12 Nov '13 19:41>
Originally posted by bill718Poverty is an artificial construct. If you want to lower the poverty rate, the easiest way to do it is to lower the government defined poverty income threshold.
"A job should lift workers out of poverty, not keep them in it." Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont.🙂
In any case, poverty definitions for some bizarre reason don't factor in government benefits. Because of government programs like Section 8, Medicaid and food stamps, it's probably accurate that nobody really has to live in objective poverty in the US.
It's also ironic that Bernie Sanders would extol the virtues of lifting oneself out of poverty by working when people like Senator Sanders have consistently advocated expansion of government benefits that make working unnecessary.
I actually admire Senator Sanders. I think his heart is in the right place and some of his rhetoric against the predatory practices of large banks have their element of truth. But unfortunately, he's hopelessly naive in some areas.