Poorly

RedStateVT has discussed with many of you our feelings about "the poor," a topic which Liberals endlessly invoke as the rationale for their social engineering goals. Like babies and puppies, the poor are held out as beyond judgment. How could the mean Republicans (fill in the blank) punish/cut programs for/ deny the poor. Vermont's own Colonel Bernie Sanders has "the poor" hardwired into every utterance he makes (along with "tax the rich" and "it's all Bush's fault"). The Judeo-Christian ethic of this country (and indeed all of the great religious traditions of the world) counsel empathy for those less fortunate.  And empathetic RedStateVT is, although we do make an important distinction. Namely, the biblical notion of the suffering and downtrodden poor must be updated. No longer is society divided between the elite and the oppressed. Occupy Whatever notwithstanding, in America and much of the world today, there are limitless opportunities for upward advancement for those willing to work hard. Why in America, the biracial child of a peripatetic single mom can grow up to be the President! For those who suffer the ravages of poverty through no fault of their own - illness, abuse, even bad luck - we extend a helping hand. For others, who suffer as a result of poor choices - drug abuse, profligacy, laziness, unwillingness to take advantage of public education, etc. - we say: "buck up little pony." In the wake of a recent CBO report on poverty which was widely trumpeted by the state-controlled media, we revisited an explanatory report from The Heritage Foundation which attempts to provide clearer insights into who exactly the poor are and how they live. (Or as RedStateVT is fond of asking: do the poor have a flat screen television and a cell phone with internet access?) It is highly recommend reading to all. 


Here is a brief summary:


--The typical poor household, as defined by the government, has a car and air conditioning, two color televisions, cable or satellite TV, a DVD player, and a VCR. If there are children, especially boys, the family has a game system, such as an Xbox or PlayStation.

--In the kitchen, the household has a refrigerator, an oven and stove, and a microwave. Other household conveniences include a clothes washer, clothes dryer, ceiling fans, a cordless phone, and a coffee maker. 


--The home of the typical poor family is in good repair and is not overcrowded. In fact, the typical average poor American has more living space in his home than the average (non-poor) European has. 


-- By its own report, the typical poor family was not hungry, was able to obtain medical care when needed, and had sufficient funds during the past year to meet all essential needs.  


(The Heritage Foundation, Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?, Robert Rector and Rachel Sheffield, July 19, 2011)