Why so much hunger in the USA?

[Sanslines]

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/OneMillionNew...hooseFoodOrRent.aspx (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/OneMillionNewYorkersChooseFoodOrRent.aspx)

[Sanslines]

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/OneMillionNew...hooseFoodOrRent.aspx (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/OneMillionNewYorkersChooseFoodOrRent.aspx)

[usmc1]

Because we live in a largely unfettered Capitalistic economic system which is the most perniciously predatory system of wealth distribution in current existance and lack the political will or acumen to incorporate (hah-no pun intended) policies and programs which adequately protect the weak.

This is exacebated by a Judeo/Christian mindset which celebrates salvation through fantasy, mystery, adherence to dogma and ritual rather than through works.

There are some additional social factors such as alienation, lack of community and sense of responsibility for others.

Finally there seems to be a significant number of people with personality disorders who chose to blame the victims in order to exonerate themselves from any culpability.

Lastly, I would stongly suggest that our gross inability to develop answers to alcohol and drug abuse; and as a quick aside-- which is probably as symptomatic of the above listed problems as is hunger, certainly is contributory.

[Naturist Mark]

There is no hunger in America. We have finally abolished it.

There is however, food insecurity. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/15/AR2006111501621.html)

Next we will abolish war. Peace insecurity may still flare up here and there.

-Mark

[hm0504]

I'm sure the neocons can do better than "food insecurity" which still feels negative. How about "overeating-protected" or "thin-assured" -- something that sound positive like they've done for so many other issue names before.

[nudenwv]

just being on the downscale of life due to early retirement,we found no help from local state cherities! i am only seventy dollars below the states poverty and could only get ten dollars worth of food stamps. could not even get medical help due to existing illness that will never go away. what hapened to my benefits that were taken out of my pay for thirty one years?!!!!!!! this is why we have poverty and hunger in this the u.s.of a.

[Sanslines]

What I have noticed this holiday season around here are the very large numbers of people who are going to the food pantries in spite of the enormous amount of money spent in New York State on food stamps. The media never shows sad events such as this and would rather focus on the equally enormous crowds that have gone to the malls for holiday shopping. Everyone at the malls appears to be wealthy, happy, and not wanting for anything as in interviews they admit that they spend over $1000 for presents.

[RalphVa]

There's no shortage of food, as evidenced by the number of obese people.

As far as planning for retirement, you need essentially the same amount of money as you were spending before retiring.

[Sanslines]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RalphVa:
There's no shortage of food, as evidenced by the number of obese people.

As far as planning for retirement, you need essentially the same amount of money as you were spending before retiring. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It is true that there is no shortage of food in the USA. However, many times the poor will eat the wrong kinds of foods that are high in fats and do not form the backbone of nutritious eating. Some charities and food pantries have noticed this and are working on this very problem by using dieticians (when availible) to attempt to provide better quality food.

As for retirement, many times the working poor have little if any money left over for retirement. The enormously high cost of living today keeps pushing the working poor downwards toward welfare. So many people are one medical emergency away from going bankrupt. It is easy to become homeless or destitute in America and this is very sad. No wonder so many young people are driven to make as much money as fast as they can as having loads of money is the only way to ensure any kind of future.

Having worked and doing year-round donations to the local Food Bank, many donations can changed the nutrition level (and other needs) for those who use the Food Bank. Instead of boxes of mac n cheese, cans of beenie-weenies, donate canned vegetables ... powdered milk, canned milk; for children and infants, canned formula, diapers; jarred baby foods; for older citizens, Depends is a real need, as well as canned goods such as Ensure; for women, tampons are a need. There are many items we can donate to help with the nutrition level of those who depend on Food Bank donations.

And .... become a volunteer at your local Food Bank ..... keep year-round donations coming in so that Food Banks can reach more people consistently. A real help is just to volunteer some time to bag the food items.

Allie

[LamontCranston]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Having worked and doing year-round donations to the local Food Bank, </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Good for you Allie. Giving back is quite satisfying...
I make regular donations at the American Red Cross, and my girlfriend has worked at the Goodwill shop organizing and racking donated clothing.

[Naturist Mark]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">There's no shortage of food, as evidenced by the number of obese people. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


True, there is far more than enough food to go around.

