Ending Poverty in America

[Cerina]

What is the solution? Go!

[Tex]

Kill a lot of ****ing people.

[Evolence]

To the Soylent Green Factory if below a certain income threshold! Advertise it as part of a special expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

[Cerina]

YOU GUYS ARE A BIG HELP THANKS

[Driver]

The government should print more money and give it to everyone.

[Cerina]

I'm fairly certain that the answer starts with an overhaul of our education system. (Ok, I actually think that about just about every issue we have.) Truly educated citizens who fully understand the principles of economics and government are the keys to lasting change.

[Darth Krawlie]

[DANA-kin Skywalker]

The government should take money away from people who earn it and redistribute it to the poor in various forms such as free goods and services.

...Oh wait.

[Lucas1138]

If we get rid of income inequality how will we know who is better than who?

[RelentlessMalice]

Education, education, education !!!

 

Not making education an option but a 100% commitment from every citizen. No excuses or exceptions.

 

Along with that targeting and harnessing peoples natural talents into job skills.

[Ms. Spam]

How about changing banking practices that are geared towards rich people but prey on the poor.

 

The only other option is to equalize it so everyone is poor.

[Destiny Skywalker]

I'm fairly certain that the answer starts with an overhaul of our education system. (Ok, I actually think that about just about every issue we have.) Truly educated citizens who fully understand the principles of economics and government are the keys to lasting change.

I'm plenty educated, and I hate economics, but I do alright in the money department. But I'm being facetious. I think that education plays a huge part in the economic class divide, but we need to do a better job of career-matching. I don't think college is for everyone, nor do I think it should be. After all, I need someone to pick up my garbage in a truck. (I'm channeling Carrie too much today.) I really think we need to stop pretending that a 4-year liberal arts degree in European Arts & Culture is going to get you a job somewhere. Of course, it's not in higher education's best interest to admit to that.

 

I also think we need to wipe out for-profit colleges like University of Phoenix, AIU, and the like. They prey on the poor and uneducated.

[The Human Torch]

Education and education reform. Part of that reform is mandatory trade school and apprenticeships as part of the high school age curriculum. I believe young adults being trained in a blue collar trade, regardless of higher education aspirations, could help in numerous ways; on personal levels like self confidence and on social levels by having the ability contribute immediately.

[Pong Messiah]

I don't care if some people are poor and some people are rich.

 

In a perfect world, we would:

• stigmatize (but not outlaw) behaviors that limit people's capacity for improvement and gainful employment.
• spare no effort or expense on education, activities, and nutrition for children born into poverty (not their fault -- give them a decent chance at life).
• offer vigorous rehabilitation, therapy, and low-cost vocational education for adults who want to rejoin the human race.
• have 100% tax-funded health care with honest-to-goodness death panels (private insurance is still available, of course).
• stigmatize (but not outlaw) greed and employee mistreatment as a society to the point where ugly businesses could count on losing revenue when informed consumers refuse to buy their products.
• have a federal "living wage" that keeps pace with the average city in America (i.e. you might not be able to live in NYC, but you can probably afford to live in Des Moines!).
• waive up to four years of student loans for full-time students who complete a useful degree on a 1.33:1 ratio for military service, 1:1 if they do something like Peace Corp/Habitat for Humanity.

Now, I'm not saying this would end poverty. I'm not sayin' we wouldn't get our hair a little mussed up... but I think it would provide a good opportunity to those who want to avoid or move out of poverty.

 

It's simple, really: if you don't want to follow the rules, go ahead and die in the street. If you want to follow them, at least you've got a shot.

[The Kurgan]

End poverty?

 

You can't.

 

The reason, quite simply is this: there will always be a portion of the population that falls through the cracks, that exists in a strange sort of no-man's-land between full blown neurological impairment and the assistance and oversight that would (ideally) entitle one to, on the one hand, and fully matured intellectual capacity on the other.

 

These sorts of people do not display marked impairment on a day to day basis, but lack the capacity to engage in longer term planning that truly seperates the middle class from those who struggle, even given the most ideal combinations of government policies, education and job training programs and overall economic climate. Their decision making is driven, as Blaise Pascal would have noted, "an inability to sit quietly alone in a room" for any length of time. Giving them more money merely enables bad consumer habits - impulse spending, financial mismanagement and so forth. Cutting their benefits would just deepen their poverty. It is very much a no-win scenario.

