What about relative poverty? This is shown to be more damaging to society then absolute poverty. General living standards in the US are way above the basic needs you describe and should be to be regarded as I first world country. These people have families aswell and on children it is especially hard and something they will carry for the rest of their lives. Imagine eating plain rice for christmas then showing up at school to see all the new stuff your friends got.

You can have an interesting debate about what is the most effective policy, but poverty should be abolished to way beyond survival. In Western Europe this is basically the standard, we try to give people a good life instead of just keeping them alive.

This shit was infuriating to watch. Riley talks about how it's true that the money in question was not earned by the welfare recipients, and then 5 seconds later is right back to describing it as "their money". It's not their money Riley! It was taken by force from the people who earned it and then redistributed to them! If someone mugs you, describing what they took from you as "theirs" isn't quite accurate!

Some of the happiest times of my life were spent without a refrigerator and smart phone. But then again, I grew up during the time of rotary phones so... My wife and I both come from poor families, but we got the education and made the choices that we needed to make in order to succeed. Yes, poor people need to work really hard and make good choices in order to not be poor anymore. Or they can learn to live happily with their limited resources. Either way, poor people do not "deserve" the money that I've had to sacrifice my time, energy, and health to earn.

I'm a disabled veteran, why isn't Riley buying me a house?

I think a boxing match between Riley Dennis and Blaire White should be arranged, since they both live in Commiefornia. GO BLAIRE

You cannot hold your head up, with your hand held out.

As soon as you said, needs not wants I was sold on your discussion. True that it is kind of like a job theses days to go on welfare. I'll be all for cutting it back or maybe a receipt system that you have to hand in each month to show what you have spent the money on. That could also help people mange better and deter people from wasting it.

Do you have a link to Riley's video?

SJW Logic: We will tell people who have money how to use it, but dont you dare tell the people who are given the money how they should use it