Comments on: May Just Posts

By: ewe_are_here

ewe_are_here — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:02:12 +0000

Child poverty numbers are up quite a bit here in the UK, too. Under a labour government. And that’s BEFORE housing costs, which are quite exhorbitant, are taken into account, which means they’re even higher than is being reported.

sigh

it really sucks

By: Julie Pippert

Julie Pippert — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:10:22 +0000

Why is that such a large and rising problem in Germany, what is the speculation (am sure there are tons of fingers pointing and wagging)?

Of course here we all blame W and we are right and wrong in that. He is dreadful but all can’t be laid at his feet. His policies are horrid, but “every man for himself” and “let the market take care of itself” has been an American philosophy for a long time.

We shall be judged harshly in the future for the benchmarks: how we care for the old, the young and the weak, sick and hurt.

Does Germany blame the victim, as we do here, in the “land of opportunity?” And what attitude does it generate?

I’m so curious for a broader view.

By: Emily R

Emily R — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:57:58 +0000

Part of the problem, in my opinion, is that we as a society do not realize how much child poverty costs us.

By: hele

hele — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:06:46 +0000

“For children, the statistics show that between 57 percent and 75 percent of children in South Africa are living in poverty [depending on the poverty measure used].”

“When using an absolute poverty measure of R490 [about US $62 at the current exchange rate] household income per month as the minimum income required for basic needs, survival, and a healthy life, 75 percent of 0- to 17-year olds live in poverty – an estimated 14.3 million,” the Children’s Institute found.

All we can do is work harder to change these figures – one child does not even make a dent in statistics yet that one child’s life is their entire experience. So I am trying to keep my eyes of the statistics and each child whose live can touch that of their children.

Otherwise I sometimes feel like just running away.

By: dana

dana — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:10:34 +0000

Coming over to thank you as well, for the nomination. I’m humbled to know that others heard (read?!) my words and understood where I was coming from. Thanks again.

By: Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:54:36 +0000

…and there is Canada in the bottom third with 14.9% of children living in poverty. It’s a travesty. Thanks for linking to this report, Su.