who s poor in America?
400406
i agree wit the last person 90% mayb even higher
39150
the poor.  like all wars ,the rich start them and the poor die
1059253
Because after traveling to several nations around the world I have discovered that there are no poor people in America.  There are only people with less than others.\n\nEveryone in America has the opportunity to make good choices and gain wealth.
1165481
It depends on how you define poorest.  If you are talking about the most people living below the poverty line, it is Asia.  But overall, there is much more $$ in Asia than Africa.  Either way, if you are looking to travel, check out Kenya and China.  Both are incredible.
898239
You need to be poor!!!
723533
no they won't  b/c if they did then i don't think there would be poor people in this world b/c the jobs are endless when it comes to picking fruits and vegetable and working in hot ass sewing factories.  many americans wouldn't be caught dead working in places like that, they would rather get on welfare and live off of others.
571345
Why should we in the U.S. care about the plight of ILLEGAL immigrants when we have our Own to help!!\n\nWhy shouldn't we as bad for the poor in the U.S. as much as others feel sorry for those in other countries? How is what happened in New Orleans any different than the Asian tsunami? Why should it be 'self pity' for us to aknowelge our fellow citizens who are living in squallar? Anyone can see the U.S. is becomming a two tier economy. It's been heading in that direction for quite a while now, and there's no sign things will change for the better. If you don't know what a two tier economy is, please look it up and educate yourself! Almost all of the income growth in the States since 1975 has been for the richest 20 percent of households. Today the economic gap between between rich and poor in the United States is greater than ever. There's nothing like taking a walk around your (bank-owned) house, then going outside and kneeling down in your (bank-owned) lawn and grabbing a handful of (the bank's) dirt to make you realize how precious (their) land is. Americans aren't that 'rich'! lol. \n\n\nWhy are Americans above all nations so self-delusional? They aren't that rich, majority are poor. They work longer hours for things they will prob. never REALLY own. They have to BORROW more, as in credit cards. The american education system is laughable. No health care. What does the U.S. REALLY have going for it besides WEAPONS??!!!!!! Nothing......\n\nDidn't the Roman empire died eventually? Why do Americans think that it will continue to be the "world leader" in anything? Many, many people around the world don't like Americans because they believe they are full of themselves.\n\n\nWhy shouldn't the world feel as bad for the poor in the U.S. as americans feel about others? Is it a feeling of superiority?? Possibly?\n\nWhat about New Orleans?? PEOPLE STARVED TO DEATH WHILE THE U.S. GOV. WATCHED ON T.V.!!! What about the elderly and the children who are "lost"?
534869
There are a lot of things in our society and our way of life that tend to make people who are living in poverty 'invisible.'\n\nPeople of different social strata or income groups tend to live in various pockets because of the varying value of land for their homes (poorer people tend to live in areas where the land is inexpensive, or residences allow for more people living in a smaller space). The poorer an area is, the less likely it is to attract outside investment such as grocery stores or work sites, so there is much less reason for our media to pay attention to the area.\n\nPeople in the middle class tend to live in outer suburbs where land is more expensive but available, services are better provided, and there is more relative safety. If they work in urban areas, they have access largely via the Interstate Highway system, so they avoid contact or even sight of poor and blighted areas.\n\nBecause people who live in poverty tend to have a higher amount of relative depression, they tend to not believe there is anything to be gained through voting, so there is no incentive for our political leaders to pay any attention to them at all.\n\nIn short, our people living in poverty tend to live in pockets and areas that have nothing in them that the rest of society is interested in, so they become invisible. We then tend to believe that there is no real poverty in America. The only poor people we tend to see are the con artists along the highway exits who try to intimidate us into giving them money so they will leave us alone.\n\nWhen Katrina came along, it devastated such a large area that these invisible people were driven out of their homes and were forced to seek outside help. Because they had no cars and no caches of food or supplies, they were herded into camps and holding areas where they suddenly became a story worth reporting on because their misery was now out in the open and on display.\n\nNow that they have been dispersed across the country, of course, they are invisible again, and we can go back to asking our government to reassure us that poverty does not exist ... again.
1111054
South American countries are not poor at all.  Reality is that some of this countries are very very rich but their societies are controlled by groups of families that have been owners of huge mines and plantations since long before the USA were founded. By 1500's families from Spain and later from Portugal founded colonies were native Indians and Africans became in different ways slaves and domestic servants. This division in social classes was a copy of the 'feudal system' of Europe, were few families were owners of all lands and production systems and there was a lord in a castle. That was how people were living by the 1506 when ciities and towns were founded.  The USA was born 200 years later, under democratic ideas imported from the French revolution (they created the idea that we are all equal)! This idea still have to become a reality in a continent were education, health and freedom are yet privileges rather than rights. I am sending you a link to a slide show of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina. So you can tell by yourself if you see a poor country.
640209
Answering just to your question "Is poverty a legitmate excuse to breaking the law?", my answer is No. And you are right, Mexico is not a poor country, so I kinda agree with you. I'd say the economy has not been devided equally; rich people are very, very rich and poor people are very, very poor. So it's these poor guys the ones who run to the USA with the expectation of a better life, which they do not always get. I personally prefer to be middle class with a secure job in a middle class country (Mexico), than to be poor, receive humilliations and be struggling for a job in a rich country (USA).
903283
Many people are prejudiced against people they perceive to be poor. At least you got to see how it feels to be on the receiving end of that, and hopefully you will help and be friends with those who are deserving instead of blaming them for their circumstances. No disrespect meant by my comment--we all learn something new (hopefully) every day.
551959
Very full for rich folks\n\nhalf empty for middle class Americans\n\nempty for poor Americans = making less than $30,000/yr\n\nthe list is just too  long to list here!\n\nThe idiot doing the screwing = the idiot in the White House
568613
why do you refer to poor americans as bottom feeders? are you a racist or just someone who hates all americans? and do you believe that poor americans deserve less of a chance at a better life because they are american. why aren't you calling for reform within the countries that these illegal immigrants come from. everyone demands that america must change and no one calls for change from any other country. and i could care less where they are from. if they want to come to america then do it the legal way.
648219
why do you find it so surprising?  the US has over 30 million poor people....isnt it amazing?  the richest country in the world....
765319
To prove you are poor you will need to show income tax file, w-2s and any other papers they ask for to show you are needy
54946
Unfortunately, this information is not found out by the U.S. government so no one can answer your question. \n\nHowever, please note that it is a stereotype that all Jews are rich, so it is definite that there are, indeed, Jews on Welfare. But, most Jews would rather obtain help from the numerous Jewish organizations that offer such help, rather than go public with their problems.\n\nA recent national survey, conducted by a Jewish national organization found out the following::\n\n1)Total children living in Jewish households with incomes below poverty level:  272,000 \n2)American Jews living below poverty level: 11% \n\nHow many or what percent of them are on U.S. Welfare remains unknown, however.
1148414
The poor always suffer.\n\nThe following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:\n\n    * Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.\n    * Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.\n    * Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.\n    * The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)\n    * Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.\n    * Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.\n    * Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.\n    * Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.