 

I see them all the time in my line of work, I'm sure the professionals here do likewise.

[Copper]

Man. I completely agree with Pong.

 

wtf you guys help.

[Tex]

Or as Judge Smails said in Caddyshack, "the world needs ditch diggers, too,"

[Burt]

End poverty?

 

Implement mandatory birth control programs. The poorest of the poor reproduce more than the average, well-off individual. Start tying tubes, especially for mothers known to birth babies with developmental issues (drugs, fetal alcohol). These poor kids never have a chance.

 

It won't happen. Politicians need the votes of the poor.

[The Human Torch]

Really not in favor of regulating procreation, but absolutely yes to voluntary birth control being affordable if not almost free. Including basic prophylactics.

[Tex]

We could always give eugenics another shot.

[Evolence]

It would not necessarily have any direct impact on poverty (depending on how the government utilizes revenues), but a much steeper and more punitive estate tax would go along way towards reducing inequality (if only by shrinking the rich side a wee bit). Also put caps or eliminate some of these trust loopholes that allow lots of wealth to pass within families. It's not that I think a wealthy person shouldn't be able to leave ANY wealth to relatives, but you shouldn't be able to fund a third world country off of an inheritance either. I think that when faced with losing a substantial part of accumulated wealth to the government, families like the Walton's would have much more incentive to pass their wealth to charitable causes (thereby reducing poverty) instead of making the next generation "the richest family in America."

[Burt]

I got to know 12 or so kids through foster care, and it's depressing how many are drug/alcohol babies. So, it's a bit of a personal issue to me, but I don't really advocate general eugenics.

One of the kid's mother had 5 or 6 kids, all with fetal alcohol syndrome. Misaligned ears, droopy eyelids, and dumb as rocks. It's really sad, and it really infuriates me.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

 

I'm fairly certain that the answer starts with an overhaul of our education system. (Ok, I actually think that about just about every issue we have.) Truly educated citizens who fully understand the principles of economics and government are the keys to lasting change.

I'm plenty educated, and I hate economics, but I do alright in the money department. But I'm being facetious. I think that education plays a huge part in the economic class divide, but we need to do a better job of career-matching. I don't think college is for everyone, nor do I think it should be. After all, I need someone to pick up my garbage in a truck. (I'm channeling Carrie too much today.) I really think we need to stop pretending that a 4-year liberal arts degree in European Arts & Culture is going to get you a job somewhere. Of course, it's not in higher education's best interest to admit to that.

 

I also think we need to wipe out for-profit colleges like University of Phoenix, AIU, and the like. They prey on the poor and uneducated.

 

Actually I think a huge problem with higher education is over credentialization. Education helps, I agree, it must be RELEVANT education. Too many STATE universities are offering made up, and USELESS degrees. And they aren't all coming from liberal arts, either. Colleges ranging from health sciences, to law schools, and business colleges offer a plethora of degrees you've never heard of. A LOT of universities are offering "second tier" degrees to fund their colleges on the backs of students that really shouldn't be students, in an effort to increase enrollment. It's all about the money, and universities have shifted from a focus of actually educating students, to enrollment. I work at a university, not going to say which one, but I have been to so many employee "pep rallies" that focus on finding "innovative ways" to increase enrollment, but the bottom line is recruiting for tier one students that will earn degrees that people can actually make a living with, and tier 2 degrees for the students that don't make the cut for purposes of retaining them, but they earn degrees that really are useless, made up degrees, some just having come into existence within the last 1-2 years. It's criminal and its sad.

 

That said, NO ONE should EXPECT a job just because they have a college degree. That is but one of many things that should determine if someone is a right fit for a job. There is no substitute for experience, and there is no substitute for being smart and a hard worker. It is totally possible to degree in one thing, but make a career in a completely different field, if you actually got something out of your education; meaning you actually learned how to critically think, research, and solve problems. I've come across a lot of people who seem to think that since they have a degree, that they are entitled to a certain type of job and a certain pay grade, and shouldn't be bothered with having to "pay the dues," of working schedules that are less than ideal or do certain duties that they feel by virtue of the fact they have a degree are now "beneath them." One could have a 180 IQ and be the most kick ass rocket scientist or whatever other professional you want to list, but if they are lazy, or don't follow directions, or are arrogant and don't get along with other people, or just think certain things are beneath them because they have a college degree and refuse to do them, as an employee, they are about as useless as not having that position filled at all.

