> I'm offering advice. You're free to ignore it. You're presenting a political view. That's not just "advice". > Do you actually have any direct experience in

> I'm offering advice. You're free to ignore it. You're presenting a political view. That's not just "advice". > Do you actually have any direct experience in living at or below the poverty line in the US? Recent experience is important, as the situation has been changing. Or are you observations made from a position of privilege? If the latter, you might want better data. I grew up in a post-communist Eastern European country, and have a lot of experience with that (my parents were on the poor side). I'm currently a middle-class programmer, so I wouldn't say I'm privileged (although you might disagree). I believe I have plenty of data and experience with poverty. I'm also very skeptical of redistribution, after seeing what communism actually did to my own country.