Creating jobs, raising minimum wage, donating to the poor are not going to erase the poverty out of the United States of America. The government defines poverty as the bottom fifteen percent of annual income. No matter what one does to increase a person’s income there will always be someone in poverty. Across America there are always charities, religious groups, and civic clubs who are giving to the poor--from food giveaways, clothing giveaways, free tutoring, free health screenings, whatever else there is constantly something for the poor to benefit from. The problem is that people want to help, but if they are constantly giving the needy these items, services, or money, then are the poor becoming dependent? When will one person stop …show more content…
If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime” (“Chinese” par. 1). This ancient proverb has some truth in it. Right now in America, the poor are not being taught “how to fish” instead they are relying on charities to give away food and clothing for them to survive. Through work readiness programs and a reform in food and clothing distribution, charities can cut the parasite of the dependent poor and prepare them to go out and earn what they need. Job preparation programs are an excellent way to minister the poor and needy by preparing them for the future and empowering them to be able to take care of themselves. In Seat Pleasant, Maryland, the Training Source offers job-training program, self-improvement workshops, and skill training. The Training Source is teaching those who do not have jobs, job skills which will equip them and help them to find a job (Singletary par. 9). Once the poor and needy have a job, they will not need to rely on donations of food and clothing to survive. In my hometown, Anniston, Alabama, the Christians Women’s Job Corp and the Christian Men’s Job Corp pairs men and women up with mentors who will help the needy with obtaining their GED, interviewing skills, resume building, how to dress for success, and applying for jobs. The job corps also provide, upon completion of classes, interview appropriate clothing and transportation to job interviews. Both of these programs are helping
Raising the minimum wage is a very important public policy issue. Raising the minimum wage is a responsible policy that is supported by research and demanded by the American public. Each day, minimum wage workers across the country struggle to make ends meet and provide a decent life for their kids (Scott & Perez, 2016). Raising the minimum wage is a controversial issue, many believe that raising the minimum wage would only provide low wage workers more money to spend. However, the benefits can be endless for low wage workers. If minimum wage is increased across the United States it would afford the people effected more opportunities for financial freedom. Increasing the minimum wage would raise the standard of living for low wage workers, allow families to be removed from poverty, allow for government welfare spending to be reduced and lastly additional income being spent would positively affect the economy.
Rex Huppke, a journalist for the Chicago Tribune, deftly discusses the pros and cons of raising the minimum wage in the last of a two-week series in “In the Minimum Wage Debate, Both Sides Make Valid Points”. Although I am for raising the minimum wage, Huppke’s presentation of the opposite argument does make one think beyond the gut reading that everyone deserves more money. Huppke’s argument that a large number of minimum wage earners are student of the elderly leads me to believe that a tier of wages would take care of the issue. For example, anyone working less than 35 hours a week would be paid at a certain rate; with full time getting an increase. I am not concerned by the argument that a higher minimum wage leads to lay-offs or price increases when most products sold in America are manufactured by cheap foreign labor. There is already a huge profit margin that could sustain such an increase. Rather than give discounts on goods and services, thus preventing employees from exercising the right to shop, stay or eat wherever the employee chooses, these employers trap workers into giving back the very money they have “slaved” for.
For a nation of 323.1 billion people, it is astonishing to see the people of America unaware of some situations. According to The Center for Poverty Research, in 2015, an estimated 43.1 million Americans lived in poverty according to the official measure. We are not doing enough to help those in need. Of course there are places for people to get help but so many people are struggling. “In 2015, 12.2% of men lived in Poverty USA, and 14.8% of women lived in poverty” (The State of Poverty). As a nation, we could try to be more considerate to the people that need help. “Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave” (How Poor is America’s Poor?). Some people suffer silently. They may have all of these things but they will always be in need of assistance. Our government has ignored the poor people of America and it is time to take action. Already, there are food
Picture this: You are a single parent of two, you work 40 hours a week plus occasional overtime at a minimum wage paying job, you struggle to put food on the table to feed your family, and then you receive a call from the bank saying that your home is being foreclosed. This is the situation faced by thousands of Americans every year due to low income and wealth inequality. The federal minimum wage (FMW) as of April 2014 is $7.25, which is not enough to keep a family of two above the poverty line. There are certain questions on this topic that should be addressed, such as why is poverty and wealth distribution an issue in the United States today? Should the FMW be raised and why? How would raising the FMW affect American families? What are
According to Cinque McFarlane-Blake in his response to Rhome Balmeo’s inquiry about lessening the gap between the rich and the poor, the rich should try to create job opportunities for the poor. One of these opportunities could be urban farming and teaching the poor to grow food to sell to manufacturing companies or even small companies. I agree with Cinque McFarlane-Blake’s beliefs because in the United States, people who are poor, generally stay poor because of America’s social structure. With the help of the rich, or organizations that help people find jobs, the poor could learn skills that will, in turn, help them provide for their families and perhaps move up the social ladder. Several non-profit organizations such as homeless shelters,
Imagine standing over a scorching grill for hours, taking care of the elderly, both lifting and transporting heavy loads, basically doing back breaking work; only to be making less than $8 and hour. That is the reality for millions of people in the work force who are earning minimum wage. Whether or not minimum wage should be raised has been a question many people have been discussing for years and has become quite controversial. Those opposed to increased minimum wages would argue that a minimum wage salary is already sufficient enough, or in some cases even “too high”. In spite of the opposing sides, it is almost certain that a rise in minimum wage will either positively or negatively affect several aspects of the country. For one, an increase in minimum wage could result in an economic shift. Furthermore, the current poverty level within the country, with the help of a higher minimum wage, would either decrease or as a result. Thirdly, a change in poverty levels caused by a higher minimum wage would ultimately change the amount of government spending and those who receive it. Minimum wage being raised would definitely be impactful not only the people receiving those minimum waged salaries, but also the economy, their families, and even the government funding.
