Poverty in the richest country It is ironic that hunger and poverty still persist in the world’s wealthiest nation. About 58.5% of Americans spend at least 1 year living below the poverty line. There was about 643,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless nationwide in 2009. In 2011 about 46.2 million (15.0%) Americans lived below the poverty line. This was more than 15 million people in poverty, than in the year 2000.
Figure 3 shows the changes of global economic power over time. There are many reasons for the shifts in economic power such as the Second World War and the collapse of the British Empire. In 1913, Britain had a GDP almost twice the size of The USA's and made up 37% of the world's economy. By 1950, Britain's economic influence had decreased, its GDP now making up only 7% of the global economy. During this period The USA had become the world's largest economic power, making up 27% of the world's economy compared to the 19% in 1913.
Myth #5: Most of the poor are older Americans. About 10 percent of people 65 years and older are poor, but 35 percent of the poor are children under 18. Between 2000 and 2008, the incomes of people ages 25-54-especially men-decreased about 11 percent but increased by 8 percent for men ages 65-74. Myth #6: The poor get special advantages. The poor pay more for goods and services than do wealthier people.
“Social inequality refers to the unequal distribution of social, political, and economic resources within a social collective, such as a nation.” (Krieken, R. et al. 2014, p. 204). Sociologists have identified a number of variables which have an influence on social inequality. These include; class, status, power, social capital and cultural capital. Krieken, R. et al.
The economy is considered to be very unstable at the current time, and it is the duty of the United States government to do everything in their power to once again stabilize the once booming economy for the sake of the entire country and its citizens. Current Unemployment Rate Currently unemployment rates in the United Sates are a less than desirable 7.9%. Although, this number has decreased by 2.1% from its peak in recent years, it is still believed that there is a long way to go. Prior to the recession unemployment rates fluctuated between 4% and 6% (www.bls.gov, 2012). This increase in the unemployment rate is having considerable impacts on the economy.
PROFILE Explain how the problem of inequality can be addressed Income Inequality http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality Economic inequality (also known as the gap between rich and poor, income inequality, wealth disparity, or wealth and income differences) comprises disparities in the distribution of economic assets (wealth) and income within or between populations or individuals. The term typically refers to inequality among individuals and groups within a society, but can also refer to inequality among countries. The issue of economic inequality is related to the ideas of equity, equality of outcome, and equality of opportunity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income Income is the consumption and savings opportunity
In 2012, Ingham County was home to 281, 723 residents according to the United States Census Bureau. The historical data of Ingham County up to 2010 shows an upward trend of poverty from 14.63% in 2000, to 20.58% in 2010 (usa.com). In Ingham County 11.5% of people make 10, 000 dollars or less a year which is considered extreme poverty, while 10.7% of people make 30-40 thousand dollars a year (usa.com). This may not seem like a high number or people who live in poverty or are struggling depending on the number of people they are supporting, but compared to the 2.5 percent of people who earn 250, 000 dollars or more in Ingham County, the percentage difference is to be a big difference. My biggest focus on Ingham County is the child poverty
Income Inequality, Is It a Problem? Rachael Johnson ECO100: Survey of Contemporary Economic Issues Lisa Turner July 26, 2010 Income Inequality, Is It a Problem? There is a in depth literature on the issue of income inequality, summed up by Milanovic (2006).“Since it is only through contact that recognition and tension are created, one could argue that the reduction of physical misery associated with low income and consumption levels permit an increase rather than a diminution of political tensions the political misery of the poor, the tension created by the observation of the much greater wealth of other communities may have only increased." In spite of the later damage of the reputation of his representation of income inequality
Nearly 10 percent of all Native families are homeless. At over 14 percent, the rate of Native homes without electricity is 10 times the national average. Twenty percent of Native households lack running water. The unemployment rate on some reservations can be as high as 75 percent, while the infant mortality rate is about 300 percent higher than the national average. The life expectancy of Native men is 50 years of age.
Despite the fact that Millennium goal 4 aims to cut child mortality by two third by 2015 and that childhood mortality has declined from 87/1000 live births in 1990 to 5 1/1000 live births in 2011especially for the under five mortality across the world , mortality rates remained very high in the African countries in the sub-Saharan region which have the highest rates. The under 5 mortality rate actually increased in 14 countries across the world, nine of them are in sub-Saharan region. (4-5) Childhood mortality is an important indicator of population development, health and health care. According to the UNICEF report on the state of the world's children 2008: (14) childhood mortality: 1. Measure an outcome of development of a nation.