Today, in America, nearly forty-seven million Americans are living in poverty and This essay is adapted from a speech delivered at Georgetown University in. Relative poverty is used to measure poverty in developed countries like the USA. In absolute poverty, a line based on the minimum level of income has been. Free Essay: In the United States, one of the richest countries in the world, why are so many people in poverty? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the. Sometimes they are getting soup a whole week! I find that so frightening! A guaranteed subsidy to everyone. How should this be prevented? That must be awful.