One of our newer bloggers has taken it upon himself to mount a personal crusade against the poor. Not just welfare dependents, mind you, but ANYONE making under the EIC "ceiling" for having children (except military personnel).

As Tex, LW, Bakerstreet and I, among others, have repeatedly pointed out, there is no need for individuals living in "poverty" to live in squalor. The vast majority of the world's population lives on far less than minimum wage workers in our own country. And minimum wage jobs are obtainable in virtually every job market in the country.

Not only must poorer families be more creative in this economy, they actually are a part of what helps this economy survive. Secondhand markets make vast amounts of money; largely off of poor families attempting to economize and buy items that are quality, items for far less than retail. In some cases, the initial owner is paid for the resale items (garage sales, etc; income that is often NOT reported on tax forms...but that's a topic for another blog entirely). Your used car receives a trade in value because, guess what? The dealer (and, in cases of older used cars, backlot dealers) makes money reselling the used vehicles to individuals who are unable or unwilling to afford to buy the newer vehicles.

A poorer family that actually gets by (as in, paying all their bills and putting a little extra income into savings) on a low income is actually more fiscally responsible than one that's in debt up to their eyeballs making twice as much. We must shop for the best price per unit on our groccery purchases, often forego the "happy meals" for a bag of double cheeseburgers, a few orders of large fries and a bottle of soda purchased at the dollar store. Our used Nikes often come from the garage sales of people such as the person who inspired this thread, who look down their noses at the working class...and often with nary a scuff.

Then there is the additional fact that cost of living varies widely across this country. While $35,000 might be a subsistence wage for a family living in DC or southern California, I can assure you that in the Texas Panhandle, with an income of that amount, I would, within five years own several rental properties and other varied investments.

If you want to rally against means tested boondoggles such as the EIC, be my guest. I am your ally and will join you in that crusade. But if you insist on attacking the people who work hard to live on their incomes and raise their responsibility, you have an enemy. Because being poor is not something we should attempt to outlaw until (allegedly) wealthy elitist snobs such as yourself are willing to pay their workers MORE than the EIC ceiling.