In recent years, the demand for an increased minimum wage has erupted across the nation. During the ongoing debate, a few states, cities, counties, and companies have taken the initiative to raise the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour to the varying wages of $7.50-$11.50 per hour. According the United States Labor Department, 29 states and the District of Columbia pay above the minimum federal level of $7.25 per hour. The raising of the minimum wage has numerous supporters; however, there are individuals who are opposed. The analyzation of ethical theories, such as, utilitarianism, altruism, and egoism will be utilized to obtain a more significant understanding of the importance to raise the minimum wage to a livable wage.
Many people want the Government to increase minimum wage so they can earn more money. What they don’t understand is all the consequences that the impact of raising minimum wage would have on our economy and the poor people in society. Sure it would guarantee you more money but it doesn't have a positive effect on the people it is suppose to help. A minimum wage increase would force businesses to cut the unskilled workers forcing more of them into poverty, which will ultimately hurt them when the price of goods go up.
Throughout my life, I was taught to help those in need. Not because it was supposed to make me feel good about myself, but because it is the right thing to do. The United States is a strong and wealthy country, and yet poverty is one of the most persistent social problems within its borders. A poll by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development asked the public: “How would you describe being poor in the U.S.?” The responses focused on homelessness, hunger, and not being able to meet basic needs. If poverty is the lack food, inadequate housing, and clothing then relatively few of the 46 million people identified by the Census Bureau as being “in poverty” could be characterized as poor.
Many people assume that raising the minimum wage will benefit a lot of employees and see it as a positive direction, but wanting what they want can be a huge drawback for a lot of people as well. Prices in products will rise as well as health benefits. This can be a very negative impact on society. In the other hand, it can benefit everybody and nobody's saying that because many assume that they’re crazy.
“Paying your employees well is not only the right thing to do, but it makes for good business”-Jim Sinegal, CEO of Costco. Many of America’s employees are not being paid well, however, for the annual income of a full-time employee who works year-round is less than $16,000 (about $15, 080) according to the current federal minimum wage (Rebuilding). To put into retrospect how out-dated the federal minimum wage is, consider that the minimum wage of 1956 amounted to exactly $7.93 in 2009 (Henderson). How progressive is it that our nation’s workers being paid less today than workers from the 50’s? The federal minimum wage should be raised in order to assist families out of poverty, to ensure the effort and loyalty of workers, and
There will always be those people who do not want a job and are too egocentric to get an education for the sake of their family. Those who are hard to reach, can put a barrier on the path to reform and success in a community. A proposition to fix these circumstances could be presented through flyers, billboards and moral classes. In order to reach a full potential, the people around have to boost those who are in need. Despite the obstacles, the measures presented in this paper can truly support the wellbeing of American’s living in poverty no matter how elongated the process may
Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 is not the answer. The various amount of unintended consequences that would come about as a result is reason enough not to support an increase. Those who support an increase contend that it will alleviate poverty. Suppose a spike in the minimum wage does reduce poverty for some workers. This development will be offset since an increase in the minimum wage will further price out inexperienced workers from the job market, resulting in an increase in unemployment and thus, poverty. This can properly be described as a catch-22 situation; no matter happens, someone will lose. When you take these negative affects into account, is an increase in the minimum wage worth it? As expounded further, no it is not.
While it has proven to be difficult to end poverty in America, Peter Edelman is optimistic. In his book So Rich, So Poor Edelman makes a call to action. There are four prominent ideas that underpin Edelman’s reasoning throughout the book: (1) More people must understand why poverty is still so prevalent in America; (2) extreme poverty must be taken into consideration as a shocking 6 million Americans’ sole income was food stamps in 2011. This fact alone creates a sense of urgency that drives Edelman; (3) increasing income inequality should be treated as a moral issue; and (4) bold political action will be required if substantive progress will be made in alleviating poverty.
The minimum wage is the lowest possible wage that employers can legally pay their workers. Today, it seems like everyone has their own opinion on the minimum wage. Should it be abolished, raised, or should it remain the same? I will talk about the pros and the cons of raising the minimum wage as well as my own opinion if it should be raised or if it should stay the same.