What is really annoying me is how people are reacting to the bailout news. A month ago car sales were pronounced as sluggish and poor because consumers are nervous about spending money. This past week car sales are down because people can't get credit. Everyone seems to be jumping on this bandwagon and hailing the bailout as a must have.

Regarding poverty, are people poor because they are substance abusers or are they substance abusers because they are poor and miserable? My own personal observations of those in poverty have demonstrated to me that one of the largest contributors to poverty are children! Namely those children whose parents are younger and less educated. But that depends on how poverty is defined. Some will say that poor people in the U.S. should be happy because being poor in the U.S. is much different than being poor in third world countries. While this is true, we also have many rules, regulations, and laws that define how people must live.

And just for the record, less than 1% of Americans change the economic class they are born into.