Heritage Foundation Blames Poverty On ... Air Conditioning

[marmar]

from OurFuture.org:



Heritage Foundation Blames Poverty On ... Air Conditioning
By Isaiah J. Poole

September 11, 2009 - 11:04am ET


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Thursday's U.S. Census Bureau report on poverty and income, which showed the poverty rate increasing from 12.5 percent in 2007 to 13.2 percent 2008 and the median household income falling during that period by an historic 3.6 percent, was a devastating indictment of the past decade of conservative economic policy, and so understandably the right did not want to talk about it. Instead, we saw commentary like that of the Heritage Foundation's Robert Rector, who wrote in the National Review Online that "very few of the 30 million plus individuals defined as 'living in poverty' by the government are actually poor."

How does he know? Well, for one thing, poor people have air conditioners.

"Eighty-four percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, in 1970, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning," he wrote, citing this along with other facts in his indictment of what he called President Obama's "agenda to 'spread the wealth' through massive hikes in welfare spending financed by unprecedented increases in the federal debt."

There is so much wrong with using statistics such as this to characterize people in poverty as moochers who are living high on the hog with other people's hard-earned money in their air-conditioned, "three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio," watching cable on "two or more color televisions" that you can't contain it in one article or blog post.

But air conditioners is as good a place to start as any. And there is some simple math that puts to rest the idea that poor people having access to air conditioning is that big a deal. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2009093711/heritage-foundation-blames-poverty-air-conditioning

[donheld]

1. So has the Heritage Foundation gotten rid of air conditioning in it's offices?

[margotb822]

2. They're rich, they deserve it n/t

[Johonny]

29. they don't need it

Most of the heat you generate leaves from your head. This is because your brain requires a lot of energy. They have chosen not to use their brain and thus stay much cooler.

[kcass1954]

34. .

:rofl:

[Johonny]

30. they don't need it

Most of the heat you generate leaves from your head. This is because your brain requires a lot of energy. They have chosen not to use their brain and thus stay much cooler.

[cutlassmama]

3. Do they actually have the A/C turned on? Can they pay the bill?

Most likely no. Every poor person's house I've ever been in was hot as h*ll in the summer time. Most housing in the South automatically comes with A/C, it's not like the poor person can afford to take it out.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. He's not blaming poverty on air conditioning, he's saying ownership of air cond. contradicts poverty

That's my read

[ChairmanAgnostic]

28. what a foolish idea. That's like blaming

teen pregnancy on purity bowls. balls. whatever.

Poverty is here and now. An air conditioner, being somewhat overengineered, lasts for decades. used ones are cheap.

[daleo]

5. Plus, most poor people own a shirt

Which proves they aren't really poor. (It's from an old Lucky Ducky comic).

[DoctorMyEyes]

6. Does that mean they're finally surrendering the "color TV" citations?

For years and years wingnut groups have cited the ownership of color tvs as proof of affluence among the poor. When's the last time anyone say a black and white tv at a yard sale or thrift store? These people are disgusting and loopy!

[pstokely]

31. They need to update to HDTV

Color TV and AC aren't new

[Swede Atlanta]

7. My take on poverty..........

I have always considered traditional metrics for identifying and counting poverty as totally insufficient.

The condition of poverty consists, in part, of the amount of disposable income available to an individual, couple or family relative to a calculated base. That base is supposed to determine how much money is required to purchase a basket of "stuff" considered by society as necessary. This covers things like food, housing, etc.

But I think that is the rub. It isn't just a matter of whether someone can afford to put a roof over their head. What are the conditions around that "roof"? Does the roof leak, is the housing infested with insects, rodents, etc.? Is the housing "safe" both in terms of the housing not crumbling but also so that children aren't afraid to leave to go to school or to play outdoors?

It isn't just about being able to put food on the table but what kind of food? If someone can accord a 10-pack of macaroni and cheese for $5.00 but no fruit or vegetables, the food might satisfy hunger but is it really food? The money needs to be enough to be sure that families can afford a balanced diet.

I think poverty consists in some measure of a lack of hope for the future. Is the individual, couple or family in a position to get an education, healthcare? Is their condition such that they have some sense of security, i.e. a little savings to get them through a rough patch?

Simply stated I think the concept of poverty is much broader than whether a family has A/C? Can they afford to run it? Poverty still exists if cold winter winds can howl in around the A/C unit.

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

9. Poverty is not always poor people's fault, but...

...that doesn't make everyone living in a diminshed situation blame-free.

OK...I know I will be flamed for saying that, but that is what I have seen first-hand (at times, by looking in the mirror).

I have roomates who are always complaining because they are broke and can't find a job.

I'm trying to remember the last time he even put in an application. Every possibility presented to him, there is a problem with it. Doesn't pay enough. Too far away. "I'm not a morning person". "I can do better than that".

So now here I am, paying 100% of the rent and 100% of the utilities instead of 33 1/3% because him and his fiance are too proud to work the jobs they can get with their age and inexperience.

