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I'll admit that "poor" is a tricky thing to define but pointing out the possession of random consumer electronics doesn't demonstrate that a household is NOT re

by angdis 15y ago

I'll admit that "poor" is a tricky thing to define but pointing out the possession of random consumer electronics doesn't demonstrate that a household is NOT really "poor". The presence of a social safety net, meaningful employment, food security, quality education, access to health care and the ability to save for the future are vastly more important considerations for determining poverty. European living standards are different, but quite high if you ignore silly stuff like sq footage and consumer electronics and instead focus on real things that matter like healthcare and education.

anamax 15y ago
> European living standards are different, but quite high if you ignore silly stuff like sq footage and consumer electronics and instead focus on real things that matter like healthcare and education. US poor have free healthcare and education. (Actually, everyone does.) The free healthcare or education isn't unlimited in the US, but it isn't free&unlimited anywhere.
- sp332 15y ago
  I have free healthcare? So why am I still paying every time I go to the doctor?
  - anamax 15y ago
    > I have free healthcare? So why am I still paying every time I go to the doctor? Some combination of (1) Lack of poverty, (2) you don't like the free care, (3) you don't know what's available. Are you poor? If so, medicaid is available (or the state equivalent). Are you a child? If so, there's a program whose name I forget. And, there's also the local county hospital. That said, you may prefer the care that you get by paying, but your choice doesn't imply that you couldn't get free healthcare.
    - sp332 15y ago
      Most of those are not federal programs. And some of those are kinda flimsy, like even if I could convince a family member to pay my bill that doesn't mean "we have free healthcare in America."
      - anamax 15y ago
        > Most of those are not federal programs. Huh? 2 (medicaid and the children's program) out of 3 are federal; that's most in my book (The state versions of mediad, such as MediCal, are state/federal partnerships.) Besides, since every state (and territory) has them, why is it relevant whether they're state or federal? > And some of those are kinda flimsy Huh? No, they won't do everything that you could possibly want, but neither does any other healthcare system, anywhere in the in the world, govt paid or not. If you want to argue about the specific things that they won't do, you get to do the relevant research, including on the programs that you think are acceptable. > like even if I could convince a family member to pay I'm not suggesting skipping out on a bill (although that's also an option if you can't pay).
- andrewbadera 15y ago
  The poor do not have free healthcare here. They have assisted/supplemented medical care in some states under certain conditions, less or none in others (like Illinois, where I live). I know, as I have opened my home to someone who has been unemployed for some 18+ months, and though housing and food are taken care of, she struggles on the medical front. She previously had Medicaid in NY, which helped a lot, especially with covered prescriptions, but at the age of 30, she is ineligible for that same support here in Illinois.

by angdis 15y ago

anamax 15y ago

> European living standards are different, but quite high if you ignore silly stuff like sq footage and consumer electronics and instead focus on real things that matter like healthcare and education. US poor have free healthcare and education. (Actually, everyone does.) The free healthcare or education isn't unlimited in the US, but it isn't free&unlimited anywhere.

sp332 15y ago
I have free healthcare? So why am I still paying every time I go to the doctor?
- anamax 15y ago
  > I have free healthcare? So why am I still paying every time I go to the doctor? Some combination of (1) Lack of poverty, (2) you don't like the free care, (3) you don't know what's available. Are you poor? If so, medicaid is available (or the state equivalent). Are you a child? If so, there's a program whose name I forget. And, there's also the local county hospital. That said, you may prefer the care that you get by paying, but your choice doesn't imply that you couldn't get free healthcare.
  - sp332 15y ago
    Most of those are not federal programs. And some of those are kinda flimsy, like even if I could convince a family member to pay my bill that doesn't mean "we have free healthcare in America."
    - anamax 15y ago
      > Most of those are not federal programs. Huh? 2 (medicaid and the children's program) out of 3 are federal; that's most in my book (The state versions of mediad, such as MediCal, are state/federal partnerships.) Besides, since every state (and territory) has them, why is it relevant whether they're state or federal? > And some of those are kinda flimsy Huh? No, they won't do everything that you could possibly want, but neither does any other healthcare system, anywhere in the in the world, govt paid or not. If you want to argue about the specific things that they won't do, you get to do the relevant research, including on the programs that you think are acceptable. > like even if I could convince a family member to pay I'm not suggesting skipping out on a bill (although that's also an option if you can't pay).
andrewbadera 15y ago
The poor do not have free healthcare here. They have assisted/supplemented medical care in some states under certain conditions, less or none in others (like Illinois, where I live). I know, as I have opened my home to someone who has been unemployed for some 18+ months, and though housing and food are taken care of, she struggles on the medical front. She previously had Medicaid in NY, which helped a lot, especially with covered prescriptions, but at the age of 30, she is ineligible for that same support here in Illinois.