Final answer:
True statements about poverty in the U.S include the influence of structural factors beyond individual control, a variety of reasons leading to poverty, and the fact that the majority of poor people in the U.S are white. The statement that poverty is mostly due to a lack of willingness to work is false.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several statements about the poor in the United States were presented for evaluation. The true statements are:
- Structural factors beyond individuals' control are a major cause of poverty. This aligns with the perspective of some lawmakers who argue that the failure of the economic system to provide enough jobs at a living wage, as well as racism and sexism, are significant contributors to poverty.
- People become poor for a variety of reasons. Issues such as the inequitable distribution of income and wealth, the feminization of poverty, stagnant wages for most workers, and the challenges faced by the working poor are all contributing factors.
- Although African Americans have a higher percentage of individuals living in poverty, the majority of poor people in the United States are white.
The statement 'most poor people are poor because they do not want to work' is a misconception and not supported by the data, as many are working but still fail to meet the poverty line, thus being classified as the working poor.