Blog #1, Post D: Define Poverty

My Personal Definition of Poverty:

When thinking about my own personal definition of poverty, I want to make sure it encompasses all of those affected by it no matter how minute because not everyone experiences the same level of poverty.  

My personal definition includes those who lack and are unable to obtain the basic human need of food, shelter, clothing and medical care.  Those who lack includes everyone form a single person, to a family, and those with pets.  Homeless people with and without income and those whom live paycheck to paycheck and those that have government assistance and still lack basic human needs are also considered to be in poverty.

What Should Be The Legal Definition of Poverty:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty), defines poverty as:

•   "the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions"
• "the state of being poor"
• "a lack of something"

And according to the United States Census Bureau, whom advices the U.S. Government of how many Americans are actually in poverty; their definition for those considered in poverty revolves around their financial status :

• "Following the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Statistical Policy Directive 14, the Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold, then that family and every individual in it is considered in poverty. The official poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated for inflation using Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). The official poverty definition uses money income before taxes and does not include capital gains or noncash benefits (such as public housing, Medicaid, and food stamps)". http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/methods/definitions.html

So, what do I feel should be the legal definition of poverty? Personally, it is more than just one's financial state and what is considered socially acceptable levels of poverty.  I think most definitions of poverty fail to recognize the emotional state of being of poverty.  The legal definition should include my personal definition stated earlier as to encompass all poverty levels as a whole: those who lack the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing, medical care and education in their daily lives.  No one should be considered more poorer than their fellow man, if at the end of the day, we are in that same poor state of being.