Unfortunately it doesn't. Food insecurity in America has risen steadily. Missed meals due to lack of money is not uncommon. At least 35 million Americans go hungry at least occasionally. Meanwhile the government has reduced the cost of the food stamp program by increasing the red tape (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/02/08/MN166297.DTL) rather than decreasing the need for it.

The other side of food insecurity in America is that many can (barely) afford enough food to prevent hunger, but not to eat healthy. The poor often subsist on very cheap high carbohydrate foods that simultaneously lead to obesity and malnutrition.

-Mark

[Swimguy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AlexisDanielle:
Having worked and doing year-round donations to the local Food Bank, many donations can changed the nutrition level (and other needs) for those who use the Food Bank. Instead of boxes of mac n cheese, cans of beenie-weenies, donate canned vegetables ... powdered milk, canned milk; for children and infants, canned formula, diapers; jarred baby foods; for older citizens, Depends is a real need, as well as canned goods such as Ensure; for women, tampons are a need. There are many items we can donate to help with the nutrition level of those who depend on Food Bank donations.

And .... become a volunteer at your local Food Bank ..... keep year-round donations coming in so that Food Banks can reach more people consistently. A real help is just to volunteer some time to bag the food items.

Allie </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Very good points, Allie. Collectively, those of us who have, even though it may not be in abundance, can give a lot to those who do not have.

I know of groups who regularly hold dances to raise money for the local food banks. They also hold auctions where items, tickets to events, and services such as carpet cleaning are donated to raise funds for the needy. All of the money goes to those in need. I am impressed by the generosity of so many people.

[smoothmike]

May be the rich are eating too much. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

Just trying to be humerus hehe

[LamontCranston]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The poor often subsist on very cheap high carbohydrate foods that simultaneously lead to obesity and malnutrition. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Which they are certainly free to do..

Freedom to succeed also means freedom to fail. People must be allowed to live by their choices.

It's the disadvantaged that get help, not the lazy. Please don't take my income and opportunity away to support the lazy.

Can't believe we're going to say, "No potato chips unless you earn at least $20,000."

[Naturist Mark]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by LamontCranston:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The poor often subsist on very cheap high carbohydrate foods that simultaneously lead to obesity and malnutrition. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Which they are certainly free to do..

Freedom to succeed also means freedom to fail. People must be allowed to live by their choices.

It's the disadvantaged that get help, not the lazy. Please don't take my income and opportunity away to support the lazy.

Can't believe we're going to say, "No potato chips unless you earn at least $20,000." </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

So you say the poor are lazy? Try living on $6.50 an hour for one month and tell me just how lazy you were.

So you say that subsisting on cheap unnutritious food is a choice? Would the alternative choice be nutritious food insufficient to keep you alive?

Why is a low level of taxation of your income more important than your neighbors health? Are you selfish or sociopathic?

-Mark

[LamontCranston]

Mark, no one has to work for $6.50 an hour long term. There are many choices and alternatives.

And yes, I have to separate disadvantaged from lazy.

Selfish or sociopathic? Nah.... but don't tell me people who can afford a cell phone, cable TV, video games. and thrice weekly trips to Wal Mart need more money from me because they spent their food stamps on junk food.

Lumping everyone into one bucket is a problem that's not mine to fix or subsidize.

You remind me of the overweight teenager I know who skips dinner to go to McDonalds with her friends. Later she wants more money to go to the movies.

Bull****

Make better decisions and she'll get a wholesome meal AND have money left over. All I'm asking is to consider the difference before you throw a pile of someone else's money on the bonfire.

[Naturist Mark]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">no one has to work for $6.50 an hour long term. There are many choices and alternatives.

And yes, I have to separate disadvantaged from lazy.

Selfish or sociopathic? Nah.... but don't tell me people who can afford a cell phone, cable TV, video games. and thrice weekly trips to Wal Mart need more money from me because they spent their food stamps on junk food.

Lumping everyone into one bucket is a problem that's not mine to fix or subsidize.

You remind me of the overweight teenager I know who skips dinner to go to McDonalds with her friends. Later she wants more money to go to the movies.

