Originally Posted by acroy
Personally, I have a real problem with how Diet Coke makes me FAT. I drink it all the time, and can't get rid of the last 10lbs!
j/k 
, though identifying Causality when it comes to race & economic background may be a fool's errand, due to the politically & emotionally explosive nature of the beast
I honestly lean towards the belief that there is no excuse, no reason, for an able-bodied person to be poor. I know first-hand in my and my peer's jobs: companies have a hard time attacting and keeping good mid-paid people ($12-17/hr). All they really need to do is be reliable, just show up: no special skills needed! Yet the job market must be really good, cause they get bored after a few weeks, quit showing up, don't bother to call in... and get on "unemployment" till it runs out.
I don't give a tiny little rat's rear what your color is, where you used to live, what you watch on tv, what kind of accent you speak with, who you vote for; all I want is for you to show up on time and drive the dang forklift safely. In other words: to do the job you're getting paid for!
We have an epidemic of Laziness in this country. And a scarsity of personal responsibility, imho.
Most of the poor are not able-bodied adults. Most have a disability, physical or mental, that makes it hard or even impossible for them to work. Others lack the education or training to get a job that pays enough to live on, let alone support a family.
The simple fact that low-paying jobs exist, and
somebody will get stuck doing these jobs. I'm glad I was lucky enough that it wasn't me! Half of the population is "below average" when it comes to abilities, but people should not be forced into jobs that don't pay enough to support a family. Also, remember that the nation's largest employer is Walmart, and that explains a lot. Like Walmart, many large retail employers don't offer full-time schedules, and most don't offer adequate health benefits. If you break your collar bone riding your bike, you get fired, and you have no way to pay for your health care. You enter that poverty trap, and it is very difficult to escape.