AP: Poverty Rate Rises to 12.7%. Last decline in overall poverty in 2000

[flpoljunkie]

Poverty Rate Rises to 12.7 Percent

By JENNIFER C. KERR
The Associated Press

Tuesday, August 30, 2005; 10:27 AM


WASHINGTON -- The nation's poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent of the population last year, the fourth consecutive annual increase, the Census Bureau said Tuesday.

The percentage of people without health insurance did not change.

Overall, there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003.

Asians were the only ethnic group to show a decline in poverty _ from 11.8 percent in 2003 to 9.8 percent last year. The poverty rate among the elderly declined as well, from 10.2 percent in 2003 to 9.8 percent last year.

The last decline in overall poverty was in 2000, when 31.1 million people lived under the threshold _ 11.3 percent of the population.

The number of people without health insurance grew from 45 million to 45.8 million. At the same time, the number of people with health insurance coverage grew by 2 million last year.

[jackster]

1. what a coincidence!

the day democracy died - 12/12/00

[electropop]

2. Mission accomplished!

Nice going, Chimpy.

[Julius Civitatus]

28. Part of the GOP plan

All their policies are aimed ot bring back teh 19th Century "Robber Barons" era. They are getting closer, every day.

[cmd]

3. Trickle down poverty

Republican economics at work.

[durablend]

4. Bush: "WHOHOO!"

My policies are working!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

[ret5hd]

5. well, obviously the residual effects of saints reagan and bush1...

policies had residual effects...just goes to show ya' how RIGHT they were!

and likewise, we are now beginning to see the effects of the communistic policies of that evil wretch clinton.

i don't understand why this is so hard for you people to understand. it's as plain as the boot on your face.

[johnaries]

6. LInk? I want to send this to some friends of mine who have been

praising Bush on the economy.

[tex-wyo-dem]

12. Here's a link...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/08/30/national/w071933D44.DTL

[flpoljunkie]

21. Thanks, I goofed!

Link I used: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/30/AR2005083000613.html

[deadparrot]

7. But...but...unemployment's down!

:crazy:

[durablend]

8. And wait!

Watch the people flock to the stores and car dealerships in the coming months! Not to mention watch those housing starts go through the ROOF!

(of course it's to replace everything that got drenched, blown away, or smashed to bits, but why mention details?)

[alarcojon]

9. Yeah

you would think poverty levels are at least as important as unemployment levels. Especially when the latter don't account for those who have given up on trying to find a job, and nobody ever seems to mention those people.

[beyurslf]

14. Or people who left 50K/year jobs for those paying 30K/year or worse

[alarcojon]

16. Right

If we all quit our higher paying jobs and got McJobs, the unemployment rate would stay the same, while the poverty rate would skyrocket.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Way to go, Bushie! See if you can't get that added number up to

1.5 million this year!

[wli]

11. no coincidence, all part of the neocons' LIHOP ethnic cleansing plans n/t

[tex-wyo-dem]

13. And the uber-rich get more uber-rich...n/t

[Pirate Smile]

15. This will be another one of the Bush presidency's legacies.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. With apologies to Abe Lincoln...

W must love poor people 'cause he's making so darn many of 'em.

[17th and B]

18. Poverty Rate Rises to 12.7 Percent

AP Wire


By JENNIFER C. KERR
The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 30, 2005; 11:10 AM

Overall, there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003.
...
The last decline in overall poverty was in 2000, when 31.1 million people lived under the threshold _ 11.3 percent of the population.

The number of people without health insurance grew from 45 million to 45.8 million. At the same time, the number of people with health insurance coverage grew by 2 million last year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/30/AR2005083000613.html

[Demeter]

19. Another Mission Accomplished

Way to go, Bush.

[Laughing Mirror]

22. People without health coverage are people in poverty, in my opinion

Which lifts the poverty rate into a much higher percentage bracket, one probably much more indicative of the actual poverty situation in US, and much closer to the evidence I've seen.


. . .

17th & B: What IS in the building at the northwest corner of 17th & B NW? I haven't been down that way in a long while, but in my memory, the only thing on that corner was that building, and it used to house the OAS. But maybe memory is wrong and the OAS was further up 17th. So I guess I don't win the prize. What is there now?

[LisaLynne]

20. But the top 1% are making even more money!

And look at how much the oil company profits are going up! That's what we have to focus on! That's what's important. Do I even need to add the sarcasm tag? :)

[FreeStateDemocrat]

23. Where is Democratic Party leadership ranting, turn Dean loose?

[progressivebydesign]

24. This should alarm true Christians..

.. but I doubt it will even raise an eyebrow amongst the Bush faithful.

[sonicx]

25. Adjusted Wages dropped as well

The biggest drop happened in the Midwest.

That's what happens when you go from good-paying jobs to McJobs.

[warpheads]

26. Re: Poverty

Wait a minute, I thought voting for Bush and the tax
cuts were supposed to 'put money in our pockets'...I
mean after all, the Corporations are posting record
profits??? Gee, ya mean Republican 'trickle-down'
economics is only makin' the rich richer and everyone
else poor? Why, Damn!!! Next you gonna try to tell me Jesus ain't a blond-haired, blue-eyed white boy, too!!

