The Working Poor - 1071 Words

The working poor are those people that work the hardest for their dollar, work the hardest to get their paychecks, work the hardest to survive. Most of the working poor live paycheck to paycheck and like the saying goes, â€Å"robbing from Peter to pay Paul.† There is a way out of poverty, and there is a way for these struggling individuals to escape the perils of their life in poverty. It is not an easy road out, but it is possible. It is important for those that are born into this lifestyle to know that this is not a destination; there is hope that they will live a so called â€Å"better† life. Who are the Working Poor? Before we describe who the working poor are, let’s describe what poverty is. â€Å"There are two general methods of defining†¦show more content†¦Gabourey Sidibe and Jennifer Hudson are a few stars that are heard about as going from nothing to everything. You do not have to be a star to be able to escape from poverty though. There are many programs that are available to individuals to assist them in finding employment and assistance to get out of poverty. The programs that are available are reliant on the presidents and law makers that are lobbied. â€Å"The Bush administration had been wildly criticized for not being responsive to the needs of the poorest Americans,† (Burger, 2008, p. 20). At times an individual just needs help in getting shown the right direction. â€Å"Isolated in the projects, many like Camellia lack the encouragement and connections to find decent work until a helping hand gives a push or opens a door,† (S hipler, 2004, p. 123). To be able to break out of poverty an individual must not be afraid to leave. Personal reaction conclusion Poverty is not something that effects just a certain population; it is non-discriminative. The working poor are the heart of America. They are people that we see every day. For those that are living this way, it is important to know that there is a way out. In Shipler (2004) book The Working Poor, he states, â€Å"George W. Bush gave voice to the myth when he was asked whether he meant to send a message with the inclusion of two blacks, a Hispanic, and two women in the first seniorShow MoreRelatedWorking Poor Essay3209 Words   |  13 PagesThe Struggle of the Working Poor Revised Essay Sociology 113 Yvonne Barney October 19, 2012 The Struggle of the Working Poor Society often describes the impoverished with one word, lazy. Society has taught us that if a person wants to be financially successful, it is a simple process of education and hard work that will equate to a successful income. This is the American dream. If the impoverished simply would get a job instead of being lazy, they would not need to rely on programs likeRead MoreWorking Poor : The Work Poor1051 Words   |  5 PagesElizabeth McCumber April 24, 2015 Working poor paper Throughout both in-class discussions, and David Shipler’s â€Å"The Working Poor: Invisible in America† we learned being poor in America is anything but easy. Even with all of our government assistance programs such as Medicaid and Welfare, many family generation after generation seem to fall below the poverty line and create a life of struggle and long way out for their families. When Shipler is explaining different families and their lac of selfRead MoreWorking Poor : The Work Poor Essay1277 Words   |  6 PagesWorking Poor The Working Poor: Invisible in America is a story that takes personal stories and accounts of people lives to describe the injustices that people face every day. Poverty is damaging to both the economy and the people who face it. 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HoweverRead More Working and Poor Essay1089 Words   |  5 Pages It’s difficult to imagine ho w some people hold multiple jobs to support their family and still live below the poverty line. The saying â€Å"the rich gets richer and the poor get poorer† has never been so evident in today’s society. With a growing percentage of people living below the poverty line, one has to question the government policies enacted to elevate the living standings for its people. Government policies great influence the everyday life of its people. It is difficult to enact common ground