BLOGGER TEMPLATES - TWITTER BACKGROUNDS »

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Econimics in Hip Hop Question

As we prepare to read Gang Leader for a Day and begin our unit on economics in American culture, I'd like for us to consider the following question:

Who is responsible for poverty in America? Is it our government? The rich? Those who are poor? And what, if anything, can be done or should be done to make individual incomes more equitable in America. Lastly, what role does race play in poverty? Is race still a major obstacle for financial success or is that a thing of the past? Please give examples where possible.

Okay, so I guess there's a lot of questions there...feel free to thoughtfully answer any of the above that interest you!

Mr. Pond

80 comments:

LaDonna R. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LaDonna R. said...

I'm not that knowledgeable when it comes to talking about what our government is doing for those who are suffering from poverty. But, I can say that people wouldn't suffer as much if we didn't have a currency. I know money has helped build the nations we have today, but I feel like money is what has influenced people to divide in these classes of rich, wealthy, and poor. There are people living today that don't have money as their source of survival, and they are happy people that live in different parts of the world. I can't say the world would've been better if money didn't exist, but I can say poverty wouldn't be as high as it is today. As far as race is concerned, it's really based on survival of the fitest, and it just so happens that the Monoply man is most often someone of a caucasian descent. That's what America is today.

jordanw said...

I don't really know who's to blame for poverty in the USA but I can say the government does enough to help the less fortunate because there's things like welfare,link cards, SSI etc to help the lower class Americans get the things they need. I think that race no longer plays a major part in poverty because minorities have some of the same opportunities as the majorities. There are white poor people just like there are blacks, Latinos and every other minority race. Things aren't how they were centuries ago blacks can become rich and successful just like whites even though they might not grow up in a financially stable home.
Jordan Wilson

Elena Ortega said...

I feel like at this point in time we are all responsible for poverty. Whether it's high school drop outs, criminals, government, etc. Things like these play a role in poverty. When it comes down to race I believe that races, other than whites or Caucasians, take a some-what large portion of poverty, and i'm sure others would agree. Many people see African Americans or Mexicans/immigrants as a cause of thinkgs like poverty.

Nicole Smith said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nicole Smith said...

At this point in time I feel poverty in America is based around the government and financial decisions. I say this because right now the United States is suffering from a bad economy, which has increased the amount of poverty in the United States. I’m not an expert on exactly why the economy is the way it is but most often times I hear the government Is the reason behind the United State economic downfall, which was cause by the United States accumulated debt. As far as the United states becoming more equitable for individual incomes , A lot has to be done to the Economy first to get it to a point that people are not losing jobs, , homes and etc. If the economy wasn’t a problem now a way I believe the United States can become more equitable for individual incomes is to find an average amount to pay that accommodates all classes ( High, Middle, Lower).The role race play in poverty is stereotypes, When people hear or think about poverty most of the time they think About African Americans . Since in our last unit we established that race will always be a factor in society I do believe race still is a major obstacle for financial success. A specific type of racism that can impact financial success is institutionalize racism which can occur in the workforce an example that isn’t really good is lets say a white American and a black American went out for a job both Americans have the same resume, but the white American gets picked of the job. That cab impact someone financial success.
Nicole Smith
Period 4

DalilahD said...

I believe that everyone has an oppurtunity to remove themselves from poverty with education. Because I believe this, I think people who are poor are responsible for their situation. With education people can just go to community college and remove themselves from poverty. Since Minorites are most likely to be in poverty, I do think that race does play a role in poverty. I also think that race does play a role in financial success because someone is more likely to hire a white man than a minority even if they're more qualified.

Stephen M. said...

I don't know what our government is doing for poverty yet i think alot of times people don't take advantage of the opportunities that they are given. I do think that the governent favors the upper class and the wealthy but I don't believe that their plan is to oppress the lower class and poor. To make individuals incomes more equitable in America would be an everlasting process seeing that the ost of living is growing more and more each day. Race plays the role in poverty by promoting stereotypes. Seeing that a portion all races are povern stricken blacks and hispanics are always spotilighted as more poor than whites; and for me poor is poor whether you live on the street or in a shelter. I believe it is up to the individual along with some government help to help themselves which would ultimately help the ecoomy.

Trinston said...

Those who are responsible for poverty have been people in our history that have used there power for selfish gain. I mean that past presidents and other government officials who made decisions and passed laws that would mainly benefit themselves and other people in their class. I think the only way to solve our poverty problem is for us to administer laws that aid all people and stop putting tax dollars towards unimportant things funding for war and prisons. I think race plays a small role in poverty now, but there is definitely an added obstacle for succeeding that comes with races other than Caucasian.

dglover said...

I don't really know who is at fault for the cause of poverty, but I do know african americans have the highest percentage of people suffering from poverty. I believe this is because they tend to rely on the government for everything. I feel that we live in a world where you are either rich, wealthy or poor. This kind of goes hand in hand with the class systems where you are considered upper class if you are rich, middle class if you are wealthy and lower class if you are poor. Since a large percentage of african americans are lower class they depend on the government to support things like social security, and healthcare so they take care of themselves and their children.Lower class citizens want to be a victim of poverty so that they can blame the government. They don't take the anitiative to get up and look for jobs as a source of income, but they will sit and wait for a check in the mail at the begining of every month.

I'm kind of neutral when deciding if race is a major obstacle for financial success because african americans are often associated with being unsuccessful, because most males live lives that land them in jail or in the grave. So, that leaves the women to pick up the slack which is still not good enough. Whites on the other hand are considered very successful. They symbolize wealth and success in the media today. All the lawyers today seen on television are white males in expensive suits trying to advertise for their company. In all reality the only black advertisers you see on television are the ones trying to convince african americans to join one of the local colleges in the neighborhood. Although financial success should not depend on race , it often seems that way.