NO...I am not saying this is the universal case. But charity belongs to the truly needy, and supporting people who should be pulling their own weight diminishes the resources available to the genuinely feeble.

Helping people back up when they are knocked down, good. Carrying able-bodied able-minded people so they can protect their "pride" by not working a job that they have an issue with, bad.

{ - engage fire-resistant kevlar drawers - }

[Celebration]

11. this was an easier argument to make in 1999

Now, when there are sometimes hundreds of job applications for one job, well, there aren't a very high percentage of the unemployed that fit into the category of your roommates.

[Pangolin2]

12. Pointing out that some people are just lazy turds is a good way to get yelled at

around here.
:D

[prolesunited]

27. And *you* are not blame free here

They don't need to get a job because they have you. The government's not supporting them, you are.

I'm on unemployment and the government requires both work search and/or training requirements be met.

[Maru Kitteh]

37. I don't think poverty in America is truly related to your poor choice of roomies.

What you have described is foremost a personal problem.

[cutlassmama]

18. Exactly. n/t

[jeffbr]

8. and clean drinking water

[Coventina]

10. Oh brother! Are the poor allowed to have swamp coolers?

These morons have obviously never been to Phoenix, where people can (and do) literally die in their homes without cooling. A/C, or at least a swamp cooler, is as much as a basic necessity here as a heating system of some kind in Minnesota.

But hey, they're poor, so they deserve to die, I guess.

[Nikia]

13. I'm thinking that air conditioning technology has improved since 1970

That has made it cheaper to install and cheaper to run relative to other costs.
I also think about the cheap apartment complexes that have air conditioning as part of the central heating and cooling system.
Many of these people who complain about the poor having "luxeries" must not remember how expensive some of these things used to be and how cheap they are now like microwave ovens and televisions.

[surrealAmerican]

17. That's a big part of it, as are ...

... global warming, and the boom in population growth that has occurred in the southern states since 1970 (relative to northern states).

[Nikki Stone1]

14. Hey Heritage, I don't have air conditioning. Does that mean

you'll help me pay my rent? :)

[Overseas]

15. K&R - to recognize the depth of compassion of The Heritage Foundation. //eom

[Stevenmarc]

16. Air Conditioning is the new Cadillac

They use to bitch about the Cadillac driving welfare queen now all it takes to get their panties in a twist is a cheap window unit

[JCMach1]

19. AC Prices have dropped like a rock since I was a kid...

[Rex]

20. Well the Heritage Foundation and the National Review are total dreck.

I wouldn't wipe my ass with the paper used by morans.

[quaker bill]

21. rental homes and apartments,

even the cheapest ones around here, come with air conditioning. I am in FL and here, it would be difficult to find a structure to rent or own that does not have AC, even if you tried. This has nothing to do with poverty.

[melm00se]

22. this whole thread

goes to show 1 thing:

Poverty is a relative thing influenced by:

Country
Location
environmental requirements
and the like

it is a good thing to remember the adage:

the one eyed man is a king in the land of the blind

[FormerDittoHead]

23. Funny thing, I think they may be onto something... ELSE.

It's clearly a fact that the Southern states would NOT as populated if not for air conditioners.

Prior to them, people would have *never* MOVED South. The South was a place you VISITED (or retired to when your arthritis kicked in)...

Now, think about how different the political map would be without Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Florida (I mean, when I was growing up, Florida had only as many people as New York CITY)...

[Statistical]

24. Not at all what was being said.

The article is stating the poor today have items that poor of previous generations would have considered someone to be financially stable.

air conditioning, running water, multiple bedrooms, motor vehicle, color TV w/ cable.

Although I disagree they seem to be indicating that poverty line should be lower? because so many "poor" are not really "poor" in material sense.

The title is complete fabrication though.

[End Of The Road]

25. Many public housing projects are air conditioned

But I guess the occupants aren't poor.

[Pharlo]

26. Air conditioning in the south in summer months

is as necessary as heating fuel in the north in winter months.

Because, furnaces are just as much a luxury as an air conditioning unit. If them lazy northerners were REALLY poor, they'd have only a wood stove - oh, and if you're really poor, no need for indoor plumbing - an outhouse will work...etc.

[flvegan]

32. You know, even I didn't think they could be this stupid in public.

I really didn't.

Alas, somebody somewhere will read this shit and nod their head. Many times over.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. They are doing the classic, our poor are not really poor

it used to be they have TVs, and they have refrigerators.

Now I will say this... our poor (at times) do live better than the people in any of the ciudades perdidas... and this is exactly what Heritage does every so often... but when compared to the median of the rest of the population THEY ARE POOR, they are Hungry and they are on the edge.

So AC is the latest trick... got it.

[blondeatlast]

35. That would be the TAX-EXEMPT Heritage Foundation, am I correct? And where are their

fresh-faced young interns on THIS thread (they are here at DU, count on it).

[ddeclue]

36. Hey I've heard some of them actually have running water, electricity and telephones too.

Shocking I say just shocking!


:wow:

:sarcasm: