When the original poverty line was created, even some people living above the poverty line did not have access to a phone or running water in their homes. Today, running water is expected. Beyond that, the norm for our contemporary society includes having cell phones and internet access. In fact, the U. S. government provides grants to bring high-speed in-home internet access to underserved rural areas. Consider both the benefits and the shortcomings of the U. S. poverty line as a means of assessing poverty today.
a. The U. S. poverty line was originally set at an income level of $1.90 per day.
i. sufficient income to provide for a family of four.
ii. one-third of the median income in the United States.
iii. three times the cost of a low-cost food plan.
b. The current U. S. poverty line measures poverty in that it measures the adequacy of resources relative to b.