Lauren Lpd.2 said...

Personally, I feel that we as a nation are responsible for poverty in America. Rather we are experiencing it or not, each and every one of us should be put at fault. It is out job to work together in unity to prevent, protect, and eliminate poverty. The preamble declares that "we the people of the United States" should work to promote general welfare and insure domesticic tranquillity. With that being said it is our duty to lend a hand, share our wealth and attemp to make a difference for those in poverty. "We the people" first off implies that all people of the United States should take on those task. Not just you, I or the government but all. Also, the title "United States" implies unity of our nation and especially on issues such as poverty.

Lauren Lanier said...

I believe that the government's economical decisions do have a great impact on poverty in the United States because when "the markets" crash, everyone feels it, although some groups of people feel it harder than others. Although even if such a circumstance occurs, it is important to consider what is the definition of poverty because the lowest level poverty in the United States is far different from the lowest level of poverty in, for example, Pakistan or France. There will probably always be poverty because there will always be a group of people who own less than another. I could blame the government or the rich but I think that unless everyone is paid the same salary, there will always be some financial inequality.
I personally do not think race will affect nor determine one's financial success, although I think that someone's initial socioeconomic status could determine financial success. Because is someone lives in a poor neighborhood, it is often harder to leave because the schools that lack proper funding may not offer all the materials or courses needed to prepare the students for college, so it is frequent that the students aren't as prepared for the future as those who attend private schools. Although, there is always hope, the government could have the senators of each state organize a census for the schools to help all schools get students the preparation they need for college.

srodriguez said...

I think the poverty in America can be contributed to the acts of those who live in the lower classes. The reason I think this is because they do not take initiative to do something about it. The richer population is living comfortably, financial wise, because they are able to maintain that stable condition due to the fact that most of them are professionals with degrees. Those in the lower class are living in a never ending life cycle that hardly anyone has broken. The children that grow out of poverty stricken neighborhoods either continue to live in that lifestyle or do something about it, such as completing high school and going on to college to become a professional. Those that continue that cycle become high school dropouts, drug dealers and or gang members. Therefore, I think the poor are to blame for poverty.

srodriguez said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yodi said...

Who is responsible for poverty in America? Is it our government? The rich? Those who are poor? And what, if anything, can be done or should be done to make individual incomes more equitable in America. Lastly, what role does race play in poverty? Is race still a major obstacle for financial success or is that a thing of the past? Please give examples where possible.

Poverty in America comes from different sources, mostly from lack of education and jobs. More opportunities and help should be offered for free, I feel that if the government would offer help; poverty would decrease greatly. If the government was to provide educational programs to those who have not completed their schooling, or provided trade learning programs so that they could learn a trade and find specialized jobs then poverty would decrease. Race is a major role in financial success, minority races live in poverty or are mostly bellow middle class. Many do not believe that they have the ability to do more than a community college. To attain a job, not at Jewel, but as a doctor or engineer. Many races need more help and involvement, which is why there are so many scholarships available to them. However, if no one bothers to take the time to guide them or motivating them they will never know or accomplish more than their parents.

Anonymous said...

I cant say specifically who is responsible for poverty but I believe that the government and us are part of this problem. We all have a part in it. The government has made choices to cause or economy to decline. Cutting many jobs also led to poverty but some jobs choose to let people go just to make more money and this is also how we contribute to poverty.
In addition one of my friends school did a turn around which means they get rid of all the teachers and administration from the school and when did not notify them until they reported to work after break that day. That was very upsetting to hear and that can cause more people to become part of the poverty problem. I do not believe race plays a major role in this problem but its there here in there. Stereo types of African Americans and Latinos are attached to poverty but there is much more too it.
To work on this problem everyone must help out because it is not just on the government. We all need to think of ways to better enhance the economy and figure out a currency system that does not constantly backfire and put the nation in debt.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Daushay said...

I think the government is responsible for America’s poverty because of their poor judgment & choices. The government exists so that it can protect & support America, but I feel that they only act for themselves. Choices like continuing the war in Iraq for so long using more & more money to finance the war is only hurting the economy even more. I don’t think as of now anything can be done to make incomes more reasonable in American, but the government could make it slightly easier for more people to start earning an income. This can be done by not making college so expensive or have more government programs for teenagers to work their way through college. Race plays a big role in poverty in my opinion. White supremacy is still in great effect today. With colleges accepting more Caucasian Americans being accepted into colleges & universities than minority races it’s harder for minority races to get reasonable pay jobs causing the government to have to assist them.

Anonymous said...

In my opinion this is a very difficult question by nature, more specifically because the trace of poverty is not readily evident. There has always been poverty, and poverty will continue but there are several different things that can be done to minimize poverty. Perhaps is the fault of the poor, as there are always jobs but many times people do not choose to get a certain job for its prestige or lack thereof. I would not be one to blame the government as are and have been social programs for the welfare of the nation but many of times these benefits are abused and are incorrectly used. For example, public housing was meant to be temporary but many people make public housing their permanent residence. But poverty is a nationwide issue and should be payed attention to. The best thing in my opinion would be to perhaps cut public benefits to encourage those who have lived in a lifelong of poverty to attain a job, with government subsidies, and that way they could become less reliant on government aid and also help restart the economy.

KhadijahH said...

im not exactly sure who to give the complete blame to poverty to but i know that the government plays a role in it. i cant remember exactly what i was watching on tv one day but i remember someone saying that the government planted the drug cocaine in black neighborhoods knowing the drug would bring down the community. i feel like rich people in the world do what ever they have to do in order to ensure that the poor stay poor and they continue to be rich. i strongly feel that race still is an obstacle for financial success because even my own father have suffered from this. It is baffling how a very much qualified african american male can be over looked for job positions because a less than qualified white man applied for the same job.

kevin bufkin said...

