Liberal and Conservative Point of View on Poverty in America - Essay Example

Poverty in America Introduction The of poverty within the United s is at a level in which the poor greatly outnumber the available services, thus creating a problem that continues to plague the socio-economic system. With the downward turn of the economy in 2008, the number of poor has increased greatly thus putting the problem back onto the table in a way that must be addressed. However, the conservative and liberal points of view are vastly difference, thus creating an almost paralyzing problem when promoting solutions to the problem. Conservatives tend to focus on the poor, suggesting their behaviors are the cause of their poverty. Liberals, on the other hand, believe that poverty is created through social problems that cannot be solved by focusing on an individual. Poverty is a social issue and both liberals and conservatives have strong opinions on the topic. Liberal Point of View In their book on the welfare system and the aspects of social policies that have inadequately approached understanding the problem of poverty, Joel Handler and Yeheskel Hasenfeld suggest that the biggest problem with the system is that it is perpetually built upon a structure of myths that do not accurately represent the problem within the United States. The pervasive policy that causes the worst decision making is that through getting if the impoverished would just get a job, the impoverished state of a family would be improved. This policy does not take into consideration the low wages of most positions that are available without a college education, the cost of providing a roof, and most importantly, the lack of jobs and the impermanence of low paying jobs within the United States (Handler and Hasenfeld 4). This theory does not take into account that there are not enough jobs for the labor force. The liberal point of view embraces the idea that being poor is a state that comes from circumstance, many of which are out of the control of the individual. This point of view recognizes that poverty affects lives and that not having adequate shelter, food, or resources for health perpetuates a problem that may never be rectified even if those things are provided due to the economic state of the nation. Handler and Hasenfeld argue that one of the problems with defining poverty in the United States is the assumption that attaining a state above the federally defined poverty line means that a family is adequately supported through their own means. However, this is not often the case. The elements that go into to determining the concept of the poverty line are ’deeply flawed’, providing an inaccurate picture of the struggle of financial insecurity within the United States (Handler and Hasenfeld 5). In exploring the liberal point of view, there are many aspects to discuss, but the argument that Handler and Hasenfeld have made about the myths upon which public policy has been built appears to support the basic liberal viewpoint about poverty. People have needs, whether or not they can work. Hunger, according to FRAC (Food Research and Action Center) affects 50.2 million people who are living in food insecure households, with 23.2% of all children not eating on a regular basis. Social support is not about defrauding the taxpayer through welfare, but in trying to find a way to support the needs of people who are starving and in need of basic services for which the state of the economy cannot provide. Incidentally Conservative Point of View One of the stronger theories from the conservative point of view which emerged in the 1970s and 1980s on the poor is that of behavioral poverty. Behavioral poverty is based upon the concept that certain behaviors, primarily three behaviors, contribute to the state of poverty. The behaviors that lead to overcoming poverty are “completing high school, once an adult, get married and stay married (even if not on the first try), and stay employed, even at a wage and under conditions below their ultimate aims” (Stoesz 70). The conservative point of view suggested that in not adhering to these behaviors, the result might be poverty and since welfare is implicative in the lack of these behaviors, welfare is the problem. Therefore, the ways in which poverty could be alleviated stretched the gamut between encouraging social polices for marriage to redefining the social concept of being ’poor’. The basic belief, however, was that the only true remedy for poverty was work. In order to qualify for welfare help, the federal government set out guidelines that supported the return to work for those who were impoverished (Stoesz 71). The primary way in which to approach this social concept was to eliminate programs for anyone who was deemed able-bodied and had the capacity to work (Stoesz 71). However, this was met with a great deal of resistance, so it was modified to provide certain behaviors that had to be performed in order to qualify for aide. This social policy was called The New Paternalism and was defined as “a prescription for alleviating behavioral poverty. If