Poverty in America by Ronnie Bell

The great United States of America! Many would say, “The land of the free” or “The

Country of many opportunities”. A place you can achieve your dreams and live a rich and sustained life without the worry of struggle. But, what is not being mentioned is the epidemic of poverty that affects the mass majority of the human race at an alarming rate. Due to the increase of single parent households, unemployment, debt, rising cost of education, and race, the war on poverty in America is being lost. Poverty is in every city, state, and town in America and is making many people hopeless and rebellious towards the government system and to each other. What is being done to battle this epidemic? How is poverty affecting the children in America? More people will continue to struggle and numbers will continue to rise if poverty is not the main priority in society today.

History

            Poverty in the United States has affected countless people for more than 100 years. Many events have happened to conclude that America has battled poverty and still battling this epidemic in present time. “The Great Depression” was an event that happened in 1929 that set off a chain of events putting the United States into its deepest economic crisis known until this day (“The Great Depression” 1). By the stock market crashing, many banks begin to fail, stores closed, and unemployment increasing causing millions of people go into poverty (Gregory, 1). After this crisis, sworn in President Lyndon B. Johnson soon announced an “unconditional war” on poverty by pushing congress to pass legislation attacking illiteracy, unemployment, and racial discrimination in 1963.

Men, women, and children struggle everyday just to sustain the basic resources to be able to live a comfortable life. Single-parent households are one of the leading causes for the poverty problem over the past 10 years affecting all ethnicities. In 2016, 14% of the country’s total population lived in poverty totaling out to be over 44 million people affected by this epidemic (“The Population of Poverty USA,” 1). Now, to most civilians in the U. S, 14% might not seem like a large number compared to 327,453,645 (“U. S Population,” 1) people living in the United States, but the children of the United States are the main commodities who are feeling the greatest effect in this war on poverty. In 2011, more than 16 million children were living in poverty in America alone (“United States Census Bureau,” 1). That was 1 in 5 kids living below the poverty threshold. Children not only feel the effect of not having as much as most, but also feels that emptiness of not having both parents in a household. As a child gets older in life, they start to understand that both parents are not living together, causing much confusion and neglect. Not only does this effect the child but the household as a whole.

Rising cost of education has increased in a hasty way over the past 33 years for families in poverty. Student loans make up the largest chunk of U. S dollars (Maldonado, 1) meaning college students are already in debt before graduating. Since, 1985 the cost of higher education has surged more than 538% (“Understanding the Rising Cost of Higher Education,” 1). In 2006, 31% of students who attended college in poverty districts lived below the federal poverty line increasing poverty number of all races (Klein, 1). History shows, by education continuing to rise, the cost of education will continue to grow and America will continue to be in debt.

            When measuring poverty, race or ethnicity is a key component that divides the poverty rate by percentages. In 2018, African Americans was the highest ethnicity to endure the harsh reality of being less fortunate with 27.4% of people in poverty in America, Hispanics at 23.4%, Whites at 12.4%, and Asians at 12.3% ( United States Census Bureau,” 1). To determine the total number of civilians in poverty by race, the U. S census bureau uses a set of money thresholds that vary by family size and composition (1). If the family total number of income is less than the poverty threshold, then the family is charted as a family in poverty.

            Unemployment in the United States has been an up and down measurement when comparing the effects on poverty. Unemployment has decreased and increased over the last 18 years, providing a positive effect and negative effect on society. In 2000, only 3.8% of all civilians were unemployed in the United States, marking down as the lowest percentage in U. S History (Chappell, 1). In 2010, Unemployment percentages jumped up to 10% marking down as the third all-time highest, behind the Great Depression in 1933 at 24.9% and 10.8% in 1982 (Amadeo, 1). Unemployment in present time continues to be a bright spot when facing the war on poverty, due to steady decrease in unemployment percentages, and the creations of more jobs, so inspired legitimate working people can continue to feed their families. 

Examples

            Growing up in a single parent home, my older brother and I, have faced the reality of living in poverty. Our mom and dad divorced after 15 years of marriage, and it altered our lives in a hasty way. Our dad was the provider in our home, so most of the finances for us to live were from him. Mom had a job also, but the job did not pay anything close to dad’s salary. After the departure of our dad, we then became a single parent household with our mom. We moved to a two bedroom apartment, which was like 600sqft, with an A. C unit that basically worked off and on. Our clothes later became outdated, and we had to share a bed because we did not have much furniture in the home for one of us to sleep on the couch. The effect of our household being torn apart, and the family atmosphere not being present, was a total strain on our family mentally and financially. As the years passed, our situation got better, but this poverty experience will forever be remembered.

            A great friend of mine went to the University of Texas to major in computer science because he wanted to be video game creator. He was an intelligent person, but didn’t have the funds to be able to pay for school. He worked until he could attend the University and later accomplished his goal of attending the University of Texas. The tuition was expensive, so he decided to take out loans, so he could pay for school. Over the course of 5 years, his student loans accumulated to well over $30,000 dollars and he was now in debt. He was already in debt before he was able to even get hired for a job to start his career. Student loans is basically a monthly bill for him and he is still feeling the effects of past student loans.

