Session 9

·         Who you think is poor, both in the United States and globally.

            This session again confirmed that highest percentage of poor consist of African Americans, single mothers and children. The American dream film showed a single mother and a single father who were both African American as surviving on low income.

            Also people who were on welfare program during the Clinton administration, were statistically helped and aided better. More people had jobs when they left the program and also gained work experience as well as education while being on the program. After 2004, this completely changed. Higher number of people were unemployed and they received welfare benefits for a shorter amount of time.

·         Why you believe people are poor in the United States and globally.

       A lot of poverty comes from a young age or a previous generation. Apparently the single parents who have low income and are supporting a family were in the same place as their children when they were young. They themselves were raised by a single parent on low income and now they have a child in the same situation. It seems like an endless cycle.

            Another reason that derives from the first is teenage pregnancy. A lot of single mothers have a child at a very early age and can barely support the child with the time they have. They can work a fulltime job, but then have to pay for childcare and if they worked less to take care of their child they would barely survive off the money they make.  

            Also, the welfare program being separated on a level of federal and state government does not help the people on welfare. In Georgia, the benefits last less than 60 months whereas in other states with less poverty rates, it is 60 months or more. The maximum benefits are also less in GA and the south overall even the fact that the south has the highest poverty rate in America.

 ·         What you think is being done about poverty

            The government of the U.S. has put into place several anti-poverty programs. Many administrations have also tried to reform welfare with Clinton administration being the first to have a major healthcare reform.

            Programs such as Mothers pension, ADC, and AFDC are the main programs offered by the goverment. AFDC was a major change in the 1996 reform act and was transformed into TANF.

            There is a fairly recent anti poverty program put into place as well. The EITC (earned income tax credit) helps poor families get more tax rebates. Also married parents with more children get more credit.

·         How well you think poverty is being addressed currently in the United States and globally.

The welfare programs are sub-par at the best in the United States today. Newer programs like EITC is a step in the right direction for reforming welfare. As for separating federal and state benefits, that really damages more than helping poor people. Georgia only spends 2% of its budget on these welfare programs, which is just sad.

 ·         What you personally think should be done about poverty in United States and globally (e.g., policies, programs you would suggest).

            I think instead of encouraging families to not have kids out of wedlock, the government should have educational programs to even think about having kids after marriage. The endless cycle as see in the movie in Angie's case proves that. People first need to have financial responsibility and security before planning a kid as that not only affects the parents, but more importantly the child's.

            Also programs like TANF should be federally governed instead of individual states choosing their own agenda. Programs like EITC are also good for progress.