Why is it so hard breaking the cycle of poverty?

I would like to argue this point about the poverty cycle.
I can name many examples of people who were born into poverty and eventually, through
hard work and thrifty living, were able lead a very comfortable lifestyle. One example
is my father. He grew up in a dirt-floor shack in Mississippi; his family was so poor,
he had to live on a local Indian reservation because his family could not feed all of
the children. He did complete his high school education, though his grades were not
good. He eventually joined the Army and, following World War II, began working for the
local power company. He never made more than $17,000 annually, but when he died he had
more than $200,000 in the bank and property worth even more. We lived a true middle
class lifestyle, but we had few extravagances. Unlike people today, who only live for
the moment, and who spend their money on as many trendy items as possible, my father
looked to the future and saved part of each and every paycheck. It provided him with
security for the future and a nest egg for his family and
children.

People today who suffer from a background of
poverty can still achieve the same results. It takes the foresight to take advantage of
free public education, treat your job seriously, and live within your means. Simple
ideas, yes, but they seem so difficult for many people to achieve in the 21st
century.