Assignment task:
In the following passage from an August 22, 2004, Cleveland Plain Dealer story, the reporter describes the attitudes of two women he met at a southwest Ohio amusement park and their opinions about the upcoming 2004 election: "The upcoming election isn't so much about Republican vs. Democrat, the women said. It goes deeper. What (the two women) see are two groups of people hopelessly at odds: Patient People vs. Impatient People... The women include themselves and most of their friends and families among the Patient People: They're married because they put a lot into it; they work because they search until they find a job; they saved until they could buy a house; and they pay their bills because they spend only what they can afford... The Impatient People, however, are usually single parents or divorced because they make impulsive decisions; they don't work or don't work hard because they think that life owes them something; they pay rent because they either can't or won't save for a down payment; and they have maxed out credit cards because they want everything immediately..."
1. How would these women describe the causes of poverty?
2. What attitudes do these women have about poor people?
3. How do you think this attitude affects the overall discussion of economic equality?