I believe that everyone in America is responsible for the poverty. For example the people who haven't finished high school or college are responsible because they weren't willing to get a great eduaction therefore they left without a job. Also, the goverment and economy for having lay away lots of people leaving them in poverty. Lastly, I blame the population growth in America for exponentially increwsaing so much that the U.S. is one day going to run out of jobs to do.

kevin bufkin said...

I believe that the people in poverty are to blame because they weren't serious enough about eduaction to complete college or sometimes high school. Also, the government should share the blame for not really taxing the rich(people who are well over substancial financially) and not offereing everyone a fair chance for any job. Lastly, I blame the population and recession for not creating enough job oppurtunities.

AMNI said...

In my opinion, the government is responsible for the poverty in America. The parties involved in the legislative seem to be ultimately opposed to any plan that has betterment for society involved. Like the recent jobs bill Obama proposed that received complete Republican opposition. In addition to this, the U.S government spends billions of dollars on warfare and weaponry instead investing money to help raise the struggling U.S economy. It seems that their minds are internationally involved whereas more dedication and effort is put forth to mend the problems of other countries, yet problems in the U.S remain unresolved, unseen, and unspoken.

Young_Dion said...

I believe our government is partly responsible for poverty, but they're not the only ones responsible. Sometimes it's just the people's fault themselves. They screw up something and end up dead broke and in dept. But not everyone. Some people can blame the area they live in. Some people can blame where they came from, or the family they were born into. It seems as if the government just won't do anything to the major poverty areas of the country. And I can't blame them for not doing so. They probably believe the people in poverty will just mess it back up. So the government focuses on the area where the most money is coming in.

I believe that race has nothing to do with poverty now. It's a thing of the past. There are poor people of every race now. Black, white, Indian, whatever. I think that maybe immigration contributes to poverty, but not race.

Young_Dion said...

Mr. Pond I forgot to put my name and period number on my comment. It's the one by ''Young_Dion''

Lonnie Watts, Period 8

Maliaka J said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Eduardo A. said...

Poverty in America and across the world will always exist as long as there are people in power (usually the wealthy) and as long as money is concentrated within a small population. After the American Revolution, the superfluous production of state and Continental currency caused inflation, depression, and poverty in the infant American nation. Alexander Hamilton then proposed a financial plan that revived the American economy. His vision was to concentrate the money in the hands of speculators that would invest in bonds to pay for America’s acquired national and state war debts that would be assumed by the federal government to establish credit/credibility with foreign nations. Although this revived the American economy, this was a continuation of the economic/social stratification between the rich/upper-class and the poor/lower-class; therefore, it seems like poverty will always be present. Hamilton’s plan gave more power to the federal government now in control of the economy. Wealth usually results in power which may also result in greed/corruption. Since the rich tend to be people in power, the rich could possibly be responsible for poverty since the rich want to be richer; however, I do not want to blame the rich completely. The unequal distribution of wealth is what causes poverty and lack of opportunity. The rich use their wealth to invest, become educated, and open up more opportunities to gain higher profits. On the other hand, it is not impossible for the poor to become wealthy but it is difficult and requires much more work and determination. In the society of today government has established financial aid to help the poor stay healthy and become educated. Unfortunately, some people do not take advantage of government financial (educational) aid because they do not want to work hard in school and want the easy way out which results in the misuse of government welfare. Welfare should be a short term aid to help people focus on education and work harder to become self-sufficient and not remain dependent on aid, NOT a permanent aid so that the people stop trying. Cases like these are when it is the people’s own fault for their poverty. I believe that with the aid of the government/wealthy and the hard work/determination of the poor can help the most of the nation step out of poverty, but I do not know if it is possible to completely eliminate poverty.

Eduardo Alejandro, Period 2

Maliaka J said...

Yes, race is still a major obstacle for financial success. Depending on your race the chances of you living in poverty increases. Minorities tend to have greater chances of finding themselves in this circumstance. Today Whites are still paid more than minorities even if their both doing the same job with the same qualifications. Minorities, especially Blacks, unemployment rates have always been drastically higher than Whites, sometimes even double.Such reasons include the lack of education minorities receive due to the terrible public school systems we have in America. Especially those schools in minority neighborhoods which tend to be poorly funded. Without a good education it only becomes harder for these minorities to become competition against a "qualified" and White job candidate.

Maliaka J. Period 4

Richard Clark said...

In my opinion, everyone plays their own role in causing poverty. With the poor, they probably just weren't doing what it took to get out of that category throughout life. For the rich, they just get the majority of the country's money which doesn't leave that much for the rest. And for the government, they really don't do too much to keep the money more balanced in the country. They do a little bit via taxes, but that doesn't really do the job that well. Maybe if the government would have more plans for civilians in poverty and raise taxes for the rich, then the money's distribution would be a tad bit more equal.
I feel as though race does play a role in poverty, but not a lot. Because the majority of the people in poverty are the minority ethnicities. There are white people in that category also, but its not many compared to other races.

jamaal (james) said...

i feel that every one is to blame for poverty in america(the rich, the poor,the government,etc...).i look at it like this "people control everything" they control everything from who gets the job to who gets welfare.There is no way to diminish poverty in america unless we find aliens with no needs or wants to run our system, unless every thing in every way is equal.....jamaal (james)hamilton period 2

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Brianna Leonard

I do feel like the government plays a large part in why there are so much poverty in the world. today. As of today there are a lot of economic issues taking place in the united states and because of this many people have to suffer. A lot of people that don't have much, relies on the government. Most of those people are those from the ghetto and are usually african american. And since we are in a economic crisis the government has to cut down on funds because they are running low. Therefore, they aren't able to help aid those in need which leads to crowded sheltors, people on the street and crimes.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JorDyne' Jackson said...