the poor suffered from poverty other than absence of cash, and this was attributed to volition, the a logical policy outcome would be to dissuade the poor from counterproductive acts” (Stoesz 72). This was built upon the idea that the behaviors that led to poverty were constructed upon not working regularly and having children out of wedlock. As a result, as examples, both California and New Jersey eliminated added welfare for additional children that occurred after the position of a welfare recipient had been established in the system (Stoesz 76). The battle against poverty has been focused on the battle against perpetuating problems in the welfare system where the poor continue to be poor because of their dependency on the system. Therefore, in changing the language of poverty, the conservative point of view has been structured to create change through demonizing the social welfare system. According to Royce, “concerns about racism, inequality and unemployment have been swept away by a narrow focus on the self-destructive behaviors of the poor and the failings of the welfare system” (175). Through the language and discourse about the state of poverty as it focuses on behavior, the conservative agenda has been introduced into the cultural framing of the issue, thus shifting the focus on the fault of the poor, rather than in failures of the socio-economic system. Personal Opinion Poverty within the United States is primarily dealt with through a social denial of the validity of the problem. The reason this denial exists is due to the importance of the concept of the ‘American dream’, a cultural concept that suggests that everyone in the United States can make money and support themselves and if they are not succeeding, it is because of a moral deficit of character. This means that anyone who is impoverished must be lazy and undeserving of success. The concept of poverty that is outside of the control of the individual is beyond the cultural capacity of understanding; therefore anyone who is poor must be feared and shunned due to their obvious evil foundation. As a result, the system has been developed more towards the criminalization of poverty rather than toward helping to elevate others out of their situation. This means that in the search for basic human needs such as food, shelter, and cleanliness, those who have found themselves in financial trouble through the economy, mental illness, physical illness, poor life choices, or through circumstances of birth, risk criminal issues due to their lack of financial means. While this general set of beliefs have always been pervasive in the American culture, it was made worse for contemporary society when Ronald Reagan campaigned on the anecdotal story of a ‘Chicago welfare queen’ who had been charged with having defrauded the welfare system for thousands of dollars (Karaagac 135). The use of this type of story was intended to be inflammatory, setting the poor against those of means as a group who was threatening the American taxpayer. The purpose of this type of misuse of a public forum is intended to create sensationalized concepts that are then translated as the normal state of affairs within society. Unfortunately, it was a fairly affective device that further shamed and degraded the state of poverty in which many people must live. It represented a shift in public opinion away from charitable compassion towards blame and criminalization. The result of this shift in opinion was devastating to the American social structure. Aid to Families with Dependent Children was cut by 13% and child nutrition programs were cut by 28%. Ronald Reagan spearheaded a campaign that resulted in a budget that included 28% devoted to non-social security payments towards social programs, slashed to 21%. The defense budget, during a time without war, was increased from 21% to 28%, leaving social programs permanently crippled (Karaagac 136). The 1960s was a time of social reform and public policy supported a ‘War on Poverty. However, by the 1980’s a shift was seen towards a war on ‘welfare queens’, created through a mythology of the evil poor that were only trying to bilk the system (Handler and Hasenfeld 18). This attitude has yet to be rectified. In Orlando Florida in 2007, a law was passed that made it illegal to feed groups over 25 in without a permit, with a limit of two permits per year (Associated Press). This meant that charitable organizations could no longer provide food for those in need in this area. The problem with this solution is that in a city of more than 8500 homeless people, there are only 2000 beds available in shelters, thus leaving the majority of those in need without help (Associated Press). The current crisis has increased due to the number of people who have been made homeless due to the housing crisis in which Orlando suffered tremendously. Laws that make providing for others and helping those in needs illegal punishes both those in need and those willing to make sacrifices for those in need. In discussing the ways in which poverty has been approached in the United States, it must be