Bull****

Make better decisions and she'll get a wholesome meal AND have money left over. All I'm asking is to consider the difference before you throw a pile of someone else's money on the bonfire. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Sigh ... not a clue. (http://www.povertyinamerica.psu.edu/)

-Mark

[smoothmike]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">no one has to work for $6.50 an hour long term. There are many choices and alternatives. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Easy to say for those who are not earning $6.50 p/hour.True they dont have to work there for long, however sometimes its not as simple as that. There are many people in these situations who want to take advantages of those choices but find it incredibly difficult to do so as they need to work 12-14hrs a day sometimes longer, then pay for transport home and pay rent and utility bills and food bills.

Yes there are lazy people out there its the same in my country Australia. In most cases the ones that rip the system off are earning more than the average low income earner on unemployment benefits. I despise these people but i feel for the genuine cases out there like the one ive mentioned. And yes i know personally of people who have been in this very situation.

Ive seen a segment recently on Dr. Phill or Opra (i cant remember which one), but it follows the journey of a "well off" couple that decided to leaver their cushy comforts behind and live that life for a period of time. The rules they set were that they had only a backpack with their clothes in it and they had to find an apartment , and work and it had to be a minimum wage job. they both ended up working two jobs and still could not make ends meet, and this is a couple pooling their resources.

So i think $6.50p/hr very realistic. I feel for those who are in these circumstances.

[LamontCranston]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Sigh ... not a clue. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> The first dozen or so paragraphs are focused on the rich being too rich and there's nothing about hunger and malnutrition.

What's the clue?

[Sanslines]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Maybe instead of more government, we could slash the income tax rate down to 10% and round up wages to $20 per hour. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The check and balance on pushing up wages for certain types of jobs is that if companies are required to raise the wage too much, they will immediately jettison all of their american workers and export all of their jobs to places like China where wages are much cheaper. Such is life in the global economy. Most jobs are not safe and will go where american business can make the most money (from Business 101 at any american university). As for the income tax rate, the lowest federal tax rate presently begins at 10 percent. However, when you take into consideration all of the high costs of living such as a place to live, transportation, food, clothing, unaffordable health care, and all of the other enormous number of fixed taxes that everyone pays (including the poor) you can see how quickly $6.50 disappears.

As an aside, I have a friend who worked as a gym manager for $22K per year. A new owner took over and replaced all of the employees. She immediately enrolled in a local community college for a 2 year nursing degree program. After her first year, she was offered a multitude of summer intern positions at local hospitals and doctor's office. She worked two jobs last summer and is presently finishing up her final year. Once she graduates, she will have her pick of a job and will start at around $40K. She is a very hard working person but was also lucky in that she had support (not financial) from her family to fall back on. Hence the absolute need for families to stick together and help each other out when needed. Unfortunately, not everyone has a support structure to fall back on and not everyone is able to find a way to advance (due to poor local job prospects, etc).

[nacktman]

Yep. Mark, you are correct, again.

And, one wonders why there is so much hunger in the USA?!?!?!

[usmc1]

Lamont,

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...there seems to be a significant number of people with personality disorders who chose to blame the victims in order to exonerate themselves from any culpability. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mark,

Yous ask, selfish or sociopath? Yes, one or the other. Or else the brains and empathy of a drooling, butt-scratching, feces slinging howler monkey!

[fred950]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by usmc1:
Lamont,

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">...there seems to be a significant number of people with personality disorders who chose to blame the victims in order to exonerate themselves from any culpability. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mark,

Yous ask, selfish or sociopath? Yes, one or the other. Or else the brains and empathy of a drooling, butt-scratching, feces slinging howler monkey! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Furthermore, those of us who are less-than-physcally able are left with the crums of the working poor. Lamont, are you aware that non-profit groupa and organizations (usually the only ones that hire the handicapped in large numbers) are exwmpt from paying even the minimum wage?

[krcNY]

I have so many things to say on both sides.

Been to get food stamps with a friend who was totally in need. Unexpected circumstances put them in a financial bind, so they turned to the Gov't for help.

Even though their bills did not change...their income dropped by 75%. They were declined for Food Stamps and Heap. The lady next to us...wearing more gold than I have ever seenand a full length leather coat, told us a few tips (playing the system) for the next time to help insure eligability. She went out the door and got into a Mercedes(done all up with Gold Trim). She said her family has been doing this for generations. There are so many like them, who abuse the system...then when someone truly needs help...it's not there for them.

Here we walked out of there so discouraged. We went everywhere to try to get help and could not get any for her family. Needless to say, we had her contact all her creditors to tell them the situation, and they are the ones who helped her out. They are now back on their feet and appreciate what they have all the more.

To me....Life is what you make of it.

[LamontCranston]

Bleat! Bleat! Bleat! It's that one-note band again, featuring that usmc1 fellow and Nackty blowing into those party horns with their tune "Ain't we great!" Here's some applause fellas...
http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/applause.gif
Now please move along to another street corner. We're having a discussion here.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Lamont,


quote:
...there seems to be a significant number of people with personality disorders who chose to blame the victims in order to exonerate themselves from any culpability. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> This is not my quote. You made it up.

[NudeAl]

The middle class is shrinking and still forced to carry the majority of the tax burden. I wonder how long we can continue without change? What will be the catalyst for change? I know this though, things will have to change if the burden gets to great.

I think we need to look at the businesses that are sending their jobs and their investments off shore yet sell a majority of their products here in the US. If you make your money here in the US shouldn't you be required to invest percentage of that money here? It bothers me that many major corporations are sending their jobs overseas and then selling cheaply made products here in the US then investing those profits in off shore accounts to avoid paying taxes. Seems a little dishonest at the very least.

[nacktman]

Many factors go into the level of hunger in the USA but two of the most important are ignorance and greed.
Both of which have been demonstrated quite well by several post on this thread, either one or the other or both in the same post posted by different posters.

Al your "Seems a little dishonest at the very least.", statement concerning the "sheltering" of wealth from taxation is a bit of an understatement in my opinion. While everyone seeks to preserve that which they produce by way of wealth, some do so to the ill of others with full intention of doing so, just to enhance their personal wealth.
This mentality not only pertains to monetary wealth but to their entire being which in turn leads to the destruction of society and as such is reputiated by the mass populi ... the recent elections show this reputiation as the greed and corruption inherent in it and birthed by it were soundly rejected by the populus.

Some posters deride the notion that there is hunger in the USA by parading their ignorance for all to see saying "if there is hunger in America because people are poor, then why are people poor so fat?". Blind to the facts and reality they do not comprehend the correlation between affordable and nutritional ... nutritional foods tend to be "manufactured" in lesser quantities as they are more expensive to produce and therefore more expensive to purchase. Mass produced foods are produced as cheaply as possible and as a result less expensive to purchase. These foods are produced using the most inexpensive raw materials and have less nutritional value relying on high carbohydrates to give the product what little nutritional value they have.

-- Fact check for the ignorant here -- High carbohydrates in large quantities are stored by the human body for possible future use against starvation in adipose tissue (commonly called FAT), after the body has used what it needs of the foods consumed and eliminated that which was used. When one can only afford such mass produced foods one will become obease (other factors apply here so don't go ranting half-co(ked, but they are another discussion), at some point.
Also, these "high carbohydrate" foods are for the "quick fix" and their lack of nutritional value leads to "hunger" even though one may have a full belly, and a full belly of "cotton candy" isn't very filling now is it.

Leave us not forget those that can not afford even the mass produced foods ...

As the response of one poster to others posting in response to another's post that their very apt conclusion that one shows unending ignorance, well, "unending ignorance" is yet again demonstrated.

[hm0504]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NudeAl:
The middle class is shrinking and still forced to carry the majority of the tax burden. I wonder how long we can continue without change? What will be the catalyst for change? I know this though, things will have to change if the burden gets to great.

I think we need to look at the businesses that are sending their jobs and their investments off shore yet sell a majority of their products here in the US. If you make your money here in the US shouldn't you be required to invest percentage of that money here? It bothers me that many major corporations are sending their jobs overseas and then selling cheaply made products here in the US then investing those profits in off shore accounts to avoid paying taxes. Seems a little dishonest at the very least. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree. And in the present day situation, I would also say that producing nationally what we consume nationally is also a matter of national security. I'm not a rabid protectionist but I think its nuts not to maintain a core level of local production.