The issue of poverty is one that tends to be waved off as insignificant. Those at or below poverty level are labeled "lazy" and "leeches"(and those on government assistance are referred to as "animals"). However, this topic is anything but insignificant. Here are some verifiable statistics:
- In 2014, the US poverty rate stood at 46 million people, or 14.8 percent of the population.
- Children living in poverty in 2014 numbered 15.5 million, or 21.1 percent (of all ages under 18).
- The White poverty rate in 2014 was 19.7 million, or 10.1 percent.
- The Black poverty rate in 2014 was 10.8 million, or 26.2 percent.
- The Hispanic poverty rate in 2014 was 13.1 million, or 23.6 percent.
- The Native American poverty rate in 2014 was an astounding 28.3 percent.
Despite popular rhetoric, those who live in poverty and receive government benefits are made up largely of the elderly, the disabled, or those in working households. These groups account for over 90 percent of government benefit recipients. [source: CBPP, 2012] In other words, those who receive "welfare" are not able-bodied persons who just don't feel like working.
The top ten states with the highest poverty rates in the country are almost all states that tend to lean to the right (some more than others). They are:
- Mississippi, 24.1 percent
- New Mexico, 22 percent
- Louisiana, 19.8 percent
- Georgia, 19 percent
- Washington, DC [strongly Democrat], 18.9 percent
- Kentucky, 18.8 percent
- Alabama, 18.7 percent
- Arizona, 18.6 percent
- South Carolina, 18.6 percent
- West Virginia, 18.5 percent
(this post will be completed over the next few days)
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