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/30/news/economy/poverty_rate.reut/index.htm?section=cnn_allpolitics

[UrbScotty]

27. Now if our president listened to the teachings of JESUS...

"Inasmuch as you did it to the least of my people, so also you did it to me." - Matthew 25:40

[beetbox]

29. On the other side of the tracks we see

CEO pay: Sky high gets even higher

http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/26/news/economy/ceo_pay /



"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."                                                                 -- John F. Kennedy, March 12, 1962

[paineinthearse]

30. Let them eat cake!

"LET THEM EAT CAKE!" & "DEATH TO THE MIDDLE CLASS! DEATH TO THE MIDDLE CLASS! DEATH TO THE MIDDLE CLASS! " -- Chanting coming from the White House

[Javaman]

31. Almost 13% of our population lives in Poverty!!! Disgraceful!!! rant

That's more than 1 person in every ten people, holy shit!

Each day, when I believe I have heard the worst news piece that the shit monster* has committed, something new always comes out to trump it.

Damn him*! How in God's name can he keep staying that the economy is improving with a straight fucking face!!

colossal failure*!!!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

42. Yeah

But think of all the cheap labor we'll get. We won't have to export jobs anymore.

:sarcasm:

[NorthernSpy]

32. last decline in poverty, year 2000

Continued rise in poverty -- ever since year 2000!

That almost seems to coincide with something...
:think:

[WePurrsevere]

33. But.. but... I thought the Economy was improving?

I guess it is... for Bush's true base, the RICH. :sarcasm:

Why in heaven's name do ANY people with an IQ above that of pond scum and call themselves "Christians" still support this butt munch?

[area51]

34. Economy.

Anyone who's unemployed or underemployed knows just how shitty this Bush Depression is. It can be extremely difficult to get a job, just as it was during the 1st Great Depression.

[SlipperySlope]

35. Great - it's like we're back in 1998 again!

Poverty hasn't been this high since 1998! This had better stop...

[paineinthearse]

36. Poverty Increases for the 4th Year in A Row in 2004

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=52318

Poverty Increases for the Fourth Year in A Row in 2004; 1.5 Million More Children Are Poor Than in 2000

8/30/2005 6:29:00 PM


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To: National Desk

Contact: Ron Eckstein of the Children's Defense Fund, 202-662-3609

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Since reaching a low point in 2000, the number of children living in poverty in the United States has grown by 12.8 percent to exceed 13 million, according to an analysis by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) of U.S. Census Bureau data released today. Poor families and children are being left behind as the benefits of a steadily growing economy fail to trickle down.

As these numbers come to light, Congress is preparing to enact additional tax cuts and cut funding for programs that serve low-income children and families.

"The persistent and growing high level of child poverty reflects conscious and misguided choices," said Marian Wright Edelman, CEO and Founder of CDF. "How can the Bush Administration and Congress give enormous tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans who have benefited most from the economic recovery while threatening to cut the budgets for Medicaid, Food Stamps and other programs that assist poor children who continue to be left behind?"

The importance of maintaining these programs is underscored by new health insurance data also released today. Private health insurance coverage for children has declined since 2000, but because of the continued effectiveness of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program in filling coverage gaps, health insurance for children nationally has remained stable and even slightly improved. Nonetheless, there are still 9.1 million uninsured children.

More than seven out of every ten poor children in 2004 had at least one employed parent. Working hard and playing by the rules is not enough to lift families out of poverty. For example, even if a parent with one child works full time at the federal minimum wage, not raised since 1997, the family still lives in poverty.

Since 2000, child poverty is significantly up among all racial groups. The number of poor Latino children has increased by 774,000 (23 percent); the number of poor Black children increased by 293,000 (8.4 percent), and the number of poor White (non-Latino) children has increased by more than 322,000 (7.7 percent).

In addition, extreme child poverty increased by 20 percent from 2000 to 2004 to reach almost 5.6 million children. Extreme poverty is defined as living with annual income below $7,610 for a family of three.

"Far less wealthy industrialized countries have committed to end child poverty, while the United States is sliding backwards. We can do better. We must demand that our leaders do better," Edelman said.

For additional information, please read Defining Poverty and Why It Matters for Children available at http://www.childrensdefense.org/familyincome/childpoverty/definingpoverty.pdf

------

The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind(r) and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-0-

[Wetzelbill]

37. Must be Bill Clinton's fault nt

[rocktivity]

38. FOURTH year in row? as in since 2000?

As in since you-know-who took office?

:mad:
rocknation

[Rex]

39. Serfs don't need a good life.

So sayth the Boosh!

[Megahurtz]

40. I would bet that it's actually much higher than 12.7%. n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

41. Iow, 1 in 7 people.

And the poverty level numbers are bullshit. $9K for one person and $12K for two?

Most likely, 20% of the country is in poverty.

:banghead:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

43. What income is considered poverty level now?

Is this gaged by the US census bureau standards of 2000 still?

One person, under 65 years -- $8,959
One person, 65 years and over -- $8,259
Two people, householder under 65 years, including one child under 18 years -- $11,869
Four people, including two children under 18 years -- $17,463

If so, I want to know how these people are supposed to survive on less than $700 a month? With current cuts in social programs and the inflated cost of living are these people just supposed to die?

[glendavis77]

45. So if I make 9,000 per year Im not poor?

If that's the middle class I don't wanna be part of it.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

46. If this is the scale they use to gage poverty, then no you are not.

We all know how much it cost to survive and going by that this concept of what is considered poverty level is skewed IMO.

[glendavis77]

44. It's official: Bush worst president ever