Poverty and Unemployment

Figure 8: "Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America" - photos by Stephen Shames.

According to the article Soaring Poverty Casts Spotlight on ‘Lost Decade’, "46.2 million Americans were living under the poverty level" (Tavernise, 2010) during 2010.  The numbers are startling, and the official poverty level is even more concerning.  The article goes on to state that “the poverty line in 2010 for a family of four was $22,314” (Tavernise, 2010).   If a family were to make $22, 314 a year that means the gross wages per month would be less than $2,000 a month.  When one takes into consideration taxes, housing, and transportation costs, there is not much left for food or anything else.  Many American families are not able to provide food for their children, yet in many areas the income limit to receive welfare benefits is so low that it is hard to qualify.  This leaves many families to fall between the cracks.

Figure 9: U.S. Census Bureau;Photo:Tim Boyle/Getty Images

            There are many who are faced with issues of unemployment, which exasperates the issue.  The time that it takes to receive unemployment benefits takes so long that a family may find themselves in a position of losing their homes.  To make matters worse, there are an increasing number of people who are being denied unemployment benefits.  Compounding an already bleak situation, many women are not getting equal unemployment benefit payouts.  In the article Gender and Unemployment Insurance: Why Women Receive Unemployment Benefits At Lower Rates Than Men And Will Unemployment Insurance Reform Close The Gender Gap?, the author states that when “the worker voluntarily quits her job without "good cause"; the worker has been fired for work-related misconduct; the worker is involved in a labor dispute; the worker is not available for or is not actively seeking work; or the worker tums down a suitable job. Many workers, particularly women, do not meet these requirements for unemployment benefits because of different work patterns” (Mitchell, 2010).  The author goes on to discuss how many of the guidelines for women are outdated, and that they were created during a time when “married men tended to be the sole breadwinners of the family and does not take into account the realities of the composition of the current workforce” (Mitchell, 2010).  There is a large number of single mothers, and for those who are faced with losing a job they are often times denied unemployment or will receive less than men.  It is time to take a good hard look at the unemployment laws and make them so that they do what they are intended to.

Figure 10:  NY Times: PETER EDELMAN

In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.

Confucius

This video highlights the importance of school lunch programs.  Not only are they vital during the schoolyear, but through the summer break as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/us/14census.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The above link will take you to the New York Times article that was cited.

http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=125&sid=3a402514-d39b-49f8-affe-560085e1b63e%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=aph&AN=62542839

The above link will take you to the article Why women receive unemployment benefits at lower rates than men and will unemployment insurance reform close the gender gap?

http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/

This link will bring you to the website of The National Poverty Center.  This site holds a lot of information, and it is run by the University of Michigan.