Poverty in the United States
Millions Below Poverty Line in US – What Obama is Doing for Them?
The war on Poverty Children in US is an ongoing process. More than millions live below the poverty line in US and needless to say that one out of every four children lives below poverty line. The definition of poverty line set by US government takes into account inflation, using the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and it recognizes that poverty is lack of goods and services that is considered basic amenities by mainstream society.
The poverty threshold is the common measure used for statistical figures and analysis. The poverty rate was highest in the year 2000 at 11.3 percent and since there has been considerable decrease. Poverty children rate under age 18 decreased to 5.8 percent from 16.2 percent (in 4 years from 2000 to 2004). Official estimates reflect poverty rate for children in 2006 at 2.4 per cent. However, OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) measures poverty on altogether different indicators and have concluded that in US alone the children poverty is at 20 percent in the year 2008. There are other independent surveys that that say that one among 6 children is living in poverty in America. This; however, reflects that there exists serious disagreement on how poverty should be defined in US.
Whatever be the statistical figures and definition of absolute poverty and relative poverty it is certain that lack of income influences a child’s day-to-day living and growing up. Whether it is in terms of inadequate nutrition, instability of habitat, few learning environment, lower quality of education, exposure to environmental pollution, drug abuse and home violence-all of these have direct impact on child’s well being and all are a direct outcome of low income of state of poverty.
The well being of a child is measured on some broad factors such as physical health, cognitive development, learning ability in school and emotional behavior. All these factors reflect that there is an inherent association between level of income and well being of a child.
There are several government funded programs to help bring in a lasting change in the lives of poverty children, such as giving them literacy, physical activity and nutrition as well as programs to support early childhood development. But honestly, to bring over a change, it is important that poverty be eradicated on along term basis through income policies and concerted efforts of each and every citizen by allowing greater distribution of resources for generating income in the lower income-strata people.
June 12th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Excuse me, since when is it the government’s problem to bail out millions under the provety line. I am getting so sick of people thinking that they are entitled. Entitled to have a credit card, entitled to have TV, entitled to have a home. I didn’t grow up this way, and I had to work for everything I had. I was broke once, I had to go to school. I didn’t lie around asking what was going to happen to me and my kids. AND Then expect the government to save me. Please