1 in 8 Americans in poverty in 2005

[sknabt]

Data show one in eight Americans in poverty

By Joanne Morrison

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the world's biggest economy, one in eight Americans and almost one in four blacks lived in poverty last year, the U.S. Census Bureau said on Tuesday, both ratios virtually unchanged from 2004.

The survey also showed 15.9 percent of the population, or 46.6 million, had no health insurance, up from 15.6 percent in 2004 and an increase for a fifth consecutive year, even as the economy grew at a 3.2 percent clip.

It was the first year since President George W. Bush took office in 2001 that the poverty rate did not increase. As in past years, the figures showed poverty especially concentrated among blacks and Hispanics.

In all, some 37 million Americans, or 12.6 percent, lived below the poverty line, defined as having an annual income around $10,000 for an individual or $20,000 for a family of four. The total showed a decrease of 90,000 from the 2004 figure, which Census Bureau officials said was "statistically insignificant."

The last time poverty declined was in 2000, the final year of Bill Clinton's presidency, when it fell to 11.3 percent.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060829/ts_nm/life_usa_poverty_dc

It was just a couple of days ago when all the right-wing shills were out bragging how great dumping people off Welfare was. A great example was this Bill O'Reilly rant from just a week ago: http://www.eyesonfox.org/?p=41. Who wants to bet Bill's on a different topic tonight? ;)