There was a time when our annual income would have put us down way below the "poverty level." But we never considered ourselves "poor." We always had some money in the bank, to the amazement of some folks who made ten times as much but who lived paycheck to paycheck. I was trying to build up a business from scratch so we also had a considerable amount of equipment, all of which was old and took constant repair to keep running.
So we didn't qualify and wouldn't ask for "public assistance" - they would just expect me to liquidate my assets (my job) and then sit on my butt.
Other things happened ... I got sick, and actually was on a disability for a few years while I went to college. I don't like that fact but what do you do with a wife and two little kids?
The point I'm trying to make is that we always held our heads up and we always budgeted even when we had little to budget, and we managed to make do. There is no shame to being "poor" - it is what you do with it that counts. I worked like a dog for those 4 years of school even though I was sick the whole time: made straight A's, did "work-study" at a real job at the local hospital, and even did some volunteer work in the community.
The problem that I see is that some of our sub-cultures seem to have an attitude of victimhood, poverty, and irresponsibility. I wasn't raised that way, but I guess those that are, really are "handicapped" in a sense. I don't know how you fix that - you can never throw enough money at them to help them. Somewhere along the way they have to start taking responsibility for their own actions and behavior.
I don't have a problem with helping people who are down on their luck. I've been there myself, and I've also donated to help others in need. But I get tired of being forced to donate (taxes) for people who won't lift a finger to help themselves.
