Current-VD

We tend to think that our nation is one of the best nations in the world. That everything is better here than anywhere else and that we are good just like we are. To some extent that might be true, but to some extent. Many of us tend to focus on worldwide problems and want to make the world a better place. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to solve problems in other places of the world. We should not be selfish and just focus on ourselves because we need evryone in this world to function properly,but why don't we first focus on the problems we have here, in our nation, or country? I believe that we should first straighten ourselves up a bit and then help others around us. We want to solve problems in other countries that we ourselves have here,but yet do not focus on. We have many problems here in our own home that we just plain out ignore. One of those problems is the whole poverty issue. When we hear the word poverty, we immediately think "Africa" and the whole aids issues. That is great that we are thinking of other people around us and showing that we care nationwide, but Africa is not the only place where that problem has to be dealt with. The whole world needs to deal with that problem although some parts of the world need it more than others. Here in America, poverty is not seen that harshly as we may see it in other parts of the world. But that does not mean we do not have it. In the year 2004, a suvey was taken on approximately 100,000 households nation wide by the CPS ASEC (which is for the Current Population Survey, the 2005 Annual Social and Ecnomic Supplement and the source of official poverty estimates.) This survey shows that in that year, 37.0 million people were in poverty. This rate went up 1.1 million from the previous year. The population with the highest rates of poverty where Blacks and Hispanics. The poverty rate decreased for Asians and also rose for non-Hispanic Whites. We mostly never see this rate or probably we just don't sem to care. Poverty is all around us, we just look over it. We step on it and just keep on walking. There are programs that are helping with the poverty we have in the U.S. and they seem to be working a bit. Medicare is now moe available, but not all the people qualify. Also, there is free food available for the people that need it. New foundations are being created and the poverty in America is somewhat diminishing, but is still present.