Why Are 46 Million Americans Living in Poverty?

[Lily]

"The latest Census measurement of U.S. poverty out Tuesday found that 46 million Americans live in poverty. Ray Suarez examines what's behind the highest level of poverty in America since 1993 with Douglas Besharov of the University of Maryland and Isabel Sawhill of the Brookings Institution."

www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/july-dec11/poverty_09-13.html

[Lily]

It's not only in the US. The problem of poverty is increasing everywhere.

Percentage of people living below 60% median income (ascending order):
Sweden 12.3%
Germany 13.1%
France 14.1%
United Kingdom 21.8%
United States 18.3%

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_Kingdom

Canada: www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/15/poor-canada-poverty-statistics-canada_n_877311.html

[john]

About 47% of black American men do not work. About 43% of white American men do not work. Is there any wonder so many are poor? Minimum wage at 40 hours a week puts you above poverty level for a single person. A childless couple, each working 40 hours a week at minimum wage earns twice the federal poverty level for two. You have to have a lot of children to be poor in America if you work at least 40 hours a week. Government studies show that poor Americans do NOT work 40 hours a week. Half of all households in America receive a check from the government. Poverty is the result of laziness, unless the person is really disabled.