The Decline of Poor White America

[Bible_Belt]

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-...g-middle-aged-white-peoples-deaths-of-despair

...a lack of steady, well-paying jobs for whites without college degrees has caused pain, distress and social dysfunction to build up over time. The mortality rate for that group, ages 45 to 54, increased by a half percent each year from 1999 to 2013.

...suicides were going up rapidly, and that overdoses mostly from prescription drugs were going up, and that alcoholic liver disease was going up.

These deaths of despair have been accompanied by reduced labor force participation, reduced marriage rates, increases in reports of poor health and poor mental health. So we are beginning to thread a story in that it's possible that [the trend is] consistent with the labor market collapsing for people with less than a college degree. In turn, those people are being less able to form stable marriages, and in turn that has effects on the kind of economic and social supports that people need in order to thrive.

...It's as if poorly educated whites have now taken over from blacks as the lowest rung of society in terms of mortality rates.

 

[speed dawg]

What's your point? We all know poor white people are struggling right now.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

 

[speed dawg]

Weirdly enough, that looks to semi-follow major drug use in the white community. 80s and 90s gave way to 'Just Say No To Drugs' campaign, remember?

 

[Tenacity]

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-...g-middle-aged-white-peoples-deaths-of-despair

...a lack of steady, well-paying jobs for whites without college degrees has caused pain, distress and social dysfunction to build up over time. The mortality rate for that group, ages 45 to 54, increased by a half percent each year from 1999 to 2013.

...suicides were going up rapidly, and that overdoses mostly from prescription drugs were going up, and that alcoholic liver disease was going up.

These deaths of despair have been accompanied by reduced labor force participation, reduced marriage rates, increases in reports of poor health and poor mental health. So we are beginning to thread a story in that it's possible that [the trend is] consistent with the labor market collapsing for people with less than a college degree. In turn, those people are being less able to form stable marriages, and in turn that has effects on the kind of economic and social supports that people need in order to thrive.

...It's as if poorly educated whites have now taken over from blacks as the lowest rung of society in terms of mortality rates.

And folks still run around saying MONEY doesn't matter?

 

[BlueAlpha1]

And folks still run around saying MONEY doesn't matter?

Well, all you have to do is quit your job, follow your dreams and the money will follow!

 

[logicallefty]

Many white people I know are poor because they choose to be. They like those guaranteed food stamps and free Internet to use 18 hours a day. The Government has made working a choice in recent decades and many choose that lifestyle. Used to be if you didn't work you didn't eat.

 

[Tenacity]

Well, all you have to do is quit your job, follow your dreams and the money will follow!

Or better yet, just believe in the Law of Attraction lol. Stand in the middle of the room repeating, "I'm a Millionaire" over and over, believe it, and it will come true

 

[Urbanyst]

And folks still run around saying MONEY doesn't matter?

Right?

Money has always been my top priority after good health. So far so good.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

The Government has made working a choice in recent decades and many choose that lifestyle. Used to be if you didn't work you didn't eat.

Safety nets are nice in theory, but they tend to create "moral hazard," or disencentives to work. Why would any rational person work a crappy job for minimum wage when they could get benefits (even less $$) for doing nothing?

 

[Reykhel]

Or better yet, just believe in the Law of Attraction lol. Stand in the middle of the room repeating, "I'm a Millionaire" over and over, believe it, and it will come true

Is that like when they say "I'm the prize, I'm the prize!!" over and over, believe it and it will come true?

.....regardless of Sexual Market Value.....

 

[Bible_Belt]

Safety nets are nice in theory, but they tend to create "moral hazard," or disencentives to work. Why would any rational person work a crappy job for minimum wage when they could get benefits (even less $$) for doing nothing?

You are absolutely right. That's why we should raise the minimum wage.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

You are absolutely right. That's why we should raise the minimum wage.

Yup. Instead he would rather subsidize it himself by paying higher taxes that fund welfare, rather than make the corporations pay a living wage that will de-incentivize welfare. No sense.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

rather than make the corporations pay a living wage that will de-incentivize welfare. No sense.

Increasing minimum wage would increase the number of people on welfare.

 

[BlueAlpha1]

Increasing minimum wage would increase the number of people on welfare.

No it wouldn't. The converse is true.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

No it wouldn't. The converse is true.

Well, plenty of economists (who don't work for the government and will say anything to get votes or keep their jobs) disagree.

Thomas Sowell - Basic Economics

Economics for Real People

Proof that Rising Minimum Wage Will Increase Unemployment

However, it doesn't really matter as the number of people on welfare, the number of homeless AND the minimum wage will keep increasing.

AND poor white people will continue to off themselves with drugs/alcohol.

Deaths of Despair’ Are Surging Among the White Working Class

A few goofs on arguing on the internet won't stop this death train.

 

[Urbanyst]

The ghetto minorities in inner cities are always told they are too lazy. When whites are poor.. its someone else's fault.

 

[speed dawg]

The ghetto minorities in inner cities are always told they are too lazy. When whites are poor.. its someone else's fault.

It's pretty much the opposite of that.

 

[speed dawg]

You are absolutely right. That's why we should raise the minimum wage.

Yup. Instead he would rather subsidize it himself by paying higher taxes that fund welfare, rather than make the corporations pay a living wage that will de-incentivize welfare. No sense.

No it wouldn't. The converse is true.

Going to need to see some evidence. Democratic politicians don't count. From my vantage point welfare does nothing but quarantine poor people and keep them alive.

 

[Bible_Belt]