Poverty Is a Trap
Poverty
is a common issue in the United States today. Many people are struggling to
make a living and support themselves and their families. It is difficult for
many people to earn a decent living on minimum wage or without having an
education. Many people are in debt, do not spend their money wisely, or spend
their money too quickly. In “The Working Poor” by David Shipler, the author
argues that poverty is a trap.Debt
The author argues that poverty is a
trap because many people are in debt. To survive at least semi comfortably in
America, a person usually needs to have a house and a car, pay for electricity,
water, gas, and buy food and clothes. In “The Working Poor”, it is stated that,
“They spend everything and save nothing. They are always behind on their bills”
(Shipler, 4). Many people cannot afford to pay their bills on time. They do not
have enough money to save up to pay their bills when they need to be paid.
Eventually, their bills keep piling up and they soon gain debt. The United
States of America has a lot of debt from their country as a whole. In the
article “Hiding from Reality” by Bob Herbert, it is stated that, “We still
don’t have the money to pay for the wars we insist on fighting year after year”
(565). America continues to go into costly wars, but cannot even pay off the
debt they owe to other countries. America’s debt as a country keeps adding up
as they continue to borrow war supplies from other countries and spend money on
new wars when they still owe other countries for the past wars that have been
fought. Furthermore, in the article “Is the American Dream Over?” by Cal Thomas,
it is stated that, “America will never get its act together until we recognize
how much trouble we’re really in” (570). America has been in debt for many
years and it is almost impossible to get out of it. Many families and
individuals throughout the United States also struggle with paying off their personal
debt as their debt continues to increase. They become accustomed to the debt
that they are in and often lose track of how badly in debt they are in.
Americans are trapped in their debt for many years, or even for the rest of
their lives.
Poor Spending Habits
Shipler also argues that poverty is
a trap because many people spend the little money they have on unnecessary
things. Many people are behind on their bills. They can barely afford to buy
groceries. They are spending their money on wants, such as tattoos, video
games, television sets, and expensive clothes, rather than needs. In “The
Working Poor”, Shipler states, “Her clients wouldn’t buy health insurance
because the expense seemed overwhelming, she complained, but they would buy
$200 VCRs and television sets” (28). Many people are trapped in poverty because
they are spending their money on these wants, rather than what is important for
their living, such as health insurance and other necessitates.
Money Goes Quick
Shipler further argues that poverty
is a trap because money goes quick. Money can go very quickly especially if
someone is working paycheck to paycheck just to pay their bills. Shipler states,
“Her phone usually cost about $143 a month, gas for the apartment $34,
electricity $46, and prescriptions between $8 and $15. Her monthly car payment
ran $150, medical insurance $72, and cable TV $43” (42). The little money that
people who are living in poverty do pay, quickly is spent on bills. It is also
difficult for people living in poverty to afford other necessities because
their paycheck goes so quickly. In the article “Up Against Wal-Mart”, Olsson
states, “Because health insurance on the Wal-Mart plan would deduct up to $85
from her biweekly paycheck of $550, she goes without, and relies on Medicaid to
cover her son, Gage” (607). Because the little money this women does make is
spent so quickly on cost of living, groceries, and other necessities, she
cannot afford health insurance for herself or her son.
In Closing...
In “The Working Poor” by David
Shipler, the author argues that poverty is a trap. Many people are trapped in
poverty because of their debt. America as a country is trapped in their debt as
well as many people being trapped in their individual debts. Many people are
trapped in poverty because they do not spend their money wisely. They spend
their money on unnecessary things rather than things they need to live a decent
life. People are also trapped in poverty because their money goes quickly.
Between paying bills and buying groceries many people are living paycheck to
paycheck. Overall, the message David Shipler gives his audience in his book
“The Working Poor” is that poverty is trap.
Works
Cited
Cal, Thomas. “Is
the American Dream Over?” They Say I Say.
2 Ed. 2012. Print.
Herbert, Bob.
“Hiding from Reality” They Say I Say. 2 Ed. 2012. Print.
Olsson, Karen.
“Up Against Wal-Mart” They Say I Say.
2 Ed. 2012. Print.
Shipler, David.
The Working Poor: Invisible in America. New York: Vintage Books, 2005. Print.
