Session 8

1/2) Who do you think is poor, both in the United States and globally?Why do you believe people are poor in the United States and globally?

I think that the movie further proved the importance of education. Angie's daughter in the film had gotten pregnant, dropped out of school, as did her brother. So her mother is working the job with the more reliable income, but is ultimately going to carry the weight of the children or those living in her house that didn't continue on with their education. Through my volunteer opportunity I saw that there are community centers out there who really promote the advancement beyond state assistance. It is important for those to want to break away from the poverty line, to work hard for any and all opportunities that will help them see beyond that line. But it is also important to not want to be poor, people who want to do better no matter how much hard work it takes. At the Center for Working families in downtown Atlanta, they offer many types of assistance, but people have to be wanting and willing to do the work, and have the perseverance to see their way through the doors that centers and other government programs open for them. We have learned that poverty is easily perpetuated. It takes just one family member to change the fate of the future family's generations.

3/4) What do you think is being done about poverty (e.g., specific policies and programs in the United States and globally) and how well do you think poverty is being addressed?/What do you personally think should be done about poverty in United States and globally (e.g., specific private and government policies, programs, etc. that you would recommend)?

American Dream really got my mind rolling...the woman in the film, Angie, is a walking example of what the welfare system strives for. While she used assistance, she eventually was able to become a nurses aid, make above minimum wage, and maintain a job with benefits, including a 401k plan. The movie does point out that Angie still continued to struggle. This is where I feel our system fails. I'm going to go out on a limb, and possibly offend, but it's really sad that the people who actually work hard for their money, have more financial burdens then those who have a full ride from the government. We need to still have programs that help those who are just above the poverty line. Whether it be higher income bracket cut offs for utility bills (as even the clip references Angie has had her utilities cut off more than once.) I have personally seen people collect welfare that are unemployed but still receive food stamps, WIC, Section 8, Medicaid and utility benefits have less financial burdens then many who work full time. When are we going to re design these programs to help those who truly are trying to rise above? I am sure that it is beyond frustrating to work and still do nothing but struggle. I'm not quite sure what the easy fix would be, but it sure seems that if we want these programs to be encouraging people to use them temporarily, we need to make a life without using these programs just as appealing.