Answer:
The statement about child poverty rates in the U.S. being higher than every other industrialized country is false. U.S. poverty rates have fluctuated historically but have always remained above 10.5%. Poverty rates among the elderly in the U.S. are relatively low due to social safety nets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that rising rates of poverty among children in the United States are higher than in every industrialized country is false. While the U.S. does have significant child poverty rates compared to other developed nations, it is not the highest when all industrialized countries are considered.
As for poverty rates in the United States, historical trends indicate that the poverty rate has fluctuated over time. It declined through the 1960s, increased in the early 1980s and early 1990s, but has been slightly lower since the mid-1990s. However, the poverty rate has never been less than 10.5% of the U.S. population in the last six decades.
Challenges facing the elderly include the risk of poverty, although recent data suggests that poverty rates are relatively low for the elderly compared to other groups. This can be attributed to social safety nets such as Social Security and Medicare.