How to become Poor (and stay that way)

Jesus Christ once said. “It is easier for a camel to enter the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”* While living in Guadalajara, a Mexican national once told something similar. He was just glad that he was not rich. Who wants to be rich any or middle class for that matter? Material possessions take us away from the here and now with things such as higher living standards and better health. They lead to pleasure and the seeking of greater knowledge. The later which over extends our scope of vision to the “long term” and force us to become politically and socially active. Who knows it might even lead to the edification of the human race and a better world. (Gasp!)

            Statistically speaking, most of rich Americans were born into money, so were most poor. It is therefore clear that poverty starts at birth. In fact, it starts at conception. Do not attempt to wait until a responsible and responsible age to have children (20). Our minds do not finish developing until 25, and we wouldn’t want to make any prudent or informed decisions. When making the decision to have children with your significant other, steer clear of marriage option. Marriage leads to the down the long road leading to happiness and the middle class. Also, don’t bother to finish high school.  Remember the words of the UCLA public policy professor emeritus James Q. Wilson. “You need only to do three things to avoid poverty in this country. Finish high school, marry before having children, and produce children after the age of 20. Only 8% of families who do this are poor; 79% of families who fail to do this are poor.” Remember Wilson’s advice then forget it, and then blatantly disregard it.

According the US Census Bureau in 2009, 7% of all US residents in a married couple family were under the poverty line while 32.5% of single mother families were under the poverty line. After all, what chance does a 15-year-old female with a baby risk in ending up in the Middle class or graduating from college? It would be such a struggle to graduate high school. When one’s own personal decisions are so misguided, there is then little state social programs can do to assist.

            It is important to ignore or distract away from the root causes and solutions of poverty and turn to mawkish slogans and unprovable assertions such as racism. Do not permit notions such as personal responsibility and accountability to enter the discourse. Should they happen to enter into the dialog, denounce the claimants as judgmental and inflammatory as quickly as humanly possible. Be sure to shroud yourself in the mantle of compassion and evade tricky things such as logic and facts. Steer clear of those in favor of a more emotive and mystical stance.

Race	% Born out of Wedlock	% Under Poverty Line
White	29	12.3
Black	72.8	25.8
Asian	17.2	12.5
Hispanic	53.2	25.3

 Source: CDC and US Census Bureau

            The most damaging assault against poverty was not committed by The Great Society. (In 1968, 12.8% of all Americans were under the poverty line. In 2009, it was 14.3%) No, it was Deng Xiaoping’s Gaige Kaifang—the capitalistic reforms to China’s economy. Prior to that, China was known for its massive poverty. American mothers would tell their children. “Eat your food. There are millions of children starving in China.” Today that would be laughable. Instead, we should focus on blaming capitalism for causing the problem. Better yet blame capitalism for causing racial prejudice which then in turn causes poverty.

We should seek the creation of more poverty through the state. The great example is how Communism causes massive amounts of poverty during and even after its fall for such a long period of time. It should be ignored that the government has been a long time sponsor of racial discrimination that prevented minorities from becoming education and finding good employment. The government used its power to enforce pro-slavery laws, and it was the Supreme Court that held created the institution of segregation. Capitalism’s law of opportunity cost punishes racism. For example, an employer likes racial group A and despises racial group B. An individual of group A and one of group B both apply for the same job. B has the capacity to make the employer $100 per hour while A only %50. The employer goes with A thus forfeiting the difference. B goes unto the competition, and the competition gets the leg up on the discriminatory employer. Opportunity cost punishes him.   

                It is also crucial we evade educating ourselves. Those with education have higher earnings and higher living standards. They are also equipped to make better life decisions. It is any wonder why Mexico can boast of such high rates of poverty. 56% of Mexicans drop out of high school. That is the second highest rate in the OCED nations next to Turkey.  In fact, in order to continue to push the percentage rate of US residence in poverty up, I suggest we continue with the open border policy, and diminish the already low merit qualifications from immigration prerequisites. Those who proscribe that immigrants should learn English should be immediately denounced as xenophobic and mean spirited. Be sure to claim to be pro-immigrant and mutli-cultural.  After all, if an immigrant learns English he now has a greater risk of graduating from high school and even going on to college. Remember in the US there are no college graduates who are ignorant of English.

*Note: I am not mocking the teachings of Jesus Christ, which I myself adhere to. I am only pointing out the misinterpretations of scripture.