Rich, Poor See Poverty Very Differently

[Gormy Cuss]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/10/17/national/w154731D19.DTL

The dramatic differences between rich and poor that were on view during Hurricane Katrina also can be seen by how those two groups view the causes of poverty. The poor largely believe they were dealt a bad hand while the rich are more apt to say poverty is from lack of effort.

Polling by the Marguerite Casey Foundation also found that both rich and poor are optimistic about future prospects for their children.

Those at the poverty level or the near poor were almost twice as likely to say factors beyond their control are responsible for their impoverished state. Those who make higher incomes were evenly split on whether poverty is caused by external factors or by people not making enough effort.

(snip)
"We're looking more and more like a developing country," said Luz Vega-Marquis, president of the foundation. "We have a concentration of wealth in the top 5 percent, but what is happening to the middle-class and poor people?"

[JAbuchan08]

1. Boy those poor people. They just don't understand poverty

'Course the rich, that's one group a people that really know about poor people.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. According to ** who said during his bought and paid for college years,

"the poor are poor because they are lazy". Who are we to argue with the lazy rich? :yoiks:

[JAbuchan08]

6. The rich can afford to be lazy

The rest of us have to scrape by, and God forbid a Republican becomes president then we're all screwed.
Oh, wait that's already happened

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. I forgot to add this,

:sarcasm: after "who are we to argue with the lazy rich" :evilgrin: What kills me, is the rank and file, one paycheck away from the poor house repubs who NEVER GET IT! after they elect their corrupt Leaders into positions of power, to totally screw them over, which they ALWAYS DO! :spank:

[Marr]

2. The rich tend to say poverty is caused by a "lack of effort".

And pat themselves lovingly on their own pampered backs as they do it, by extension. If people are poor because they're inferior, then surely the rich must be superior.

I've known people like that. Well- Bush is like that. What did that woman say about him? "Born on third and thought he hit a triple"? That's about it.

[XOKCowboy]

12. Actually..

that was Jim Hightower's quote. Molly Ivin's uses it a lot but always gives Jim credit for the quote. Those Texans have a way with words. :)

I like the way the rich always point out that those people that live paycheck to paycheck sometimes splurge on a little luxury and point to that as evidence they're spendthrifts and waste their money. This from people that never had to live frugally just to survive. Everyone needs a little luxury sometimes whether it's a six pack of beer or a toy for their kids. It's what makes even a hard life worth living.

[Ksec]

3. Exactly. Most freepers havent a clue about the real world

They believe its all their own fault as if disease, or a disability is preventable.

The rich are truly clueless about my people.

[billr]

5. great headline

in the envelope to Leno.

[HawkerHurricane]

7. Poverty is caused by poor personal choices.

If the poor had chosen better parents, they wouldn't be poor now, would they?

Looking back, I wish I had chosen one of the Kennedys as a parent. Alas, if I only realized...

[walldude]

9. The poor are poor mostly because

of the incredible greed of the super-rich. Not long ago I read an article about how corporations were all pissed off at the guy who runs Costco. They were pissed because he pays decent wages, gives good benefits, and stock options to his employees. The guy knows who butters his bread and he runs his business accordingly. He was willing to let unions into his stores but most of them don't need a union because he takes care of his employees. He was berated for putting his employees above the stockholders. His response to this diatribe against him? "Well if the stockholders don't like it they can go buy someone else's stock, and my employees work hard, they deserve a living wage, I'm not going to make myself richer at their expense, I'm doing just fine."

I for one think that the minute a rich person declares someone else "lazy" they need to show their hands. Literally. Most of these corporate fucks have never done a hard days work in their lives and it will show in their hands, their nice soft skin, and carefully manicured fingernails. I'll put my scarred calloused hands and dirty fingernails up against them any day of the week.

[Ksec]

11. ditto

[Gormy Cuss]

13. You know, it's usually worse than that.

They have soft palms and manicured nails and so do all their friends, and their parents, and siblings, and pretty much every around them except the hired help. The disconnect is extraordinary. They have no clue whatsover and worse yet, have no interest in seeing reality.

I love the exceptions like the Costco CEO. About 10-15 years ago the principal manufacturer of Polar fleece was one American manufacturer in Massachusetts. The plant burned to the ground. The very wealthy owner paid his workers and kept their insurance benefits current while the plant was rebuilt. To him, it was the right thing to do under his moral code. To many business analysts, he was just a sucker.

[Deja Q]

10. Bill Gates is so cool.

He offshores jobs and then tells Americans to study IT, conveniently forgetting he got into the same exact biz because he saw an opportunity for wealth in it.

Yeah, he's a great guy. x(