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HUMAN SAFETY NETS. Whenever you discuss poverty, the phrase "it's expensive being poor" should never be far from your lips. From higher interest rates on loans to higher costs for consumer goods to less access to cost- and time-saving technology, being low-income doesn't just deprive you of money, it makes what little money you have worth less. And sometimes, it makes you spend more. The less money flowing through your community, and your neighbors, and your family, the more you'll be called on to give when they experience acute need. You become, in effect, a human safety net, which is an expensive proposition that can manifest in all sorts of ways. Over at her new blog, our soon-to-be writing fellow Dana Goldstein explains just one:
In poor regions such as Appalachia, animal welfare is a big problem, as pet-owners can't afford to neuter their pets or get them basic veterinary care. The animal population swells, overwhelmed owners abandon their pets, and big-hearted neighbors -- who often don't have many more resources -- adopt more animals than they can care for.More on that here. So yeah, end poverty. Do it for the adorable kittens.--Ezra Klein