understood that policies have been bandages, at best, and at worst have had an effect that increased the problem rather than decreased it. Ronald Reagan’s administration applied polices such as having catsup declared a vegetable in the school lunch programs to fulfill the requirement for vegetable availability (Stoesz 69). The conservative point of view is discussed with its ’success’ in turning the public from the plight of the poor to the concept of blame, thus allowing for ineffectual policies to be made and laws to be passed that made a poorly constructed system worse through the criminalization of poverty. During the Reagan years, “Conservatives alleged that liberals provided a false portrait of poverty by failing to include the ’market value’ of non-cash benefits, such as Food Stamps. The cash value of such welfare benefits significantly reduces the number of poor, they argued, by about one third” (Stoesz 69). This basically says that by giving the poor help, they no longer can be represented as poor, thus the poverty rate is lowered. In lowering the number of people who are impoverished, it is arguable that the amount of money spent on social services should be reduced. This type of thinking has led to the deep problems within the national socio-economic culture that are currently being experienced. , this approach was successful in undermining social services (Stoesz 70). Conclusion While the problem of poverty has existed throughout history, the solution has yet to be found. There have some programs that have been successfully, while other programs have created more problems than they have solved. Addressing realities, however, rather than allowing for the perpetuation of myths would be the first step in finding real solutions. Solutions to the issue of poverty must be found through studies that are intended to define a real problem, rather than find proof of a myth. This is just as difficult as the problem of poverty, however, as belief is structured on the perceptions of reality, thus making the ‘needs’ of the poor difficult to assess. The one thought that comes to mind is that in addressing the issue of poverty, exerting shame and degradation on the poor is not going to solve the problem. An individual can never be elevated through the diminishment of their social position or through impacting against their self-esteem. Works Cited Associated Press. Debate Rages in Florida over Law Against Feeding the Homeless. Fox News. 3 February 2007. Web. 17 April 2011. FRAC. Hunger Data. FRAC, Food Research and Action Center. 2010. Web. 17 April 2011. Handler, Joel F, and Yeheskel Hasenfeld. Blame Welfare, Ignore Poverty and Inequality. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007. Print. Karaagac, John. Between Promise and Policy: Ronald Reagan and Conservative Reformism. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2001. Print. Royce, Edward C. Poverty and Power: The Problem of Structural Inequality. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. Print. Stoesz, David. A Poverty of Imagination: Bootstrap Capitalism, Sequel to Welfare Reform. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 2000. Print. For the Clients Use - Where to find the resources Associated Press. Debate Rages in Florida over Law Against Feeding the Homeless. Fox News. 3 February 2007. Web. 17 April 2011. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,250141,00.html FRAC. Hunger Data. FRAC, Food Research and Action Center. 2010. Web. 17 April 2011. http://frac.org/reports-and-resources/hunger-data/ Handler, Joel F, and Yeheskel Hasenfeld. Blame Welfare, Ignore Poverty and Inequality. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2007. Print. http://books.google.com/books?id=1X3ZmSgQMBkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Blame+Welfare,+Ignore+Poverty+and+Inequality&hl=en&ei=9ZiwTenxBsy3tweSvcmNDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Karaagac, John. Between Promise and Policy: Ronald Reagan and Conservative Reformism. Lanham, Md. [u.a.: Lexington Books, 2001. Print. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZFhGnjKqjgAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Between+Promise+and+Policy:+Ronald+Reagan+and+Conservative+Reformism&hl=en&ei=spawTeaAM-uP0QGAmY2YCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false Royce, Edward C. Poverty and Power: The Problem of Structural Inequality. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2009. Print. http://books.google.com/books?id=HNY-J45omJQC&pg=PA175&dq=conservative+point+of+view+on+poverty&hl=en&ei=RJ6wTaPgJZKRgQe7sLiKDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=conservative%20point%20of%20view%20on%20poverty&f=false Stoesz, David. A Poverty of Imagination: Bootstrap Capitalism, Sequel to Welfare Reform. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 2000. Print. http://books.google.com/books?id=G5IaCa5AHlQC&pg=PA71&dq=conservative+point+of+view+on+poverty&hl=en&ei=RJ6wTaPgJZKRgQe7sLiKDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=conservative%20point%20of%20view%20on%20poverty&f=false Read More