Systemic poverty supports the feelings of white people who feel like they need to be above someone else and, certainly not giving someone help without receiving something in return. I do think Biden has done very well, but Kamala's sex and ethnicity may be a sticking point for them. And the single minded protestors who ignore the Gaza background with Hamas could be problematic if they blame him for the situation rather than the countries involved. A Biden quote: "We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent,” Biden said. “… Peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues.” “But,” Biden added, “neither are we a lawless country.” Destroying property, Biden said, “is not a peaceful protest." This is apropo.
Thanks for the comment...in a post dated Jan 16 (https://garymackender.substack.com/p/on-poverty) I focused on Matthew Desmond’s book, Poverty, In America, where one of the quotes is "Those who benefit most from government largesse—generally white families with accountants—harbor the strongest antigovernment sentiments. And those people vote at higher rates than their fellow citizens who appreciate the role of government in their lives. They lend their support to politicians who promise to cut government spending, knowing full well that it won’t be their benefits that get the ax."
I have a different view. First, I grew up on "welfare," which was Aid to Dependent Children" back in the 1960s. My dad did not finish high school and was a carpenter; Mom was second generation German from Russia (Volga Deutsch), who had been a WAC. Mom went back to school (GI Bill) when I was eleven and I cared for my younger sisters. I got a BA with Equal Opportunity and Work study, and an MEd later after raising my sons. We survived, but there was nothing extra, but I think the difference for us was that we only spent on housing, food and utilities, which was not much. We only bought shoes new. Maslow's Pyramid states that one has to have basic needs met before planning can take place--and many people do not have that. Phones/Internet and much higher costs presently are even less close to being covered by the help we give. The US is a wealthy country, yet we are stingy in helping people find their way--as I did. And defunding public schools is making the situation worse: I got a good education regardless of my economic status. My children are college graduates and never experienced the poverty we did--and my sisters' children are fine. Stability is so necessary to grow up and to value opportunities as they come along as well as participating in our democracy with votes, volunteering, etc. Somehow, our electeds have forgotten the importance of taking care of the least of us.
Systemic poverty supports the feelings of white people who feel like they need to be above someone else and, certainly not giving someone help without receiving something in return. I do think Biden has done very well, but Kamala's sex and ethnicity may be a sticking point for them. And the single minded protestors who ignore the Gaza background with Hamas could be problematic if they blame him for the situation rather than the countries involved. A Biden quote: "We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent,” Biden said. “… Peaceful protest is in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues.” “But,” Biden added, “neither are we a lawless country.” Destroying property, Biden said, “is not a peaceful protest." This is apropo.
Thanks for the comment...in a post dated Jan 16 (https://garymackender.substack.com/p/on-poverty) I focused on Matthew Desmond’s book, Poverty, In America, where one of the quotes is "Those who benefit most from government largesse—generally white families with accountants—harbor the strongest antigovernment sentiments. And those people vote at higher rates than their fellow citizens who appreciate the role of government in their lives. They lend their support to politicians who promise to cut government spending, knowing full well that it won’t be their benefits that get the ax."
I have a different view. First, I grew up on "welfare," which was Aid to Dependent Children" back in the 1960s. My dad did not finish high school and was a carpenter; Mom was second generation German from Russia (Volga Deutsch), who had been a WAC. Mom went back to school (GI Bill) when I was eleven and I cared for my younger sisters. I got a BA with Equal Opportunity and Work study, and an MEd later after raising my sons. We survived, but there was nothing extra, but I think the difference for us was that we only spent on housing, food and utilities, which was not much. We only bought shoes new. Maslow's Pyramid states that one has to have basic needs met before planning can take place--and many people do not have that. Phones/Internet and much higher costs presently are even less close to being covered by the help we give. The US is a wealthy country, yet we are stingy in helping people find their way--as I did. And defunding public schools is making the situation worse: I got a good education regardless of my economic status. My children are college graduates and never experienced the poverty we did--and my sisters' children are fine. Stability is so necessary to grow up and to value opportunities as they come along as well as participating in our democracy with votes, volunteering, etc. Somehow, our electeds have forgotten the importance of taking care of the least of us.