I honestly think that each person is responsible for their own social status. I will admit that although everyone does not have equal opportunities, every person can work hard and make the best out of their situation. Some people take advantage of being of a lower social class because it means that they can be lazy. If the government gives you all that you need just because you live in a bad neighbor hood and have a large amount of children then why would you want to work? Everything is handed to you, so people take the easy way out and choose to be lazy. In my personal opinion I believe that if the U.S as a whole wasn't so caught up in material things and actually worked hard to support themselves and their families, poverty would soon be apart of the past.

jeremiahp said...

I dont believe anyone can be blamed for poverty simply because poverty is just a part of life. There will always be the rich and there will always be the poor, no matter what. I do believe however that the rich and the poor can help bridge the gap between each other. For example the rich could give more of their money to the poor and the poor can work harder to get jobs.
Race does play a role in poverty. My opinion is that Hispanics and blacks have to work twice as hard as asians and whites to get high paying jobs or to get into colleges that gives people a greater chance of getting high paying jobs.

Ayanna B. said...

I feel that at this point that the government is responsible for the poverty in America. The government, in thought, has made many poor decisions for where the money in this country is to be spent. Too often I feel as if they are out to protect and protest for their rich colleagues and their own money when republicans protest against welfare for people who are too poor and the union which is in place to protect people when they get a job, so they can have protection so that people just can't fire them for no reason and can stay until decide to retire and get benefits, along with many other things concerning money for the poor and middle class. They are all against these things which to me shows alot about who they are protecting.
I also believe that yes, your race can affect your financial success. When trying to get a job or even get into a college, the people in charge first look at your name and think "thats a black name, white name, arab name" and choose who they want to hire or acccept. People only see what's on the outside (your skiin color), though they dont know how much you know or how successful you can be at a job; and too many times people carry racial steriotypes which follow people when they try to get a good job to get some extra money. Which may affect weather they, a qualified black, arab, latino or any other person of color, can get a job over another qualfied white or asian person. So Yes, i believe your race can hold you back from financial success in this country.

Andre said...

I think the reason for poverty in America is because of our government and the people in poverty themselves. I believe it the government fault on one hand because of all the taxes and bills on everything. I also blame the poor. I blame the poor because the decisions made financially caused them to live in poverty. America is known to be frivolous with money. Tending to spend it on luxury items instead of necessities such as bills and food. They are irresponsible with money which easily leads them into debt and down hill from there. Instead of them working hard trying to get out of debt they tend to become dependent on other people and the government for money like government funding. They become satisfied with the government funding and don't want to do better in life. So basically they give up. The first thing that can be done is to bring down the price of education to become affordable to everyone and also giving everyone the same opportunities for the job. But before all this can even start we need to create more jobs!

Edwenna Berry said...

A) As far as my knowledge on the poverty in America the government and the rich pay a huge part in poverty. Every year the government has an internal battle about whether or not to raise taxes but then the Democrats yell the Republicans (the rich) should actually pay more considering they have the most money yet each year the rich fights it to the fullest. In the end greed is what has caused poverty because no one wants to give up a helpful amount of money to help the poor instead they want to hoard the money for themselves so they end up getting richer while the poor keeps getting poorer.
B) As I hinted above if the Republicans decided to give a little more money up during the tax season then maybe some poor people would be less poor. If they even donated some of the money to businesses (is that possible)so that business could help some of these poor people get better jobs which would lead to homes which would lead to more money in the governments pocket and from this I see a cycle because technically the money would end up back where it came from.
C) In my opinion race has nothing to do with poverty because I have seen Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and other races in poverty before. In the past, all races except Caucasians were placed in poverty and seen in rags and other things but today walking through a poverty stricken neighborhood one would see more than one particular race. With the way the economy has been handled over the past years and with the US being in so much debt poverty has hit a lot of races not just one particular race.
(Edwenna Berry, Period 2)

Sharell said...

I feel that the poor are responsible for the poverty that the y are in. If the rich and middle class worked to get their money so should the poor and the excuse of no education or being in a bad community doesn’t cut it. I understand that people are going through tough times but it doesn’t give them the right to feel that they deserve all the aid that the government gives. I don’t feel that race plays much of a role in poverty. It just happens to be that certain races are more so associated to being poor due to the poor choices they make or the life they chose to live that resulted in them being poor. Race is and always will be a major obstacle for financial success until the day there is no longer racism. People of a certain race will always be qualified above another race even if they have the same exact qualifications, hat’s just how it is. Some employers feel that a certain race would be better suited for the job than another and in order to keep business thriving they go with the more accepted race.

Sharell said...

I feel that the poor are responsible for the poverty that the y are in. If the rich and middle class worked to get their money so should the poor and the excuse of no education or being in a bad community doesn’t cut it. I understand that people are going through tough times but it doesn’t give them the right to feel that they deserve all the aid that the government gives. I don’t feel that race plays much of a role in poverty. It just happens to be that certain races are more so associated to being poor due to the poor choices they make or the life they chose to live that resulted in them being poor. Race is and always will be a major obstacle for financial success until the day there is no longer racism. People of a certain race will always be qualified above another race even if they have the same exact qualifications, hat’s just how it is. Some employers feel that a certain race would be better suited for the job than another and in order to keep business thriving they go with the more accepted race.

Ce'Erra Patton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
McKenzie C said...

