Poverty: United States and Poverty Essays

Submitted By jpbrenton96
Words: 3206
Pages: 13
Open Document
Poverty in America Poverty is one of the world’s biggest problems and has yet to be solved, about 80% of humanity lives on less than ten dollars a day (11 facts about poverty, dosomething.org). Even the world leaders such as the United States of America have big problems with poverty and even how to solve it. The United States of America has around 313.9 million people and of that 313.9 million, 14.5% are living in poverty (dosomething.org). There are so many different ways of fixing poverty but people are consumed by their needs. Society does not help anyone else with their needs. Majority of society takes everything for granted even the smallest things when there is millions of people without clothes, beds, even homes. Poverty can be significantly reduced by a serious change to how the money is distributed in welfare.
America likes to spend money that they do not have and spend it on the needs instead of the wants. According to Anup Shah, it would only cost forty billion dollars to help every single person in every single developing country. The forty billion would cover basic education, clean water and sanitation, reproductive health for women, and basic health and nutrition. Everyone is thinking forty billion is too much to fork over. Annually the United States of America alone spends: eight billion on cosmetics, eleven billion on ice cream from Europe, seventeen billion on pet foods, fifty billion on cigarettes which in the end will kill you, 105 billion on alcohol, 400 billion on narcotics, and 780 billion on military (Anup Shah, Globalissues.org). Forty billion does not seem like such a big number anymore and that is because it’s not. The solution to coming up with forty billion could be making the change on how much is given out through welfare. There are tons of ways to become part of the battle against poverty. Poverty has been around as long as humanity has been around. Poverty altogether would cost more than forty billion because the forty billion only covers a few things.
There are two different ways to start the battle to reduce poverty one being an agreement called, “0.7% agreement,” or to make a serious change to welfare. Annually, welfare gives out fifty to seventy five billion dollars and annually America goes fifty to seventy five billion dollars further into debt. “The current welfare system provides such a high level of benefits that it acts as a disincentive for work,” said by Tanner and Hughes. In over 40 states welfare pays over the minimum wage. Why work a minimum wage job when welfare pays over that? That needs to be reduced immensely because this is giving the people on welfare the opportunity to just not work anymore and not try to get back on their own. If the welfare bonuses were reduced and put back into education or put into giving them a new start instead of just paying them to sit and do nothing. There should be requirements such as: must attend a second chance school or go back to school and maintain a 3.0 grade point average, must find a job or volunteer some hours. Things that will make them have to get out there and do something to earn the money. As for the 0.7% agreement that is more for the wealthy and not the already poor. The agreement is to give 0.7% of what was earned over the year and donate it to an organization that will help poverty or directly donate it to the 0.7% agreement that most of the world leaders are a part of.
The 0.7% agreement is the solution to help against poverty for the rich or the financially stable people of America because it involves giving money. In March of 2002, the conference was held by all of the world leaders; the conference was held to decide if the world would come together and make a change for poverty. They all agreed to make “concrete efforts” towards a 0.7% agreement. The 0.7% agreement was the plan to save as many countries as possible and to begin the battle against poverty. Twenty two of the world’s wealthiest countries are gearing up
Show More

Related Documents: Poverty: United States and Poverty Essays

Poverty In The United States

The definition of poverty, as stated by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions.” Some main causes of poverty include disease, natural disaster, over population, and lack of education (Causes of Poverty). According to “The World Bank,” over 1.2 billion individuals live in extreme poverty, under 1.25 dollars a day, and approximately 2 billion live on less than 2 dollars a day (Poverty Overview). Many organizations…

Words 501 - Pages 3

Poverty In The United States

Poverty Research Poverty is the state in being poor. It is a major complication in today's world especially in the United States. Poverty has destroyed families, children’s lives, and has caused serious issues for a long period of time. There has been many changes and attempts to solve hardship in America over the past few decades and it hasn’t fully been solved. 14.5 percent of all Americans are in povery and lack material possessions and money. Being in poverty includes financial hardship, hunger…

Words 679 - Pages 3

Poverty In The United States

Poverty has affected and will continue to affect the government for many years to come. The government has set safety net programs in place to provide more opportunities to those who do not make above a certain amount. The government programs have reduced the number of poor individuals as well as reducing the number of uninsured individuals. These programs are provided through the government but the federal revenues have to come from somewhere to supply the government funds. The federal funds for…

Words 1299 - Pages 6

The Absolute Poverty In The United States

There are millions of people that live in poverty in the united states. Most of these people do not have a proper diet and live in neighborhoods with high crime rates, exposure to dangerous enviromental conditions and run down homes. Poor people are more likely to suffer from every possible health condition, like heart disease, diabetes and their average life expectancy is lower than the majority of the population, rich people have a higher chance of not having any of these problems. The number of…

Words 298 - Pages 2

Generational Poverty In The United States

million people living in poverty in the United States. The agency reported this represented the first significant increase in the poverty rate since 2010” and defined disadvantaged economic conditions, including low income, and material wealth that negatively affect individuals, families, and future generations. Generational poverty is a growing and complicated issue that could put America at risk of becoming unstable or losing wealth if not carefully considered. Generational poverty can be caused by many…

Words 573 - Pages 3

Homelessness And Poverty In The United States

homelessness and poverty in many cities in the United States. It is a shame that in California specifically in the bay area there are thousands of homeless. Although in this area live some of the richest people of the country authorities do not do anything to solve the problem. Poverty went from 39 percent in 2000, to 42 percent in 2009 (Chau, Thampi, and Wright, 2010). I think that parents have to be educated and aware about the problem in order to decrease the number of children living in poverty. The best…

Words 200 - Pages 1

Poverty in the United States Essay

POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES Poverty in the United States today has many faces. There’s the pleading face of a middle-aged man on a city street holding up a sign that says “Hungry, Need Help.” There’s the anxious face of a young child in a schoolroom somewhere, whose only real meal today will be a free school lunch. There’s the sad face of a single mother who doesn’t have enough money to buy clothes for her children. And there’s the frustrated face of a young man working at a minimum-wage job…

Words 1413 - Pages 6

Childhood Poverty In The United States

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world, but yet poverty still exists here. Childhood poverty affects every aspect of their life. Poverty is not having income for basic needs, food, housing, clothing. Poverty is a crisis that deserves attention from everyone. Poverty has many faces, but it’s an invisible problem and their voice is seldom heard. Who are the Poor? The poor are people who lack money and resources for needs. Poor families have a diverse background and circumstance in…

Words 343 - Pages 2

The Importance Of Poverty In The United States

Poverty should be one of the government priority, It is understandable that the the government cannot take everyone out of poverty, but I believe there should be more action taking towards poverty than there is now. The government think that they are doing there best to get rid of poverty, but in reality they are creating more poverty. In 2013 the 15.8 percent of the United States was receiving income below the poverty line (Census Bureau). It has been decreasing, in 2014 it was 14.8 percent (Census…

Words 430 - Pages 2

The Role Of Poverty In The United States

education program, and food stamps have improved children's education and health, and led to more productive lives.” Poverty has had a big impact on our world because it has had people suffer and if they are suffering they don't have enough to support their families. The United States should continue the war on poverty. One reason why the United States should continue the war on poverty because there have been various programs that have helped the poor . According to Martha J. Bailey in the article…

Words 338 - Pages 2