Study dismisses poverty, but try telling that to the poor

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/study-dismisses-poverty-but-try-telling-that-to-the-poor/2011/09/13/gIQANZSbQK_story.html

By Courtland Milloy, Published: September 13

As the fortunes of middle-class Americans continue to dwindle, some might be wondering what it’s like to be poor. A study released this year by the Heritage Foundation argues that living in poverty isn’t as bad as most of us imagine. Indeed, from the way poverty is portrayed by the conservative think tank, you’d think that the average poor person was actually living large.

“Poor children actually consume more meat than higher-income children consume, and their protein intake averages 100 percent above recommended levels,” wrote Robert Rector and Rachel Sheffield, authors of the study: “Air Conditioning, Cable TV, and an Xbox: What is Poverty in the United States Today?”

“In fact,” they continued, “most poor children are super-nourished and grow up to be, on average, one inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II.”

Who knew? Good thing, too, since so many poor children end up fighting our wars.

[ejpoeta]

1. my guess is they are full of shit. poor children may have an xbox

or cable tv, but they probably don't get to see their parents much who are busy working two jobs just to keep a roof over their heads. and they spend a lot of time in front of that tv because their parents can't afford a sitter, so the kid is told to stay inside and keep the door locked. and the tv and video game will keep them busy so they don't get into trouble. and they probably STILL qualify for food stamps, the only thing keeping them from starving. then they end up eating lots of crappy junk because it's cheaper than decent food especially when you are trying to stretch food stamps out. but hey, keep spinning that lie.

[cutlassmama]

2. +1

[NickB79]

3. High protein intake = Plenty of dollar menu double cheeseburgers

Super-nourished = overweight/obese

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Poor: it's the new rich!

Holy fuck.

[Jkid]

5. Probably because they're saving money to buy these things.

No different than the middle class or the wealthy. They can make the same type of argument to claim that the middle class is more wealthy than before.

Class warfare is alive and well.

[HereSince1628]

6. This is system justification, something conservatives are good at.

The boys and girls at Heritage Foundation recognize that many social asymmetries exist that are too large to deny.

So, in order to tamp down the dissonance they say that this asymmetry isn't so bad it's actually a priviledge.

I remember in the 1960's reading crap about the poor of the world longing to be poor in the US. The storyline hasn't changed much.

[Angry Dragon]

7. If being poor is so good for the children then I wonder why

all the rich parents don't send their children to live in the inner cities, to live with some poor relatives, to live on the streets??

According to Heritage this would make perfect sense..............

[fasttense]

8. Pure BS and spin.

Their numbers are rigged no doubt. I could do a study with statistics that shows eating pickles make you healthy, wealthy and wise but it would all be spin and lies.

[Odin2005]

9. Heritage Foundation, nuff said.

Fuck them.