation in violation of our immigration laws. A sizeable number of the poor are in their predicament because they have chosen a life of alcohol or drug abuse and thus are either unable to work or not inclined to do so. Then there are those who are addicted to welfare and find it more profitable than labor. Those I have no obligation to feed.

There is also the underground economy that flourishes in our society. One of the biggest wholesale and retail businesses in America is that of illegal drugs. Those who traffic in this lucrative business do not declare their earnings. Areas of poverty are often centers for drug trafficking. Families can still claim poverty and collect their welfare checks while generating sizeable money from their illicit trade. Some of those living in poverty do in fact make a living, they do so by various types of crime. Neither do they declare their earnings. Many of those here illegally find it profitable to work for cash only. If asked, they have no income to declare and no taxes to pay. Statistically these categories of Americans are poor, but the stats do not tell the whole story.

While there are some who go to bed hungry and cold, their numbers are approximately one million, slightly less than the 35 million the industry pros bandy about. Those who are truly poor, through no fault of their own, tax-paying citizens do not object to assisting.

Article submitted Wednesday, April 08, 2009 & read 40 times.

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