McKenzie Cooper
Pd. 2

I think today many job oppertunities descrimante among race. I think blacks and other minorities endure difficuties when getting a job because of their race. This then leades to minorities having poverty issues. I think if race did not matter then poverty would not be so high among one race compared to another. I think this issue still exsit today and dates back to the time of slavery.

I think both government and the poor are responsible for their poverty. I belive the government s not responsible with moeny givin to them. I think they use money to benifit itself sometimes, as opposed to benifiting the country as a whole and reducing poverty. I think its the poors fault because they some how ended up being poor because of bad choices they made before, therefore it being no one elses fault but theirs.

Ce'Erra Patton said...

I do not know who to hold accountable for proverty as a whole; however, I do believe that every individual contributes to the issue. The government has provided aid for those in proverty, but there are individuals that take advantage of this. Many people are capable of working, but when they see the oppurtunity to recieve "free" money (link,food stamps, etc.) the effort seems to decrease. As mentioned before race plays a major role in beliefs, oppurtunities, and most importantly economic status.Many view African Americans and Mexicans as a cause of proverty. But how can whites be the cause of poverty when they're known to be the wealthest? Yes, they may have a percentage of poverty but its not nearly as high as other races. As stated in a previous reading a group will always be the blame (Obama w/ statistics).
Ce'Erra Patton
Pd.4

Randi T. said...

In America, there is a combined blame for the poverty rate. The government is partially at fault for not creating enough jobs or alternate income oppurtunies for those who suffer from poverty. However, if those who suffer from poverty don't take advantage of these oppurtunities then the government feels granted the right to take away these oppurtunities. In my opinion, a way to make more individual incomes more equitable the government should find a way to balance out the money distributed to different professions without turning into a complete communist government. I think race does still play a role in poverty because if a White male and a Latino male apply for the same job then the White male would without a doubt receive the job. This would happen because as a White male he has naturally received more and better oppurtunities which would make him more appealing to the employer.

Danielle Patrick said...

I think the group of people that are responsible for the poverty in America are the people that fail to try to succeed, mainly African Americans. I think many African Americans are brought up thinking they will never succeed because of the neighborhood or area they live in. I think they believe the "white man" is in control and they will never be able to reach the status of another race such as whites so they settle for being a fast food restaurant employee. I believe the government cannot be blamed for the poverty in America because of the positive things they do for people in need such as SSI, Public aid, and providing link cards. The people responsible are the people who don't take the initiative to improve the economic success of America.
Danielle Patrick
2nd Period

Shamier L said...

I think everybody has some responsibilty for the poverty in america. But I think the government has the most. It is their job to care for American people and they have contributed to poverty. For example they built the project homes their intent might have been to provide ecobomicla housing but I think that backfired and it dropedblacks into a deeper hole of poverty

Anonymous said...

The economy in a capitalistic country such as America depends on various people and groups. Because of this, no one is ever truly responsible for the amount of poverty.
Obviously, the government plays an important role with our nations poverty; the government is responsible for making economic reform legislatures and policies. These methods should be able to reduce some poverty if done correctly.
The citizens of America are also important because they are the consumers and they keep the wheel turning, keeping the economy going. They are also responsible for electing the proper politician for the common need.
And as far as race goes, white people have been in this country the longest (or so, politically to not disregard Native Americans), so they are bound to have more money already. I don't think race really matters anymore because people can sue and make a big deal when hiring institutions discriminate; however, this doesn't mean it doesn't happen, just not common.

Ms. Mittithyah Harris said...

I like many of my classmates do not know much about who is to blame for poverty but I can say it is not the government because I do not feel its their responsibility to give handouts to anyone poor or rich, as I am against the bailouts given to American banks and automobile companies by the government, I am also against them giving handouts to the poor. In our current society everyone has the opprotunity to become financally stable, even though those opprotunities are not exactly equal they are close enough and i do not believe the government has anything to do with these circumstances.

Paolo said...

I think that the rich & the government should take some blame for povery in america because they are the ones who basically run america in a way and are the ones who are going to benifit from economic or like political policies.some big componies like nike go into this povery stricken countries and give jobs to the people who are making 100$ worth of shoes and are only getting paid like 10 cents an hour.And basicaly alot of what these wealther people are doing is just wrong. It's hard to stomach that america is one of the richest countries and yet there is poverty and its increasing.some of the people who were considerd middle class are now living in povert.There needs to be a revolution of some sort to end poverty.

Veronica said...

In my opinion, each individual living in poverty conditions in America are responsible for those conditions. This country offers so many jobs, opportunities, workshops, etc. to poor people and if they do not take advantage of those things, that is their own fault. Rich people are definitely not responsible because they did what they had to do to make their own money, provide for their family, and succeed in life. I feel that race does still continue to play a huge role in poverty. Black people are offered less opportunities to get back on their feet than those of white people. Race is still a major obstacle for financial success and will never be a thing of the past.
-Veronica Smith

debbielynn said...

I do not think anyone is responsible for poverty in America, especially not the government. The government provides Americans with Link cards, places to sleep, and free food. I believe that the government tries their best to help those in need. There are also different types of drives to help the less fortunate. Most of those that are poor are born into poverty. I also think the best way to overcome poverty is education. If people stay in school and take school seriously they can probably go to college for free. I also think that race does not play a large role in poverty because anyone can be poor.

Janae M. said...

