The Handicapped Poor in America Essay -- Disabled Poverty

In The Working Poor, David Shipler relates the plight of the invisible little in America, sharing the stories of laborers across the nation who work but can non contain a firm grip on the slippery surface of the American dream. Shipler in addition touches on, but does not fully explore, the even thornier path of the disabled, impoverish individual in America. Although a relatively large segment of the cosmos (10-20 percent of the United evinces population is disabled), the disabled poor encounter setbacks in their struggle to succeed in a world where ones worth is often judged by ones economic and educational attainment. A blind and impoverished woman from Eastern Europe instantly states that the disabled poor depend on everyone no one wants us. We argon like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of (Wolfensohn 1). Far from the thoughts of many in the social hierarchy, including the healthy working poor, the disabled poor face legion(predicate) obstacles in their path toward s a stable income above the poverty line.Addressing the fuss of helping disabled individuals through legislation becomes difficultbecause definitions of disability differ. few may argue that depression is not a disabilitybecause not only is it difficult to prove that an individual is afflicted with it, but it is alsoquestionable whether it is the cause of their unemployment. Asthma may not be considereda disability for a child in the suburbs, who, with the help of an inhaler, may piddle away soccerwithout suffering, but chronic, untreated asthma can be drain for a child living inpoverty and, according to the American Lung Association, can be a life-threatening diseaseif not mighty managed.The government defines disability as having a physical or m... ... U.S. nosecount Bureau American Fact Finder. Sex by Age by Disability by Employment Statusfor the Civilian Noninstitutionalized existence 5 Years and Over.ds_name=ACS_2003_EST_G00_&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=ACS_2003_EST_G2000_P 059.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. baby Health USA 2003..U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Disability Among Women on AFDC AnIssue Revisited. 1993. .U.S. Department of Labor. The United States Department of Labor Homepage, Secretaryof State Elaine L. Chao. .The University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability..