1. What does it mean, in practical terms, to be advantaged or disadvantaged? One big problem in dealing with these issues is that we cannot agree what the definition is.
2. Are there categories of actual people who can be identified as more or less advantaged or disadvantaged?Again, it depends on your definition. If a definition exists, then there are people who fit into it.
3. What, if any, legal remedies should be available for "disadvantage?"The fundamental difference in domestic policy between liberals and conservatives.
Conservatives believe that job creation leads to prosperity for all and that it leads to opportunities for those who wish to seize them. There is no expectation of maximizing your potential, but there is also no excuse for not doing so.
Liberals are viewed as more compassionate (in general) because they are more apt to give direct government assistance. "Levelling the playing field" is the phrase used to describe their philosophy.
I always find it useful to examine who the "poor" are in America. It is useful because we can then imagine what the "poor" would do with additional funds (either from government or from economic incentives).
Poverty, American Style: Cars, TVs, Three-Bedroom HomesQUOTE
The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:
Forty-six per cent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one and a half baths, a garage and porch or patio.
Seventy-six per cent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago only 36% of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
Only 6% of poor households are overcrowded. More than two thirds have more than two rooms per person.
The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens and other cities throughout Europe. (Note: These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries not to those classified as poor.)
Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30% own two or more cars.
Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television. Over half own two or more color televisions. Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player. Sixty-two percent have cable or satellite TV reception.
Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens; more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.
As a group the poor are far from being chronically undernourished. The average consumption of protein, vitamins and minerals is virtually the same for poor and middle-class children, and in most cases is well above recommended norms. Poor children actually consume more meat than do higher-income children and have average protein intakes 100% above recommended levels. Most poor children today are in fact super-nourished, on average growing up to be one inch taller and ten pounds heavier than the GIs who stormed the beaches of Normandy in World War II.
While the poor are generally well nourished, some poor families do experience hunger, meaning a temporary discomfort due to food shortages. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 13% of poor families and 2.6% of poor children experience hunger at some point during the year. In most cases their hunger is short-term. Overall, 84% of the poor report their families have "enough" food to eat, while only 3% say they "often" do not have enough to eat.