tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35248477.post7346385984760367257..comments2024-03-27T14:20:05.905-04:00Comments on Montclair SocioBlog: Reducing Poverty Jay Livingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06652075579940313964noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35248477.post-10599580527618928812013-09-16T01:09:22.755-04:002013-09-16T01:09:22.755-04:00Let us all be confident that European poverty rate...Let us all be confident that European poverty rate have lessened down.Bill Cover Insurancehttp://www.trueinsurance.com.au/bill-cover-insurance/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35248477.post-33143639693665095202012-09-13T13:29:53.886-04:002012-09-13T13:29:53.886-04:00#1. [Role of govt] European governments tends towa...#1. [Role of govt] European governments tends towards the former (govt.); the US towards the latter (leave individuals to fend for themselves). European countries have fewer people in poverty, especially children. That doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to me. <br /><br />#2. [Minium] Ideally, enough to afford the package of goods that allows one to feel that one is part of society. When you ask people, “What’s the minimum income it takes to get by around here?” the numbers you get turn out to be pretty close to 55-60% of median income. The measure of poverty should be relative, not absolute.<br /><br />[Maximum] <br />Yes. Should the government set that limit? No. Should taxes be progressive so that richer people pay a higher rate? Yes. (The rich certainly should not pay a lower rate, but, as Romney and Buffet demonstrate, they do.)<br /><br />2. [Is govt providing for poor a good thing?]<br />See #1.<br /><br />3. [Dampening] It’s a choice. To provide health care, education, nutrition, etc. to people who could not otherwise afford it vs. leaving individuals, including children, to go without those things.<br /><br />[helping everyone or just some] See the WaPo graphic on tax expenditures – the poor are not the only ones who benefit from govt breaks. As for aiding the poor, I would prefer a society that leaves the poor, esp. children, on their own. <br /><br />4. [median income differences – I’ll take your word on the accuracy of the numbers.] That’s why I prefer a relative definition of poverty (see #1 above). You could tell a Greek family earning $20,000 that they’re not really OK economically because by US standards they’re in poverty, but that information would not be relevant to them.Jay Livingstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06652075579940313964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35248477.post-87542355088415786672012-09-12T14:10:39.658-04:002012-09-12T14:10:39.658-04:00And also, there is the varying levels of "pov...And also, there is the varying levels of "poverty". The article referenced "50% of Median Income" for each country. <br /><br />But the data wasn't listed as to what that income was.<br /><br />Using 2007 OECD data:<br />Sweden - 22,889<br />Denmark - 22,461<br />Austria - 24,114<br />Norway - 31,011<br />France - 19,615<br />Finland - 20,875<br />Netherlands - 24,024<br />United Kingdom - 25,168<br />Switzerland - 26,844<br />Belgium - 21,532<br />New Zealand - 20,679<br />Germany - 21,241<br />Italy - 16,866<br />Canada - 25,363<br />Australia - 26,915<br />Greece - 15,758<br />Spain - 18,391<br />Ireland - 24,677<br />Japan - 19,432<br />United States - 31,111<br /><br /><br />Wow...quite a range there. Am I reading this right; that poverty in America is around the MEDIAN income for Greece and Italy?<br /><br />Bob S.http://3boxesofbs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35248477.post-33666583986926043642012-09-12T08:53:28.306-04:002012-09-12T08:53:28.306-04:00#1 -- is it the responsibility of the government t...#1 -- is it the responsibility of the government to reduce poverty?<br />Or is it just the responsibility of the government to make it possible for each individual to reduce their own poverty?<br /><br />If it is the responsibility of the government -- what is the minimum amount of money each person should make?<br /><br />Is there a maximum amount a person should make?<br /><br />2. What is your point here? <br />That Europeans aren't poor because other people are rich and provide for them?<br />That is what it certainly sounds like. How is this a good thing?<br /><br />3. What about the individual dampening effect? I know I could be doing more, spending more, studying more, helping more people IF I was allowed to keep more of my own money and I'm not even in the highest tax brackets.<br /><br />Where do we draw the line on the government's power to help individuals versus helping society in general?<br /><br />Roads help everyone in society, national defense is a general category -- income redistribution, not so much wouldn't you agree?Bob S.http://3boxesofbs.comnoreply@blogger.com