I think everyone is to blame for poverty. The poor because maybe they are not doing what they have to do to support themselves so they are depending too much on the governments money, such as link cards, welfare, and things of that nature. Everyone is looking for free money; they are not trying to work hard for but just expect to get it with no effort. I am not that knowledgeable about what the government is doing as far as legislations and policies that benefit the economy. But with my limited knowledge I would say the government because they have made many poor decisions when it comes to handling the economy’s money, I think that the government has stretched themselves too far, trying to do different things but without the money to do so, spending money on unnecessary things. Also the government may not see in the point of view of a person who struggles finically so they may have a hard time trying to figure out solutions that may help the people who do. I also think that the government makes it hard for people to receive a higher education to become successful and financially stable with the cost of college expenses, but then again there are scholarships and grants available for people. The rich maybe not so much because they’re rich so there is no problem there for them.
I think race is still a major obstacle because the America does have set roles or stereotypes when it becomes to who is rich and who is not, as many could tell majority of minorities are those who struggle financially and then you have the majority of Caucasians who don’t. I believe that until America forgets about all the stereotypes about race and success then race will continue to be an obstacle.

Janae M. Period 2

jasmine_chantay said...

I think the government does play a role in being responsible for poverty in America. They should have some kind of control over keeping the people away from being poor. But at the same time the people are responsible for where they are in life. The people that do live in poverty have the opportunity to search for a job and work just like middle class and rich people. Most people that live in poverty in America are minorities. I don’t think race plays a huge role in poverty. I mean it’s not like poverty chooses to affect black people over whites. Any person of any race can be rich just like any person of any race can be affected by poverty. Poverty is kind of an excuse for laziness. Americans are blessed with so many opportunities, which makes it kind of difficult to feel for those who live in poverty. Welfare does help those in financial need. Those who use welfare should only use it temporarily as a stepping stone to get out of poverty.

Micole said...

I don't think there is an exact person/group of people to blame for poverty in America. Everyone has a role, whether big or small, for the poverty in America. Black, white, purple, or green, race as well is not the only reason that Americans should blame for poverty. The downfall in the economy that America is suffering from now is a reason for poverty, because if there are no jobs available, how can a person work to support his/her family? Money and how people view it is a reason to blame. Americans (most of them) seem to have their lives revolving around money, when money is not everything. Yes, money can buy things you need and want, but those wants become unnecessary at times. People should learn to save even if it is just $0.50 a day, eventually that can build up. Overall, there are many reasons to blame for the poverty in America, some bigger than others, actions can be made to reduce the number of Americans citizens who are suffering from poverty. Will poverty always exist in America, or can something be done to make poverty extinct in the American household?
Micole T. Period 4

Eriean said...

I believe that the rich are mostly responsible for proverty. I also believe that most people in proverty put themselves in that position. I think that people shouldn't be so greedy and that they should get up and work in order to earn a living. I think that this is where race come in at because I feel that blacks are extremely lazy when it comes to going to work of getting an education in order to better yourself. I feel that blacks feel as though they are owed something and while I sort of feel the same way, I feel that most blacks take it to far. I feel that whites are greedy but i think that is only because whites are the ones in power. Power breeds greed and I feel that any race will become greedy if they become rich or powerful. However, I do think that greed would cease to exist if everyone were at similar class levels and no one "hates" or complain and "down" others go above and beyond and think of ways to better themselves even more.

Barry Ford said...

I think that there is no specific group of people who created poverty in America. You choose how far you take your education. Education plays a big role in how good of a job you get, if even get one. When you don't have a job you most likely will rely OJ the government to give you services like welfare, food stamps, medical insurance, etc. Whn there are too many people needing services like that, the government starts to get low in money, and they would probably shorten the length of you having you unemployed services. I don't think the rich are taxed more, which means they can keep even more of their own money, which means that there is Monet that the rich have that could be used in a much better way, including to help out the poor. In conclusion, I believe that different people in the US are responsible for poverty here; maybe not equally but still having some contributing factor.

Shereen Awir said...

I feel as though all three groups play a part in the continuation in poverty. However, there are different levels of power that the groups have. The government is the most influential because they make the big decisions concerning our country.Then there is the rich because they are able to stop poverty by being charitable. Then the poor have the least power, but they must play a part because they are a part of the problem.
If the problem is to be solved, the government needs to take poverty into great consideration. In other words, solving the issue of poverty should be moved up on the list of priorities.
I think race dis a major obstacle part when it comes to success because although everyone is facing financial struggles, people of color were probably facing them before the recession, so the recession just worsened the situation.

Nameshia Tetteh said...

I believe that everyone is responsible for poverty in some way shape or form. The government tries to help those that are poor, but they classify them as being of lesser people. For example, those who get Link cards are looked at as dirt poor, by the government and also by the rich. Most of the rich believe that people have to get themselves to the top. But infact, some individuals cannot do it alone. Some people need assistance, and other people abuse the assistance. The poor sometimes stay poor because they're just used to getting by. Others, who try to become something often find it difficult because race is an issue in the corporate world. When individuals think of a successful business CEO, they think white male; this is because, it's true mostly.

Cre' Williams said...

Cre' Williams 4th Pd.
I feel that the poor are responsible for poverty, because it was their decision to get financial help or else get a job. In order to change this I feel they should get a job and a least get a little assistance from the government.Race plays with poverty, because some blacks feel that they can just rely on the governments help. For example, social security income,welfare, and FEMA. Race started in the past and has ended in the future where some ethnics will come into a country illegally to start a better life, but in the same token it is hard for them to get a job. The reason it is so hard because, they can not prove to companies that they are a legal citizen. Leaving their families in proverty.

moorealexssa said...

In my opinion, i think that race does play a role in poverty. Many of the people that are in poverty are people from like third world countries. Also, many of the people that are in poverty are the minority groups such as blacks, hispanics, etc. Even though we may make up majority of cities, coutries, etc., these are the people that live in poverty. Yes, there are white people in poverty but it is not as large of a number than other races. I do think the goverment is responsible for people being in poverty. The main reason why people are in poverty is because of money. It is many people way of living and survival. But yet, it seems as though the goverment takes away more money from people who are already struggling to survive. Without it leads to poverty because overtime, the goverment takes away all their monmey and makes them go completely broke. Afterwards, the goverment seems as though they dont care becasue they dont do anything about it.
Alexssa Moore 4th period

DeShante' Dunning said...

