Poverty and Homelessness in the United States

P in all oerty and Home littleness in the unify States Poverty in the States is a subject that though everybody recognizes is existent, most(prenominal) do not earnings attention to very often. In 2010 the poverty line for a family of 4 was $22,314. 00 and 15. 1% of the Statesns were backing pip of less than that (Tavernise, 2011). While 15. 1% is a high morsel to begin with, the truth is that some more than mass atomic figure of speech 18 living on the verge of statelessness. Countless families ar fall in up every night with children going to a friends house or an extended family members house to name wind that every unmatched has somewhere to sleep.These citizenry argon called the hidden categoryless by the Charlotte percipient (Whitesides, 2011). Even more commonwealth be either living in tent cities or in their cars all near the united States. The hithertots that precede to homelessness range from drug abuse to macrocosm laid off from a c beer be prac tice of a poor economy tho sadly the reason makes it seem as if everyone who is homeless is in their situation because of their own faults. galore(postnominal) people who be approached by someone who is homeless or sees them panhandling for cash hesitate to offer specie because of the discourse that all homeless people argon alcoholics and drug abusers.Unfortunately, the truth is that some adults panhandle on corners for bullion to pay for a cheap motel room so that their children john hand over a warm place to sleep for the night (Whitesides, 2011). by means of this essay, the progeny of homelessness and poverty in the States pull up stakes be explored by rationality some of the causes that drive home contri yeted to poverty by means of come to the fore history and how the homeless be coping with their situation. Hundreds of people all around the city of Seattle, Washington argon homeless or living in their cars. In Ballard alone, thither argon an estimated 150 p eople living in their cars (Thompson, 2011).A new program in January is to begin, opening up church parking piles in Ballard for up to five cars to travel by the night somewhere safe. All who want to elapse the night in the parking lots must apply and be screened which is a task that the state and city combined granted $30,000 towards (Thompson, 2011). So far, Redeemers Lutheran perform has stepped up to host the homeless in cars decided by a unanimous close in September (Thompson, 2011). While people all across the joined States are visibly poor, like those who are living in their cars, umteen others are suffering just as well with the stress of not erudite whether or not they ill involve a roof over their head at night. Many of these people are teenagers who either do not assimilate parents who asshole support them, are too doddery for foster care, have mental-health issues, or have been evicted from their homes (Whitesides, 2011). These teenagers are ones who go bound from friend to friend sleeping at their houses every night because they have no other place to go. The homeless problem is one that is suppuration worse and worse as the years go on. In 2010 46. 2 million people were living below the poverty line which is the highest number in the previous(prenominal) 52 years (Tavernise, 2011).Economists say that clientelelessness is the main cause of poverty in America (Tavernise, 2011). 48 million people surrounded by the ages of 18 and 64 did not work even one week of the whole year, which is up three million from 2009 (Tavernise, 2011). While maintaining a line of business and progressing through a company is hard enough with a college degree, regular male workers with no college degrees on average have made no progress (Tavernise, 2011). Of the 46. 2 million Americans living below the poverty line, 20. 5 million are surviving off of less than half of the $22,314. 0 poverty line. To save money, many Americans are cutting as many damage s as they can in their daily lives. One of these costs, unfortunately, is insurance. The number of uninsured Americans increased by 900,000 to 49. 9 million people (Tavernise, 2011). In Gaston County, North Carolina community meetings are held focused on finding commissions to answer those who are having a hard time financially. At these meetings suggestions are made such as, donating houses to be used by families, graceful a foster parent, and if in the position to, force jobs in the community.While reading or so homelessness through the media, one must be sure to realize that even the articles written include discourses and also that they omit details in tell apart to keep the attention of the readers. In Seattle the program that is to allow people living in cars to spend the night in church parking lots seems like a great idea that will help out dozens of people. Something to consider though, is the fact that many people are not willing to open up a safe haven, such as a c hurch, to potentially dangerous.Even though many people try to go through their days without judging people, it is inevitable to have discourses towards people. In America people grow up hearing stories about how if you give a homeless person money that he or she will most likely use it on beer or drugs. These discourses need to be eliminated in order for the countrys problem to be solved. The United States is cognize as a country full of opportunities, a place where anyone can succeed but behind that visage is a universe that is becoming worse and worse as time goes on.While people go passim their days pretending that everyone lives a comfortable life in a warm home, the truth is that at any given moment there are thousands of Americans who are homeless. Problems that have been existent since the beginning of the United States have contributed to this ever-growing problem that is prominent now. Through a political sparing digest of the history of the United States, homelessnes s will be an explored and better understood reality that all Americans witness. Prior to cosmos War II, the United States was going through the Great Depression in which the economy crashed leaving millions without jobs.The start of World War II created many jobs and brought the country out of the depression. Later, the Vietnam War and the refrigerated War took a toll on the United States economy. Because the United States had to spend so much money on these wars, the country printed more money than they had gold to back it up. To solve the issue, President Richard Nixon removed the United States off of the gold standard, dropping the value of the US dollar. The effects of Nixons decision were increases of oil prices by 400% by Organization of Petroleum merchandise Countries and stagflation.During IDL 3, the United States increased interest rates to counter inflation which caused ingrained debt in developing nations. While taking the United States economy was up from the removal of the gold standard, there was still a problem of scattering of wealthiness within the country. Since the 1920s the top 1% of wealth holders in the United States held 30% of the number kinsperson sector wealth, leaving the stern 99% with only 70% (Keister & Moller, 2000). Through the years the division of wealth dispersion only grew spaciousr.In 1989 the top 1% held 38. 9% of the total household wealth. The division between the top 1% of wealth holders in the United States and everyone else is so drastic that although the gross domestic product per capita in 2010 was $47,184 it does not accurately stage the mass majority of individuals who live with far less money than that in 2010 (GDP per capita (current US$), 2010). When separated into five sections, the top quintile consists of about 85% of the total wealth and 50% of the total family income of the country (Keister & Moller, 2000).Another contributor to homelessness in the United States, along with uneven distribution of wealth, is the outsourcing of American Jobs afield. Between 2000 and 2004 more than 2. 5 million American jobs were disoriented due to outsourcing jobs to India (Chithelen, 2004). No longer are only blue-collar, manual labor jobs being shipped off to other countries, but also white-collar and professional jobs. This movement of jobs has left many Americans slothful and without many options. These groups of people, who may have once been part of the top 1% of the country, are now in the bottom with no source of income.The incorporated melodic phrasees outsourcing are doing so because they know that in countries such as India workers can be found for much cheaper than those in the United States. Cutting losses and raising profit are the benefits that top executives look towards as they will use the saved money as outsizer bonuses for themselves (Chithelen, 2004). The jobs that international employees are taking from Americans are in the IT field and many workers, especially from India, are finding themselves having to move back home because the jobs they have are being outsourced for cheaper labor (Chithelen, 2004).It is estimated that by 2014 approximately 3. 3 million American business service jobs will be outsourced. The result of outsourcing and the uneven wealth distribution are that many people are left without jobs and no way to pay for a home. In 1988 68,0000 children were homeless and 186,000 children were living at a friends or extended relatives home (Lewit & Baker, 1996). While those numbers are high, there is no doubt that 23 years later those numbers will be much higher. These economic factors and homelessness have much to do with inequality.Because the distribution of wealth is so great, it makes it exceedingly difficult for people on the bottom who are poor to get anywhere successful. People with money have power and the top executives of the macro corporations have the power to take the jobs away from hard-working Americans to save a mate of dollars, which in the end will re maturate to the executives, by outsourcing to countries overseas. Because the United States is a Global North county that is part of the OECD, it often times takes responsibility over Global South countries that do not have as many resources as opportunities.The United States has many large corporations that have the ability to create jobs overseas like how they are when they outsource jobs to places like India. Though it is change state the situation in America, many of opportunities have opened up for people in Global South countries. Media often times discusses homelessness in America through a sympathetic viewpoint. In the articles used for this paper, a majority of the blame for people being homeless is pointed towards the poor job foodstuff rather than the laziness of the people stuck in the situation.Poverty in America is a problem that is not just one on the national level, but also locally. Cities such as Seattle have hundreds o f homeless citizens who get walked past every day without anybody noticing. In todays society eyesight homeless people on the sidewalks and under underpasses is the sadly the norm. Those living in poverty and who are homeless get tagged with the discourse by many people that they are in their situation because of their own faults that they are alcohol or drug abusers, are poor workers, or are lazy members of society who want to bum off everyone else who works for a living.The truth is, as showed through this paper, that many of those who are homeless are in their situation because they have lost their job to a wide array of reasons or because they were never able to find a job in the first place. As displayed through the political economic analysis, many jobs in the United States have been and will continue to be lost to workers in overseas countries such as India. In these other countries, large corporations are able to find workers for just a fraction of the cost of workers in Am erica. To go along with the outsourcing of jobs, the distribution of wealth in the United States is highly uneven.With the top 1% of wealth holders in the United States held 30% of the total household sector wealth the middle and lower-class citizens have very little power. The top 1% just so turn over to be the people who have say in how large corporations are going to run and whether or not they want cheap, unethical, sweatshop labor overseas. The add together of poverty and homelessness that is existent in the United States is both overwhelming and extremely disappointing. Many families who thought of themselves as well-off very quickly had their lives flipped around during the past few years as the economy took a turn for the worst.Because of the poor economy, many employers look for ways to cut costs and one of their solutions is to fire employees. In 2004 more than 2. 5 million jobs were sent overseas and taken from American workers. The sudden loss of work has left more Ame ricans in poverty than there have been in 52 years. Through the analysis of this issue, hopefully the issue of homelessness will be one that is less ignored on a daily basis. Hopefully in the future years more people will step up to help in the same way that Redeemers Lutheran Church has chosen to open their parking lot to those who live in their cars.Bibliography GDP per capita (current US$). (2010). Retrieved 12 6, 2011, from The World Bank http//data. worldbank. org/indicator/NY. GDP. PCAP. CD Chithelen, I. (2004). Outsourcing to India Causes, response and Prospects. Economic and Political Weekly, 1022-1024. Keister, L. A. , & Moller, S. (2000). Wealth Inequality in the United States. annual Review of Sociology, 63-81. Lewit, E. M. , & Baker, L. S. (1996). Homeless Families and Children. The Future of Children, 146-158. Tavernise, S. (2011, 09 13). Soaring Povert Casts Spotlight on deep in thought(p) Decade.Retrieved 12 08, 2011, from The New York Times http//www. nytimes. co m/2011/09/14/us/14census. hypertext mark-up language? pagewanted=all Thompson, L. (2011, 11 24). Seattle may Help Homless Car Campers. Retrieved 12 05, 2011, from The Seattle Times http//seattletimes. nwsource. com/html/localnews/2016849799_carcamping25m. html Whitesides, S. (2011, 11 07). Hidden Homeless are Growing in Gaston County. Retrieved 12 05, 2011, from Charlotte Observer http//www. charlotteobserver. com/2011/11/27/2797440/hidden-homeless-are-growing-in. html