National Disgrace

National Disgrace

Poverty is defined as the state of living without the essential resources needed to prevent a family from falling beneath the poverty level. Poverty level is the minimum income needed by a family to sustain an adequate diet based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Minimum Nutritional Standards (Valerie, 225). Often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of difficult circumstances, poverty has become a growing issue in our society demanding the attention of every American citizen. Poverty has affected the lives of many American homes, families, and individuals; creating a stigma that prevents these individuals from escaping the incessant poverty cycle (Valerie , 227). When individuals think of poverty, they acknowledge it occurring only throughout third world countries. Most individuals fail to realize that statistics proved nearly 36 million Americans lived in poverty in 2003. These numbers continue to rise steadily each year, leaving families afraid that they will not have enough money to put food on the table (Blanco 1). While wealthy Americans have received greater pays, poverty rates have continued to rise to an extremely high level. Many of working class individuals do not consider themselves living in poverty, therefore failing to see its devastating effects. This national disgrace, affecting millions of people across the country, has done nothing more than to hurt America's image that she is the land of opportunity for a better life. Americans must recognize the growing poverty problem in order to preserve the American reputation and save those individuals entangled in the welfare web.

To better understand the poverty problem afflicting many Americans, one must understand the term "poverty". The term poverty is used to describe the deprivation of material needs, essentials goods, and necessary services. Such necessities include clothing, housing, nutrition, healthcare, and job security. As these items are mentioned, one must keep in mind that those in poverty might have a few of the necessities, but in terms of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Standards, those in poverty do not have enough resources to place them within the designated standard of living. Another use of the term poverty stands as a description for economic circumstances amongst different social classes, families, and individuals. (Wikipedia) In economic circumstances, two types of poverty are considered: the absolute and the relative. According to the 2002 Encarta Encyclopedia, the measure of absolute poverty quantifies the number of people below a poverty line; this poverty line is thought to be independent of time and place. The Copenhagen Declaration describes absolute poverty as a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education, and information. A measure of relative poverty defines poverty as being below a relative poverty line. To clarify the definition of relative poverty, when poverty is defined by comparison, that is a measure of relative poverty. For example, if the government were use the relative poverty method to describe a family in poverty, the government would say, households who earn less that 25% of the American's median income are considered poverty stricken. The comparison between a household's earnings to that of the American's median/average earnings shows the use of defining poverty according the relative poverty method.

With the clarification of this term, one can begin to understand the wide spectrum of this problem within the American society. Jared Bernstein, a labor economist said, "the growth in the number of poor should give us pause, but even more troubling is the growing disparity in America between who is rich and who is poor" (Blanco 1). While the rich become richer, many low-waged workers are losing their jobs. In this competitive world, the huge gap between rich and poor has prevented economic growth from being spread equally (Blanco 2). "In the last few decades, pay for wealthier Americans has risen dramatically--fueled by growth in salaries, bonuses, stock options and other compensation. But wages for millions of lower-wage workers have dwindled" (Blanco 2). These lower-wage families are suffering for the deficiencies of America's government, causing them to become just another statistic in the charts.

With poverty, one of the major issues is hunger. While workers are working hard, they still cannot afford to buy food. To cope with this problem, families are eating less varied meals, visiting shelters, and getting food assistance from food banks and emergency shelters. 3.9 million Americans reported last year that one or more family member actually went an entire day without food (Blanco 3). Can you imagine having to go through a day working a rigorous job or trying desperately to concentrate in school while your stomach is begging for a decent meal? 3.9 Americans have to endure this pain every single day. Having even one person go hungry is outrageous, yet our country does nothing when millions of Americans are struggling to keep their families and themselves fed. Unable to afford necessities, families' resort to going to shelters to seek the aid they can get nowhere else. Although the government has provided food shelters and welfare, not all families living in poverty are qualified for such benefits. If a poor family owns any sort of "luxury item"- for example, a house or a used vehicle- they become unqualified for receiving immediate welfare. If they are qualified, they are placed on a waiting list; despite the fact that these families cannot provide a daily meal for themselves, the government decides that they can wait for welfare aid. (Valerie, 229) Because many shelters cannot find enough financial support, they are forced to shut down. In the case of the Kawaiahao Church shelter in 2006, if the church had not received the last minute donation from Reverend Curt Kekuna and the Central Union Church, 100 homeless locals would not have had a place to live during the Alamoana Park renovation. (Vorsino A4) Receiving funding and donations are never guaranteed, neither is the existence of permanent homeless shelters. This is yet another problem faced by poverty suffering Americans.

There is no definite answer for the causes of poverty. Poverty does not discriminate and one never knows when he will become another victim to this misfortune. Each family has different reasons why they are in a state of poverty and most of the times, the three most common reasons are: education, family life, and business. Education or lack thereof, plays an important role in