5 Myths About Poverty, Debunked

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We're all about encouraging women to live their richest life, but for many, the American dream is just out of reach.

Poverty is at a 17-year high, and the fortunes of the top 1% have skyrocketed, while wages for the rest of the population have stagnated.

So what does it actually mean to be poor in American today? There are a lot of pernicious misconceptions out there about poverty in the United States, so we rounded up the five biggest myths and the real facts. Have you heard of any of these myths before?

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These myths are more relevant than ever—the U.S. poverty rate has reached a 17-year high.
Who is in the top 1%? A lot of Americans.
These wealthy New Yorkers say they feel poor. Annoyed yet?

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  • http://www.couponspicy.com/ Alanc230

    The powers that be want the masses to believe that the poor are undeserving, lazy, drunk, and brought their problems on themselves. Keep speaking truth to power about this issue. 

  • Drmomljh

    I see recipients of government aid every day. Their medical care is paid for; they receive food stamps, formula for their infants,subsidized housing, and tax credits even though they pay no tax. They drive new cars, and have televisions and cell phones. How do you define poverty? I see the working poor too. They deserve admiration. And people do move out of the handouts line into self sufficiency. But a lot of people choose to work the system. They fill my husbands classes. They don’t care about their grades. They are scornful of my husband and others who work for a living. Able bodied, still they plan to get subsidized housing and produce outof wedlock children so they can be eligible for tax credits. They get free day care. They sell food stamps for cash. They sell drugs they get free through their free health care. The rest of us carry this burden and it is adrag on our economy.

  • http://twitter.com/iDaleesaDoHair Daleesa Weary

    A relative of mine specifically told me she was going to get pregnant again to get more money from the welfare system. So, I disagree with the last one, some people are STUPID enough to think they are getting ahead. Really stupid!