Read an interesting article today on NBC NEWS/WALL STREET JOURNAL POLL. They took a poll on who's to blame for todays poverty. As many of you know... Many are continuing to struggle in a not so healthy economy but yet allot of Americans feel that poverty is caused by circumstances beyond an individuals control.
20 years ago this same question was asked to Americans in a raging political debate about welfare and poverty and less than a third believed it was caused by issues beyond of their control. People actually believed at that time poverty was caused by people not doing enough. So currently, nearly half the respondents believe it's associated with things outside of individual ambition.
They mentioned, "In hard economic times people become more sympathetic to the poor." says Martin Gilens, Ph.D a political scientist of Princeton University. 13 years ago, we were in a period of economic development. This means that even the poor or less developed benefited much more. It's pretty clear that we're in a more visible time of struggling economic times for Americans, so most Americans may contribute poverty to these issues.
A 41 year old single mother, Meg York, runs sales for a family farm out of rural northern Maine. Meg is a Democrat and stated, "I understand the feeling of not being able to afford things. As a Teenager, I thought if you worked hard enough in the United States of America, then it's your own fault your poor. I adopted the conservative view around here. However, my view has certainly morphed and changed over the years, and I see a bigger picture."
Although the opinions shifts cross over all barriers of diversity. There is still major division. More than 60 percent of Democrats felt that forces outside of peoples control is the most important cause of poverty and welfare. Only 27% of republicans felt the same.
It's interesting because men/women differed in opinion as well. Only 40% of men felt poverty was structural, whereas over half of the woman felt this way.
Among white respondents in the study, most felt that poverty is caused by individual initiative. However, the amount that believe it could be caused by outstanding contributing factors rose from 27% in 1995 to 44% in 2014. Among black respondents, a staggering 59% belive poverty is caused by outside factors other than individual initiative, compared to 45% in 1995.
Americans without college degrees and southerners also showed huge shifts in similar directions of opinion.
What is interesting is white males, who still mainly contribute poverty to individual failure to work hard enough showed changes. 38% of white men and 27% of republicans contributed poverty to outside factors. This shows that people are growing more sympathetic towards the poor.
Mike Vergere, 61, a republican marketing manager in a medical manufacturing company in the suburbs of St. Louis, says, "the first issue is that there is not enough jobs in the country that pay enough money so that people can live at the bare minimum to be able to make what we'd consider a living." (2014, NBC.com)
It's interesting that so many Americans believe that poverty is a result of conditions around them that are totally out of their control. I happen to be a young, middle aged, man with no family simply because of financial issues myself. I have two master degrees and have held over 14 jobs in my entire lifetime. I've experienced working hard, overtime, going the extra mile, being the first one in...last one to leave, and everything else only to get a pat on the back, and if i'm luck a complimentary lunch on the company.
13 years ago a majority of people felt that poverty was a result of what people decisions people made themselves as well as personal responsibility. I believe for the most part it still is. People are not forcing or making you have no money. I feel that a lot of people just don't see nor recognize the opportunities around them. People in America are very lazy and want allot of things handed to them. Instead, of poverty or depression being a catalyst for extreme success they use it as a crutch for great failure.
Poor Americans have somehow shifted the responsibility of prosperity and responsibility from themselves to the government. I don't believe it's their responsibility to pay our rent, cloth us, and make sure we have something to eat every month for our families. Now don't get me wrong there are some people out their mentally and physically incapable of living normal productive lives in that should be a responsibility of the government to assist these individuals as needed to live productive normal and successful lives.
However, I feel that we as a people need to take back our POWER and RESPONSIBILITY to take matters into our own hands. I walk around and see plenty of JOBS where people are hiring, the problem is nobody wants to work those jobs because they don't pay what they feel their worth. The only way to get paid what you feel your worth is to become a business owner. Create and take advantage of business opportunities out there and then and only then you can finally get paid what you feel your worth. You will never make what you feel your worth working a JOB which means, "Just Over Broke". If more people used a JOB to invest into their own business and became LEADERS and ENTREPRENEURS than poverty could take a dramatic shift. However, problem isn't outside contributing factors it's US.
It has nothing to do with wages or economic jobs. There are people going from rags to riches everyday using what they know to do and letting failure, uncomfortability, and uneasiness be their only motivation for a better life. There are single mothers who have no choice but to get into business for themselves because they can't afford daycare. This is what it takes...This is what we need to do. I can't figure out a better way to be greater people than to do things that great people do. Don't look for another boss of job to get you out of poverty. Stop looking for government HANDOUTS! I dare you and challenge you to take ACTION yourself and change your life. Start investing in yourself and creating business opportunities in your families name. This can be done and will be done. With that said...
WHO DO YOU FEEL IS THE BLAME FOR POVERTY IN AMERICA?
WHAT DO YOU FEEL NEEDS TO BE DONE?
IS THE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOW AMERICANS LIVE TODAY?
WHAT IS A SURE WAY TO SUCCESS?
I'd love to hear what you have to say! If your looking to join a team who is striving to make $90k in 90 days, i'd love to have you join us. Check out my WUN Blog
Thank You! God Bless
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