DeShante' Dunning
I think the people who are responsible for poverty are both those who in poverty and the wealthy. The reason for this is because the poor in my opinion are always looking for handouts which as a result are not looking to get job or any type of hard worked money. If they would just stop feeling sorry for themselves because they are poor then their lives would be a little bit easier. Now as for the wealthy, they don’t make the situation any better. They use their wealth as power to try to control the poor and belittle them because they don’t have as much as they do. There is no clear solution to make income equal because the world would not function correctly if everyone was equal because then people would not want to work hard labored jobs. Basically, the economic ladder would not exist. There wouldn’t be anything to stride for because everyone would already have it.

DeShante' Dunning said...

I think the people who are responsible for poverty are both those who in poverty and the wealthy. The reason for this is because the poor in my opinion are always looking for handouts which as a result are not looking to get job or any type of hard worked money. If they would just stop feeling sorry for themselves because they are poor then their lives would be a little bit easier. Now as for the wealthy, they don’t make the situation any better. They use their wealth as power to try to control the poor and belittle them because they don’t have as much as they do. There is no clear solution to make income equal because the world would not function correctly if everyone was equal because then people would not want to work hard labored jobs. Basically, the economic ladder would not exist. There wouldn’t be anything to stride for because everyone would already have it.
DeShante' Dunning period 2

shanice willis said...

I think that the government is to blame for poverty in America. I partly blame African Americans. Not all, but many African Americans rely on the government for living.From experience, I know that some African Americans, lack education
but get pats on the back. I just think that its not fair for the government to give food stamps, unemployment checks, etc. to people that don't deserve it.

corenthia keneard said...

Corenthia K: I think the government plays a role in the poverty in America. The government is ultimately in control and ultimately runs our country. If they support laziness by providing public aid and assitance to those who have the ability and resources to go back to school and find jobs they play a role in poverty. In my opinion government assistance should be given to those who truly deserve it and need it, such as people with disabilities. Many people depend on aid and welfare because they were to lazy to make something of themselves. There are many resources and opportunities available in this country for people. I think many people make an excuse for their predicament; the government, those who are poor and rich make up the poverty in America. That saying "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" means that society probably feels that the rich are never satisfied, they find more ways to make money, while the poor feel inferior finding wyas to be dependent upon. I think race has nothing to do with it, sure alot of black people in the urban communities are poor but alot of black people are also rich too and alot of white people who are poor. We are the minority as blacks but then again the majority of opportunities are offered to blacks. Race is still an issue in society period but I dont think it's that big of an issue when dealing with poverty in America.

Quintan P said...

I really believe that the government is responsible for poverty in America.From what i know, the government is suppose to supply or aid Americans with jobs or some kind of financial aid. I believe that the rich cannot be the blame for the poverty in America.The only thing that can be done to make individual incomes equitable is to have the job market hire more people. Also the government could give an income to families. I really dont think race plays a big part in poverty because different race's are in poverty.

shelby said...

I don't think you can really blame anyone for poverty, because everyone really does contribute to it. The people who don't do anything for themselves and just expect the government to support them. Then it's the governments fault for allowing people to, basically, mooch off tax dollars. Anyone can get out of poverty, it's not a permanent thing. You can go to school, to better yourself. But people will say that they can't afford it, well, guess what? There are student loans, and assistants to help you. So, I guess mainly the cause of poverty is the people who don't want to do anything about their situations, the ones who sit and complain about it.

EuniceV said...

I believe that the government is to blame for poverty in the United States because of the economy and the great collapse that we face. Some people struggled with the recession more than others did, which is hard to bounce back from. Difficult economic situations only lead to the growth of poverty throughout the country.Personally, I believe that race plays a role in poverty by stereotyping minorities as uneducated, uncivilized, or unmotivated, which only leads employers to become skeptical when deciding whether or not to hire a white person or a minority person. Because it is more likely that a white person will be hired instead of a minority person, race is affiliated with financial success.

Dr.phil said...

If we look at everything we can only blame ourselves for the poverty in america. Eventhough it may be difficult to see the direct connection we as the U.S.A have put ourselves in this position. The recession, war, etc...we have caused these problem and we cant blame amyone else. I feel as if as much as we don't want to admit it we fail to also realize that we can't fix this problem as easily as pepole want to. As they say it easier to dig a hole than get out of it. So like i said earlier we became our own enemy. Note: (-_-) wait mr.pond did you put our test grade in?

TaylorKing said...

I believe that the government has a lot to do with America's economic situation but I don't think they have to do with every economic problem we have. They are at fault for making us go to war which messed with our oil supply which makes us spend more money for gas and things like that. But the citizens of the U.S are at fault as well for spending unnecessary money without having it. SO many people go into debt because they want what they do not have, resulting in the lose of money to the government. We all have to do with the poverty rate in the United States and we can not blame it on a certain group of people.

-Taylor King Period:4th

Dysis A. said...

I feel that in respond to the poverty in America, the government is responsible because of the lack of importance that they give this issue. Although America is suffering economically the government is making poor decisions by not giving as much help as they are suppose to. To my knowledge the bill that Obama is trying to pass, where there is some sort of a help for those that don't have a job can attain one, the Republicans don't want to pass this bill. For me this is because they don't want to spend the money needed to actually try to help this poverty decrease. Our parents pay taxes because this is a law that was passed by the government, they(we) do our part, why can't the government? Would they much rather spend this money in supporting a war that will just hurt our economy and poverty even more. As to race being an obstacle for financial success, I would say that it depends on the employer. If the person in charge is of giving the job is of the majority and has a racist mentally,or thinks that their race is better of course they will give the job to their same race, rather than the minority. So I say that it all depends on the person and their way of thinking, although it can also be argued that race is still an obstacle for financial success.

