Blog #3 "More than 20 million saved from poverty"

According to CNN, Federal lifeline programs have helped keep millions out of poverty. This is proven by the U.S. Census. Social Security payments lifted 21.4 million people. 14.5 million of those people were senior citizens.  In the meantime unemployment benefits prevented 2.3 million Americans from falling into poverty. Non-cash benefits, such as food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit are not taken into account by the Census Bureau when measuring income. Although they do have a strategy of calculating how these programs would have helped keep poverty in check.

Poverty has been created by the economic and social systems that we live in. We have set boundaries that enable the poor to unbind themselves from the poverty chains. Our society does not offer them the same opportunities as everyone else. Nor has our society been working to the best of its ability to help make the process of eliminating poverty neither easier nor faster. There are many other factors that can help lift America out of poverty. Food stamps for example as stated in the article would have lifted 3.9 million people out of poverty had that aid been counted as income. Another help that can be provided is by creating employment and income opportunities for the lower social class. Many times these people get discouraged after getting rejected by so many employer and financial services. Globalization can and has also helped raise the standards of living for many people, not only in America but all over the world as well. Export growth and incoming foreign investments seem to also help eliminate poverty in our country. I believe that more opportunities need to continue being provided for the lower social class. This will be one of the only ways to better our country to where poverty will no longer exist.  

http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/13/more-than-20-million-saved-from-poverty/?iref=allsearch