Solutions

            When a person is in poverty, it is the individual’s responsibility to seek the necessary resources to help themselves with their hardship. Community leaders and the government has created numerous benefits and programs for civilians to be able to live a better life. The government has provided health care for families, work source housing, online websites to be able to find jobs, student loan forgiveness to help college students in debt, and now any ethnicity man or woman can locate, and find numerous job help located in their community. Not only can people find this help, it is easy accessible.

            Healthcare is a necessary commodity for all men, women, and children. The government has given less fortunate people access to healthcare such as; Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid and Medicare is health coverage to over 72.5 million Americans and is the single largest source of health coverage in the United States (Eligibility, 1). Federal Law requires states to cover certain groups such as; low income families, qualified pregnant women, children, and individuals receiving supplemental security income (1). Not only does the government supply health care, but also Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), that provides a source of low income families to be able to purchase food without using earned money from daily work source. Healthcare and food are two of the most important sources of survival, and Medicaid, Medicare, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, are programs tailor-made for low income families needing help.

            Another important commodity for everyday living is housing. For, low income based families the government has provided public housing. Public Housing is housing that provides decent and safe rental housing for eligible low income families, the elderly, and person with disabilities (“public housing, 1). There are approximately 1.3 million units occupied by public housing authorities (1). This is a program that helps poverty tremendously by allowing low income based families to be able to have a place to stay, with  little to have to pay monthly. The government pays 75% of a housing voucher that is given to eligible participants, and the participant only has to pay the remaining 25% of the remaining balance monthly (1). For example; if a families rent per month is $800 dollars, and the government pay 75% of the monthly bill, then the family will only have to pay $200 dollars a month for living. It has been cases when families only had to pay $50 dollars a month for rent. This is a huge help for low income based families and needs to be taken full advantage of.

           

            The United State is over 1.4 trillion dollars in debt due to student loans. But, why is America so deep in debt? The government offers a program called Federal Student Loan Forgiveness programs such as; Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Forgiveness with Income based Repayment (PSLF) Forgiveness Pay as You Earn (PAYE), Forgiveness with Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Student Loan Forgiveness for Teachers, Student Loan Cancellation, Student Loan Forgiveness for Nurses, and Federal Perkins Loan Cancellation which help pay for students in debt form student loans. All of this government issued programs are available for students that needs help with past and present student loans. Taking full advantage of these services, would help the students who are in poverty due to student loans. But, if not taken more seriously more and more students will continue to struggle in this area.

Camus and Absurdity

            Albert Camus was a journalist who believed life was inherited without meaning. That life can be wildly unreasonable and absurdity to be a fundamental characteristic of the modern human condition. Poverty is an epidemic that cannot totally be resolved as a whole. There is always going to be families in poverty that are going to struggle in life. Many people believe the fight against poverty is a lost cause or even pointless due to the lack of completion as an entirely. Which sparks the question, is it absurd for civilians in poverty to believe there is no hope or chance that poverty will ever end? Or to think that there is always hope, and the chance for poverty to end? Camus wouldn’t agree with the chance of poverty ever ending, or having a chance of ending, by history stating and showing it’s not chance. As long as individual’s doesn’t change their mind frame and approach to poverty issues they are dealing with, there will be absurdity thinking on the topic of poverty.

Conclusion

            Poverty in America is always going to be an uphill battle to resolve. There is always going to be issues with the government’s plans to reduce poverty, and men, women, and children are going to struggle daily to live everyday life. The increase of education, debt, race, and unemployment will always affect millions of people year after year, destroying lives and dreams family by family. With the help of the government, community leaders, and the civilians in this great country in the United States of America, many lives and families will be saved and the fight on poverty will be won.

Works Cited

Amadeo, Kimberly. “Compare Today's Unemployment with the Past.” The Balance, 0AD, www.thebalance.com/unemployment-rate-by-year-3305506.

Chappell, Bill. “U.S. Unemployment Drops To 3.9 Percent - Lowest Since 2000.” NPR, NPR, 4 May 2018, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/04/608442955/u-s-unemployment-drops-to-3-9-percent-jobs-report-shows-gain-of-164-000-jobs.

Eligibility, Medicaid. “Eligibility.” Medicaid.gov, 0AD, www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/index.html.

Gregory, James. “‘The Great Depression.’” The Great Depression in Washington State, 2009, www.depts.washington.edu/depress/.

Klein, Rebecca. “This Map Shows How Many More Students Are Living In Poverty Than 9 Years Ago.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Aug. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/edbuild-poverty-schools_us_55d7ec51e4b0a40aa3ab1f94.

Maldonado, Camilo. “Price Of College Increasing Almost 8 Times Faster Than Wages.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 July 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/camilomaldonado/2018/07/24/price-of-college-increasing-almost-8-times-faster-than-wages/#5028651e66c1.

 “Public Housing.” Public Housing | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 0AD, www.hud.gov/program_offices/public_indian_housing/programs/ph.

 “The Great Depression.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, 0AD, www.ushistory.org/us/48.asp.

 “The Population of Poverty USA.” Poverty USA, 0AD, www.povertyusa.org/facts.

 “Understanding the Rising Costs of Higher Education.” Best Value Schools, 20 Nov. 2017, www.bestvalueschools.com/understanding-the-rising-costs-of-higher-education/.

United States Census Bureau. “Poverty.” Census.gov, 12 Sept. 2018, www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty.html

 “U.S. Population.” U.S. Population (2018) - Worldometers, 0AD, www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/.