Anyone got some time to help me track down some data about the accuracy of this statement: "What frustrates me is that for decades now, the government has decided that it has the responsibility to rid the country of poverty. In doing so, however, poverty has actually increased. It's a joke in Conservative circles that whenever Democrats decide to declare war on something (drugs, poverty), they lose"?
Wow, you've really mastered the power of positive giving-up.
Cordelia ,'End of Days'
Spike's Bitches 44: It's about the rules having changed.
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
vw bug - May 03, 2009 3:26:26 pm PDT #8639 of 30000
Mostly lurking...
Aims - May 03, 2009 3:30:49 pm PDT #8640 of 30000
Shit's all sorts of different now.
Well, first of all the War on Drugs was declared by Nixon first and then reiterated by Reagan. Both of whom I'm pretty sure were Republican.
vw bug - May 03, 2009 3:33:17 pm PDT #8641 of 30000
Mostly lurking...
Well, that's what I thought, but I didn't want to just say that and make myself look stupid.
Aims - May 03, 2009 3:33:23 pm PDT #8642 of 30000
Shit's all sorts of different now.
![[link]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Poverty_59_to_05.png){kind=link}
And here's a graph showing the rise and fall of poverty from 1959 to 2005. Looking at it, it appears to me that it seems to rise in conservative years and drop in liberal ones.
-t - May 03, 2009 3:33:58 pm PDT #8643 of 30000
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
Wikipedia: [link]
In the decade following the 1964 introduction of the war on poverty, poverty rates in the U.S. dropped to their lowest level to date: 11.1% . They have remained between 11 and 15.2% ever since. Since 1973 poverty has remained well below the historical U.S. averages in the range of 20-25%.
Cites [link] Census poverty tables
Cashmere - May 03, 2009 3:34:28 pm PDT #8644 of 30000
Now tagless for your comfort.
They should also know that the Earned Income Credit--which is always touted by Conservatives as a bleeding heart liberal welfare give-away was signed into law by Ford (Republican) and expanded under Reagan (Republican).
I'll check on poverty figures for you, though, vw.
vw bug - May 03, 2009 4:24:09 pm PDT #8645 of 30000
Mostly lurking...
Thanks, guys! I just emailed some fact checks and thoughts on his argument. We'll see what he says back...
beekaytee - May 03, 2009 4:32:12 pm PDT #8646 of 30000
Compassionately intolerant
I haven't tried making smoothies out of melon
Whirling up ripe honeydew with lime juice? The most refreshing summer drink evah.
vw bug - May 03, 2009 4:34:30 pm PDT #8647 of 30000
Mostly lurking...
Whirling up ripe honeydew with lime juice? The most refreshing summer drink evah.
Oooo! I have both! I'm thinking I might just need some!
Aims - May 03, 2009 4:43:43 pm PDT #8648 of 30000
Shit's all sorts of different now.
David - if you're around - had a funny moment with my dad this weekend.
My dad and I have very similar tastes in music and we frequently trade new artists back and forth. He gave me John Prine, I gave him Brandi Carlisle, etc. This weekend I spent the night at my parents house and dad had a new artist for me. He plays me a handful of snippets of stuff I hadn'theard before. Low, gravelly male voice. Oddly melodic. I asked him who it was. It was Tom Waits. I laffed and laffed. And then thought of you.