| USA economic downturn leads to 50,000 homelesss veterans living in the streets in California | |
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| Jun 24, 2008 03:20 |   |
 | According to a report released by American Ministry of Agriculture on November 14th, 2007, at least 35,500,000 Americans were under starvation in 2006. In a survey about ordinary Americans' accommodations in 20 cities, the number of people applying for the urgent temporary housing projects increased to 193,183. According to statistics, about 750,000 people were homeless in the USA. 50,000 retired veterans are living in ther streets in California. Since the founding of USA, American soldiers made great contributions to the nation and the world's peace. American soldieres are the pride of American people. American soldiers helped various administrations and the nation go through the toughest moments. Now, they are living in the poverty and living in the streets homeless. The income gap between the rich and the poor increased rather decreased in the USA. Why didn't the American government take some measures to safeguard the veterans' living? Photo from Chinaorg A veteran sleeps in the street in front of the building to San Francisco City Council.  |
| Jun 24, 2008 18:14 | #1 |
| GUEST24684 | The USA has no "ministry of Agriculture". The DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, in that 11/14/07 press release simply stated that 'almost twelve percent of Americans', (e.g. @ 35 million citizens), are either deficiant or in excess of recommended daily dietary standards established by the U.S. FDA...' I live in one of America's poorest regions, rural Oklahoma. No One around here is starving. Most of my poorest neighbors are as likely to be fat from unhealthy eating as to be skinny or undernourished. Please get your facts straight. Thanks, Ben James Cushing, Oklahoma, USA |
| Jun 24, 2008 19:43 | #2 |
| First of all there is no "ministry of Agriculture" in the U.S., there is a Cabinet position of Secretary of Agriculture. It is sad but studies keep showing that "homeless" people are the result of lifestyle choices. Drugs, alcoholism, mental problems, poor spending habits (Example: buying cigarettes or pet food instead of saving money) or lack of a desire to better one's situation will consign an individual to rely on public support. America has so many social programs and charitable organizations that no person in their right mind would be homeless for long. In fact it has been attributed to the "deinstitutionalization" of mentally incompetent individuals that led to many communities "homeless" problem. The U.S. Veterans administration medically treats veterans - but mostly for service -related injuries or illness. U.S. solders are VERY well paid and savings programs are available. However if someone gets into a financial situation many years after his term of service is up- how should that be tied to his former employer - the U.S.? As for starvation - that is laughable. We have the fattest poor people in the world. Our idea of one person's minimum nutritional requirements would feed a whole family in many parts of the world. Food is cheap here. A smart person, spending their money wisely can eat very well without spending much money but most would not be willing to forego prepared foods and snacks. Parents with children may qualify for free meals at school or vouchers for free food. Elderly people who have little money qualify for free hot meals delivered to their homes ( meals on wheels). Again, anyone who is not eating properly has made some poor lifestyle choices and is dodging the do-gooders who are trying to help them. |
| Jun 24, 2008 20:18 | #3 |
| I guess Johnny gathered the information from a Chinese website and he translated it from Chinese into English. China has the Ministry of Agriculture, but USA doesn't have. (Exactly, its counterpart in USA is called “United States Department of Agriculture). Anyhow, we can understand what he means. YINDUFFY, I am really curious about the real picture of USA because I have read a book "The Working Poor: Invisible in America". The book written by David K. Shipler depicts the lives of the working poor in the United States. The picture about the poor Shipler presents is quite different from what you said. He said that the working poor belong to the forgotten Americans. Have you ever read about the book? I read the book twice and was deeply touched by his concern for the working poor. The book received quite positive reviews from critics. |
| Jun 25, 2008 07:22 | #4 |