Dario M said...

I don't think that any specific group of people can be responsible for poverty in America. There are many factors that go into the income a person recieves. These include where the person lives, and sometimes their race. Sometimes, aperson may struggle to get a certain job, where a person of another race may have it easier. Education plays an important part of a person's income, and people who are undocumented would not be able to go to college, and won't get good jobs.
Dario M.

AntionetteH said...

In my opinion I feel that the government and the rich is responsible for poverty. Nobody cares anymore about the poor people . The government consist of rich people who pass laws for higher taxes and spend more money on war. How about taking some of that money to build the economy back up, so that more jobs can be created. If the government create more jobs and affordable taxes this can make incomes for families more equitable. Race plays a sma role in poverty. Although, some white people have advantages of getting jobs because of their skin color, that's not really an important factor as it was back then. Race is not really a major obstacle for financial success because they are both rich and poor people bring both black and white.
Antionette Hubbard
Period 8

Angelique J said...

I feel as though you can't blame the government on poverty because they provide money for the less fortunate like welfare and link cards and other financial aid. As for the wealthy I'm sure you have some people that are willing to donate some of their money to the less fortunate but of course, not everyone is up to doing that so what can you really say? I will say that the division with the economy classes, rich, middle, poor really doesn't help the situation just because it's a split division towards people but as said before, the less fortunate gets money from the government every month. Now, HOMELESS people is a totally complete different thing from less fortunate. I personally feel that the reason as to why the person is homeless could be their personal fault; could be lack of education or have made bad choices in their lifetime and this can also be the same thing with people who are just less fortunate. So, in all that's being said you can blame many people for poverty but I do not think that race plays a role in poverty. All different types of races have a certain percentage of poverty, not everyone that is black is poor or homeless. For example, when I'm downtown I see all types of people of all different races with cups begging for change. The white man (majority)is just like the black man or the hispanic man (minority) that's standing in front of Walgreens downtown with a sign and a cup filled with change. I also believe that race IS NOT a major obstacle for financial success because there are plenty minorities that are successful. Of course, everything isn't just handed to you have to work hard for it so that should motivate minorities even more since they have the disadvantage.

kimberlyw said...

I believe that race is still a major obstacle for financial success. When I think of a successful person, the first image that comes to mind is a caucasion person wearing a suit. This is only because this image is what has defined success for so long.

I think that business companies would rather hire all caucasions, but due to racial profiling, they hire people of color or of a latin decent. This also helps their company with diversity.

In the past, whites were considered to have the upper hand and to be more stable financially. Sure they are stable, but so are people of color.

I think people of color have to work three times harder to achieve financial success only because they are doubted.

JerriJ said...

I really don’t know who is to blame for the poverty in the United States. But I do know that the government isn’t built for the minorities that live in the United States. The government we have today was created for the white man, and since then not much has change. Some people in the United States are living in poverty because there inability to keep a job and many other circumstances. Even though the government might not be built for the minorities there are many ways to beat the odds. Even though we live in a democracy rich people aren’t to blame for the people in poverty. No. the impoverished person may not have had the things the rich man did to get where he is today but, everybody has opportunities to better themselves so you can’t always blame the government for your problems America is already in debt how do we have the money to worry about the people in poverty. We should come up with ways to create more money and jobs for the people who don’t have them because of the bad economy. I think that blacks of the twenty first century are lazy; our ancestors fought hard many died, suffered, and bleed for us to be where we are today and we constantly blame our poverty for others. If we stop sitting on our butts and wasting the tax money on people who can get up and go to work. Then maybe that money can be used to educate the leaders of the future. People that are in poverty and that can work need to find a hustle to make money, because there is no reasons tax payers should have to pay for your food every month because you are lazy

Jerrien H. pd. 8

Khadijah McGee said...

I don't know much about what most people are doing in terms of government and America but I would say the President is to blame for poverty because Obama was elected into a bad economy with not very many jobs available at the start so his position is that he can help produce more jobs and fix the economy but after all this time he hasn't done much and has no track record for his achievements. Because of my lack of knowledge about incomes and the American economy so I wouldn't know how to fix it if there is any way. Race is still an obstacle for financial success because people in the world will always be racist and opinionated as long as there are races on this Earth. Like when someone is being interviewed for a nice paying job but the interviewer is biased and racist, they might not select them or even consider them for the job because they feel they are not good enough or civil-enough to interact with others to get the job done or they feel they are not worthy of having the job.

Khadijah McGee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Khadijah McGee said...

I don't know much about what most people are doing in terms of government and America but I would say the President is to blame for poverty because Obama was elected into a bad economy with not very many jobs available at the start so his position is that he can help produce more jobs and fix the economy but after all this time he hasn't done much and has no track record for his achievements. Because of my lack of knowledge about incomes and the American economy so I wouldn't know how to fix it if there is any way. Race is still an obstacle for financial success because people in the world will always be racist and opinionated as long as there are races on this Earth. Like when someone is being interviewed for a nice paying job but the interviewer is biased and racist, they might not select them or even consider them for the job because they feel they are not good enough or civil-enough to interact with others to get the job done or they feel they are not worthy of having the job.

corey thomas said...

I feel like the government is to blame. Yes they do assist people in need but at the same time the assistance they provide is so easy to be mooched off of. If they really wanted to help they would do something to get people of their feets intead of helping them, so they wont hvae to work or try to better themselves.