 

 

As for ending poverty, I don't see that happening. I can't say much that will add to what Pong and Kurgan already have said. Now there are some in poverty that have circumstances beyond their control, and for those who actually want help to help themselves, I am all for it. But almost like people who become addicts, you often can't help people in poverty, who don't help themselves. Maybe that's simplistic, but really the only control you have is over yourself. You can't help someone else out of poverty, if they don't want to make the effort themselves.

[Destiny Skywalker]

Actually I think a huge problem with higher education is over credentialization. Education helps, I agree, it must be RELEVANT education. Too many STATE universities are offering made up, and USELESS degrees. And they aren't all coming from liberal arts, either. Colleges ranging from health sciences, to law schools, and business colleges offer a plethora of degrees you've never heard of. A LOT of universities are offering "second tier" degrees to fund their colleges on the backs of students that really shouldn't be students, in an effort to increase enrollment. It's all about the money, and universities have shifted from a focus of actually educating students, to enrollment. I work at a university, not going to say which one, but I have been to so many employee "pep rallies" that focus on finding "innovative ways" to increase enrollment, but the bottom line is recruiting for tier one students that will earn degrees that people can actually make a living with, and tier 2 degrees for the students that don't make the cut for purposes of retaining them, but they earn degrees that really are useless, made up degrees, some just having come into existence within the last 1-2 years. It's criminal and its sad.

YES. The for-profit universities are just some of the most obvious ones, and they're getting in a lot of trouble for preying on lower-income students who are really trying to do the right thing and educate themselves so that they have a better standard of living. Even my own alma mater, however, offers a few total crap degrees that mean nothing. Like my friend who spent 6 years unable to hack a Space Sciences BS who finally just took a BS in "Interdisciplinary Science". He's obviously not working in a science field.

 

That said, NO ONE should EXPECT a job just because they have a college degree. That is but one of many things that should determine if someone is a right fit for a job. There is no substitute for experience, and there is no substitute for being smart and a hard worker. It is totally possible to degree in one thing, but make a career in a completely different field, if you actually got something out of your education; meaning you actually learned how to critically think, research, and solve problems. I've come across a lot of people who seem to think that since they have a degree, that they are entitled to a certain type of job and a certain pay grade, and shouldn't be bothered with having to "pay the dues," of working schedules that are less than ideal or do certain duties that they feel by virtue of the fact they have a degree are now "beneath them." One could have a 180 IQ and be the most kick ass rocket scientist or whatever other professional you want to list, but if they are lazy, or don't follow directions, or are arrogant and don't get along with other people, or just think certain things are beneath them because they have a college degree and refuse to do them, as an employee, they are about as useless as not having that position filled at all.

I agree with you, but them I'm reminded about how many of these people I actually work with. You'd be amazed at how long some of these people survive in engineering.

[Cerina]

I totally agree with you guys. You know that only about 35% of the career options in the US actually require a 4 year degree? And I mean actually require, not just because the hiring manager decided that they want to find someone with a degree for some bs reason. Even 2 year degrees are getting out of hand. The community college here in Houston offers a variety of degrees and certificate programs for administrative assistants. There's nothing there more than what you were supposed to learn in high school.

 

I think we need to spent more time stressing technical education and certificate programs for skilled tech jobs that don't require a 4 year degree and apprenticeship programs for skilled labor. Then we can drop this bullshit idea of "rigor" in public schools, and quit testing the students to death. We need to bring back field trips for elementary students, and probably middle school as well, so that they can see and experience more of the world and the options that are open to them. I read an article once where they polled a bunch of elementary students about what they wanted to be when they grew up, and the majority either said they wanted to be a teacher or whatever it is that their parents were, because they never really got exposure to any other careers or professions. If they don't even know what their career options are, how can we expect them to know what level of education is needed?