Romania. UNICEF just released a report (you can read it here: unicefreportcard10-eng-1) that says among 29 of the world’s wealthiest nations, Romania has an alarming 25.6 poverty rate among children.
Guess which is the only country that ranks worse than the U.S. for childhood poverty?
Romania. We’re No. 2.
If you have time to read the report, it’s pretty sobering. To measure child deprivation, for example, UNICEF looked at a 14-point Child Deprivation Index that included how many properly-fitting shoes a child has, as well as an Internet connection and a quiet place to do homework, among other things.
And thanks, Leftover, for the link.
The Conclusion, starting at page 27…
…and the special section on the United States, Box10 at page 30,,,
…are particularly interesting.
Sometimes…we just suck.
Yes. We do.
The only people who matter in this county are those who have paid the big bucks to control the politicians, meaning the legislatures. Mostly those folks don’t see poverty, and it certainly does NOT afflict THEIR kids. Most don’t care about poverty at all.
When their kids need $250,000 for a four-year college education, those folks can pay it. Later, when their kids need a few million in seed money to start a business, Mom and Dad can step right up. Gee, how come other kids have trouble succeeding at the same kind of rate?
Those rich folks are real patriots, too, because they want to prevent the torrent of voter fraud that we all know is rampant in the United States. You know, voter fraud by poor people. So those in charge purge the voter rolls and make it hard (and/or expensive) to register to vote. Look to the Southeastern states and how they did that kind of thing many decades ago to stop blacks from voting (and how they are starting to do it again…. Florida, anybody?). Gotta love state’s rights! Gee, aren’t we headed back into that?
George Carlin was right. There is a club for those in control, and most of us ain’t in it. Soon we will return to a small aristocracy and a whole lotta serfs. Just sayin’.
Oh, and on top of that? So many of those who push the “screw the poor and disadvantaged” agenda are…… wait for it…..
Wait…
Wait…
Hyper-Christians! Go figure.
Notice: When it comes to hypocritical hyper-Christians I’m a bit like a pit bull on meth. Sorry folks, but I simply am. On that I give no quarter. None.
I have to say that until Leftover sent me, I would have bet DickG’s home that we wouldn’t have fared so poorly, even among wealthier nations. This is sobering, to say the least.
More and more I’m reminded of Huxley’s Brave New World. We don’t grow fetuses in test tubes–yet–but clearly some children are pre-determined to get all the best nutrients in utero and post-birth, while others are pre-determined to be exposed to the worst of the growth and development inhibitor chemicals and conditions. Alphas, Betas, Gammas, etc. We are not far from it. Unless SkyNet gets us first.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/sunday-review/mutually-assured-cyberdestruction.html?pagewanted=all
Dang. I read the paper today and missed that. Thankee.