This is really out of touch. First off, poor people can’t afford Costco memberships. Second, 5 miles is a very long distance in Chicago. How can someone justify spending an hour in traffic each way, and with what car?
That was just an example saying Costco. But, one can try to find someone who has a Costco membership and make a trip together. Or maybe going in on a membership with someone else. If a Costco is near enough, it would make sense to find the money to buy one, because the savings would give enough money back to make financial sense.
5 miles is not a long way. I live in a metro area, one of the highest traffic-wise, and I go that far, no problem.
The car - you have to do this thing called "work" and work at finding someone who has a car and share. Maybe a church has a van that does this kind of thing. I'm not saying it is the easiest thing in the world, but seriously, it is not that difficult to find out if someone has a car that can go to a grocery store, even a normal one, and carpool.
There's a lot of other things one can do to lift themselves out of poverty, that are not difficult.
No one making $9/hr with a kid or two is going to be dishing out for a Costco membership and getting a volunteer to drive them around everywhere they need to go. There is no long-term savings and “financial sense”, it’s hand-to-mouth, sometimes shoplifting to survive. Have you executed this plan yourself? If not, I’d suggest appreciating the fact that it isn’t this easy or many people in poverty would have done it.
You are putting words in my mouth. I didn't say drive them everywhere, every day, available 24/7 every minute of the day.
Since you are taking that tack, I now know that you are not having this discussion in good faith.
>or many people in poverty would have done it.
Nope. And you are the 100% proof. Instead of asking me how, you attack me. Most people would willingly starve to death before doing something different. Trust me, I've tried to help many people out of a bad situation. I got emotionally invested in their situation - they came to me for help, not vice versa. And they just spent money like drunk sailors when they had a little bit.
Anyways, you are not discussing in good faith so I'm going to have to part ways with you here.
“Choose to not be poor” is the thesis of your statement, whether you meant for it to be or not. It’s hard for that to be a good faith start to any discussion regarding poverty.
