Shayla Meehan

Mrs. Hunt

AP Language and Composition

1/27/17

Solving Poverty in America: What to Focus on and Where to Begin

Society is introduced to the idea of poverty at a young age. Many kids are taught to walk on the

other side of the street when they see a homeless person. Or they are told to continue driving past the man

holding a sign that says, Help, I have four kids and no job. Ultimately, society has been raised to ignore

the impoverished people of America. However, todays world, a world where society has proved enough

fight can make change, that ignorance will no longer exist. To begin this change, society must start by

addressing the issue. Poverty can be classified as a social issue through examples from Peter Edelmans

book, Sor Rich, So Poor, because it is a problem that affects an overwhelming number within the inner

city, and was created by society through the use of outdated measures of the poverty line. Society is now

obligated to solve this issue because history shows its vulnerability and it has potential to solve other

social issues in the process.

Poverty is defined as a social issue because of its extreme effects on people of the inner city,

which directly correlates with what a social issue is: an issue that targets a group in a particular area. In

the book, So Rich, Poor, Edelman focuses a lot on the inner-city poor as being the most lasting and

hurting groups that are poverty stricken. Edelman starts with, This is tough stuff. Whether we are talking

about the inner city, Appalachia, or Indian reservations, we are talking about too many poor people all

living in the same place and for a long time. (Edelman 103). Poverty of the inner city may be only one

portion of those who are impoverished, but it is the group where poverty hits the hardest, so it shall

become where society invests its focus in the battle of poverty. Edelman continues his statement, Long

enough for behaviors to be passed on from one generation to the next and reinforced among peers among

peers in each generation as it comes along. (Edelman 103). The inner city is an area in which poverty

lasts. People of urban neighborhoods are statistically much less likely to escape poverty. This problem of

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the inner city dragging its citizens down negatively contributes to the total harm of poverty on society.

Fixing the inner city economy will change the pattern of history. Promoting and initiating steps towards a

change such as improving life skills, the education or lowering crime rates are necessary steps to reducing

poverty numbers.

A social issue is a problem integrated in society that was created by society. Poverty embodies

this description because of the inaccuracy of the poverty line. In Edelmans introduction of what poverty

is he discusses the American definition of poverty. He explains how one women created the poverty line

back in 1960. Edelman elaborates on the poverty line calculation, Using data from a 1955 survey of

consumer spending, they multiplied the cost of the minimal diet by three as an approximation of the

remaining costs of an elemental living. (Edelman 26). The first thing noticeably wrong with this

measurement that should catch societys attention is that this data is outdated by sixty-two years. Today,

the poverty line is very fragile and effective to human life, therefore, it is an essential baseline

measurement that should be done more than once. The poverty line shall change as the economy changes.

In the case of poverty, society is obligated to solve it because it has become so vulnerable to all

levels of classes and it could resolve other social issues such as racism, as the two social issues correlate.

It is in societys best interest to eliminate poverty by, in the least, starting small. According to Edelman,

Society, for an unknown reason, has associate African-Americans as the face of poverty, when in fact, the

largest number of poor people are white. Given this association, The white majority is less likely to

support safety net programs if they think only or primarily that blacks will benefit. (Edelman 41). What

that claim is suggesting is that society is choosing not to support a program that will help eliminate

poverty because they do not want to help blacks come out of poverty. A choice that is plain racist.

Edelman acknowledges the issue and agrees society must change by stating, The story of our economy

and its negative effects on people of all races must take center stage, but the institutional racism

embedded in our welfare, criminal justice, and education system needs frontal attention as well if we are

going to make real progress in reducing poverty and creating the kind of society we say we want.

(Edelman 45). Given Edelmans wise remark, in order to begin helping those in need economically,

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society must also change ideas of race for the good of America and each other by spreading awareness of

societys actions.

It is known that poverty is a social issue due to the fact that it targets a specific group, inner city

natives, and was created by society because of the outdated measure of the poverty line. Society is now

obligated to solve the issue of poverty because like all social issues, society created the problem so

society is where to begin when solving the problem. Given that, society must look at the future of

America, the big picture of how and what kind of world society want it to look like. Society needs to ask

what decisions can be implemented to create and accepting society that operate a well functioning

economy in order to eliminate poverty. Referencing the examples from Peter Edelmans book, So Rich,

So Poor, provides society with a great deal of insight as why and how to begin to tackle this challenging

social issue. The most effective suggestions from Edelman is to make society aware. Make society aware

of what has and what will happen to poverty. Start somewhere by starting small, then build. Poverty is

created by a number of factors. Lastly, it is not always what, but who. Society is who will decide the fate

of the Americans living each day with unknowns, hunger, and stress.

Edelman, Peter B. So Rich, so Poor: Why It's so Hard to End Poverty in America. New York: New,

2012. Print.