Changes

==Poverty standards==

==Poverty standards==

The level at which a person or group is considered to be living in poverty is largely relative, and the ways in which they are impoverished can vary. A person who would be judged to be living in poverty in the West, in particular in the  [[United States]], would typically be considered rich by [[third world]] standards. Yet a person living in poverty in most undeveloped countries would be considered to be far better off than most in a country like [[North Korea]].

The level at which a person or group is considered to be living in poverty is largely relative, and the ways in which they are impoverished can vary. A person who would be judged to be living in poverty in the West, in particular in the  [[United States]], would typically be considered rich by [[Third World]] standards. And yet a person living in poverty in most undeveloped countries would typically be considered to be far better off than most in a country like [[North Korea]]. The highest cost of living aspect for a person living in  poverty in a Western country would often be housing, while for a Third World resident it could easily be food. 

As far back as 2004, of households defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, forty-six percent owned their own homes, with only six percent being overcrowded, seventy-six percent had  air conditioning, almost seventy five percent owned a car, with thirty percent owning two or more cars. Ninety-seven percent had a color television, with over half owning two or more color televisions, with 62 percent having cable or satellite TV reception, while seventy-eight percent also possessed a VCR or DVD player. Seventy-three percent owned a microwave oven, and a third had an automatic dishwasher.

As far back as 2004, of households defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, forty-six percent owned their own homes, with only six percent being overcrowded, seventy-six percent had  air conditioning, almost seventy five percent owned a car, with thirty percent owning two or more cars. Ninety-seven percent had a color television, with over half owning two or more color televisions, with 62 percent having cable or satellite TV reception, while seventy-eight percent also possessed a VCR or DVD player. Seventy-three percent owned a microwave oven, and a third had an automatic dishwasher.

However, poverty covers a wide spectrum of income levels in the United States, and includes those who have little of the above, none at all.<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1713es.cfm</ref>  

However, what constitutes poverty covers a wide spectrum of income levels in the United States, and includes the smaller percentages of people who have little of the above.<ref>http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1713es.cfm</ref>

 

According to the Brookings Institution, in 2008 more than 30 percent of the nation’s population ( 91.6 million) were below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Western cities and Florida suburbs were among the first to see significant increases in poverty between 2007 and 2008.<ref>http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2010/0120_poverty_kneebone.aspx?p=1</ref>

Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, reported that President Obama's administration plans to create a new index of poverty, in which poverty would be determined comparatively, the level of which would increase as the income of all in one's country increases.

Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, reported that President Obama's administration plans to create a new index of poverty, in which poverty would be determined comparatively, the level of which would increase as the income of all in one's country increases.

He notes that this would have the effect of statistically ensuring that “the poor will always be with you” (Mark 14:7), no matter how much better off they get in absolute terms.<ref>[http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=ZGY1OWZhZGY1NjM3MGUzMzdjNjc2MjAwNzExZWEyOTE  www.nationalreview.com, ''New ‘Poverty’ Measurement''], March 8, 2010 4:00 A.M.</ref>

He notes that this would have the effect of statistically ensuring that “the poor will always be with you” (Mark 14:7), no matter how much better off they get in absolute terms.<ref>[http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=ZGY1OWZhZGY1NjM3MGUzMzdjNjc2MjAwNzExZWEyOTE  www.nationalreview.com, ''New ‘Poverty’ Measurement''], March 8, 2010 4:00 A.M.</ref>

== References ==

== References ==