| Leonardo, America's "working poor" still have better opportunities and lifestyles than most countries "poor". Our standards of "poor" are above middle class in most countries. While it is true that housing costs ( rent, property taxes, mortgages, etc.) are high many are simply unwilling to sacrifice and make lifestyle changes necessary to improve their condition. A good example can be found in the immigrants both legal and illegal and their sending money back home to relatives despite having minimum wage jobs. They are willing to live in a fashion most Americans simply would not tolerate and they are able to save money. Many "working poor" have cable TV,smoke cigarettes, go out drinking and spend money unnecesscarily. Cigarettes here can cost $7.00 a pack and a night of drinking can easily cost $40-$70.00. Many of these same people eat out instead of cooking at home. They will pay $ 7.00 for lunch instead of making a sandwich at home for less than $1.00 Many get into debt and cannot pay off the debt but bankruptcy laws help. If there was an easy solution, the world would be a happier place. |
| Jun 25, 2008 21:04 | #5 |
| A 'poor' family in America has at least 1 car. They think they are 'poor' because they cry about $4 a gallon gas while splurging on designer stuff costing more than $100 each every season. Books and articles are written from the point of view of the authors. Authors can have their biases. Nothing beats seeing things for yourself. |
| Jun 26, 2008 20:06 | #6 |
| I am sorry for the wrong input. I saw an article in a Chinese website: china.org. I thought the organization was equal to the Ministry of Agriculture in China. |
| Jun 26, 2008 21:38 | #7 |
| Yinduffy & Shesgottobe, I understand your points. I know poverty is relative. The poor in America may have a better condition than their counterparts in other countries. As I read the book, I found the scenario of the working poor in USA is no better than the living conditions of the poor in China. Kids from the poor family have to drop out of school because of no money. Many a kid suffer from asthma because the poor ventilation in the dilapidated shelters. >>America has so many social programs and charitable organizations that no person in their right mind would be homeless for long. In fact it has been attributed to the "deinstitutionalization" of mentally incompetent individuals that led to man's communities "homeless" problem.<< Yinduffy, I admit that America's social welfare system is probably better than the rest of the world. Well, we must also admit that American social welfare system still has loopholes. Your aforementioned points represent the core of "American Myth" or "American Dream". The author Shipler untangles the "American Myth" based on his investigation. In order to finish his book, the author rooted himself in the life of the lower class of Americans. He had countless interactions and interviews with the working poor almost from the whole USA ranging from the immigrant workers in grape plantations in California to the sweated labour in sweatshops. As the author said, there was no composite character in his book. A lot of book reviewers endorsed him. Yinfuffy & Shesgottobe, If you have time, I recommend you to read the book: "The Working Poor: Invisible in America". I read the book when I was a sophomore three years ago. The book is still one of my favorites on my book shelf. Yinduffy & Shesgottobe, anyhow, thanks for sharing your viewpoints with me. I understand how Americans of middle class (I guess that you two belong to the US middle class) view the poverty in the USA. IPerhaps, there are "the working poor", but they are invisible in American society. I am thinking if the poor can have the access to Internet and computer. If I they have, I would really like to hear their voices on the issue of poverty. Yinduffy & She, I am grateful to you for your inputs. Bow! ^_^ |
| Jun 29, 2008 22:47 | #8 |
| GUEST1680 | Even in New York, there are beggars. " Where there are the rich, where there are the poor". |
| Jul 1, 2008 22:23 | #9 |
| GUESTPOOR | A 'poor' family in America has at least 1 car. Really? So China Lags far behind the USA. A "poor' family in China has at most 1 bike. |
| Jul 2, 2008 20:15 | #10 |
| everyone, we are working poor immigrants with family equity value MINUS - debts and poor wages are not able to catch up with the growth of debt interest...however i don't want to give up highly leveraged house and car because they are necessities. fortunately i don't have to subsidy relatives at homecountry. I don't know much on U.S.A, but i know U.S.A lags behind AUS, NEWZEALAND, ENGLAND,FRANCE, CANADA, JAPAN in terms of social welfare system. i heard a person who used to work in U.S.A said that in uni of columbia, he was worried about someday somebody would break into the classroom door firing at him when he teaches night course, which implies social class intense and race intense because of sharp inequaliy in social wealth distribution. |
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