Poverty Measures
Income Support Programs
Federal Budget
Poverty Causes
Where Do Our Tax Dollars Go?!
100

Two major categories of poverty measures

What are absolute and relative measures?

100

The two types of income support programs. 

What are selective and universal programs?

100

This branch of government holds the "power of the purse" and is responsible for making spending and tax decisions in the United States.

What is Congress?

100

A main theory of poverty, or that people are overcharged for goods and services relative to their value.

What is exploitation?

100

This category accounted for 13% of the federal budget in 2024 and includes operations, maintenance, military personnel, and weapons procurement.

What is defense spending?

200

Give an example of an absolute and relative poverty measure

What are…

Absolute: U.S Official Poverty Measure (OPM) and

Relative: Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM)/Principal Poverty Measure (PPM) ?

200

Give three examples of means tested income support programs

What are SNAP, TANF, SSI, Cash Assistance?

200

Examples of this type of spending include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP

What is Mandatory Spending?

200

Criminalization of this action, also a human right, is leading to workers making below the minimum wage.

What is immigration?

200

In 2024, this program provided monthly benefits averaging $1,922 to 51.5 million retired workers.

What is Social Security?

300

The three types of economic resources. 

What are income, consumption, and wealth?

300

Income Support Program that aims to decrease the impact of payroll taxes on low-income families with children and increase work effort. 

What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) ?

300

Examples of this type of spending include programs like defense, education, and scientific research.

What is Discretionary Spending?

300

This theory of poverty states that one cause of poverty in the US is that federal funds allocated to programs don't always end up in the hands of intended recipients.

What is the "leaky bucket" theory.

300

In 2024, the federal government spent $892 billion, or 13% of its budget, on this type of payment for money borrowed to finance past deficits.

What is interest on the federal debt?

400

The type of measure that compares one's economic resources with a threshold derived from the resources held by others in society. 

What are Relative Poverty Measures?

400

Limitations and criticisms of means-tested income support programs. 

What are….

disincentivizes work and savings, high administrative costs, low participation due to stigma and complexity of the application process, and benefit delays. ?

400

This is a detailed annual proposal which is submitted to Congress, and outlines fiscal policy, spending priorities, and revenue collection for the upcoming fiscal year.

What is the President's Budget Request?

400

These actions by the United States led to poverty in other countries, like many in Central America and Southeast Asia.

What are regime-change wars?

400

This category, which accounted for 7% of the federal budget in 2024, includes programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, SNAP, and unemployment Insurance.

What are economic security programs?

500

The limitations and criticisms of the OPM. 

What are….

Outdated information - based on research and data from 1950-60s 

Excludes transfer assets - SNAP, EITC, and CTC 

and

Changes in cohabitation and family structure reduce accuracy ?

500

Give an example of a NYC income support program that is selective and one that is universal.

What are…. 

Selective: HEAP, FFNYC, Section 8, NYCHA, HASA, NYC Care

and

Universal: IDNYC, Homebase, Access NYC, Community Food Connection (food pantries)?

500

A concurrent resolution passed by Congress that sets spending and revenue targets for the next fiscal year, but does not enact spending or tax laws.

What is the Congressional Budget Resolution?

500

In the US, a relatively steady poverty rate has coincided with a(n) "blank" in spending on programs aimed to address poverty.

What is increase?

500

This program accounted for 24% of the federal budget in 2024 and includes Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and ACA subsidies.

What is health insurance?