America: the land of poverty (100 million Americans actually living in poverty?)

[Cali_Democrat]

America: the land of poverty
15 September 2011

The census bureau figures that came out Tuesday, showing the largest number of Americans living in poverty since records began in 1959, are a damning indictment of American capitalism and the entire political system.

In 2010 there were 46.2 million people—almost one out of every six residents—living below the official poverty line, including 16.4 million children. Of these nearly half, or 20 million, were described as living in deep poverty, subsisting on less than half the income the US government says is needed for basic food, shelter, clothing and utilities.

As it is the government’s poverty threshold—about $22,000 for a family of four and $11,000 for a single person under 65—is insufficient to maintain a decent standard of living. A more accurate measure would be twice the official poverty line, or about $44,000 for a family of four. More than 100 million Americans—one in three—are below this threshold.

<snip>

The explosion of poverty over the last three years—along with home foreclosures, homelessness, hunger and the growing number of uninsured—takes place alongside of the accumulation of fantastic levels of wealth by the financial aristocracy that controls the economy and political system.

Read More: http://wsws.org/articles/2011/sep2011/pers-s15.shtml

[Kennah]

1. When it gets to 300 million, things will settle down

[Turbineguy]

10. By the time it gets to 300 million

We'll only have the republican party to vote for and the president will get his governing plan from Kim Jong Il.

[Warpy]

2. The government is using a formula that was developed

when food was labor intensive and much more expensive. It has failed to take into account not only the relative fall in food prices but the immense increases in housing, health care, energy and education.

That formula should have been changed in the late 70s but it serves the plutocracy too well.

[Angry Dragon]

3. It seems to me that food was cheaper back then

Do you have any thing to back up your statement??

[Warpy]

4. Look up what "relative" means

Then get back to me.

Food when the CPI formula was developed was 1/3 of an average family's budget. Now it's less than 1/6 because of what has happened to other costs relative to the cost of food.

All the words are in my post for a reason.

[Angry Dragon]

6. You made a statement and all I asked was if you had some facts

I was not attacking you and then you come back all snarky

Your words may be in there for a reason but that does not mean your reasons are correct

[sam11111]

5. 154 Trillion is US wealth (fed reserve says)

Trillion with a Tee.

Federal Reserve Statistical Release, Z.1, Flow of Funds Accounts of the United States

Table L.5 Total Liabilities and Its Relation to Total Financial Assets

(my comment - see bottom line, next to rightmost cell for current wealth of the US in billions. You will see 6 digits so that gives 3 digits worth of trillions - that is, over a hundred trillion. Got that?)

http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/z1/Current/accessible/l5.htm

[sam11111]

8. poverty should not exist here - see wealth post above

Nt

[hfojvt]

7. kinda arbitrary to just double the official measure

So a family of four making $40,000 a year is poor? Maybe in some cities, but not in most of the country, and certainly not in my town. I think it is insulting to families living on $20,000 or less to call families making $40,000 poor.

Depending on how income is measured, I am at 109% of poverty (or 145% if the $4,000 that I spend on health insurance is considered income (which it is not for tax purposes at either the state or federal level). However, I do not consider it to be a life of privation. I can afford to have three dogs and high speed internet and health insurance. Partly because my house has been paid off for over six years now.

Just to say that low income is not necessarily a measure of misery.

[sam11111]

9. but low income is a measure of misery most of the time

I've been rich and I've been poor.... as the song goes. Poor makes one unable to solve many crises that REQUIRE cash.

I don't discount others suffering as unreal.

[cutlassmama]

11. So one in three is below the threshold. They couldn't live in my city because

rents are too high here. No wonder people are moving out of the big cities. They can't afford them. It's time for everyone to start growing their own vegetables even if they have a little plot of land because food IS going higher despite what some might think.

[Javaman]

12. if the party of death gets the presidency, you can add 65 million to that number...

that's how many people current need and use SS and medicare.

the party of death will cut both of those.