Report: 1.3 million more Americans in poverty

[freetobegay]

The nation’s poverty rate rose for a third straight year in 2003 and the ranks of the uninsured swelled, the Census Bureau said Thursday in a report sure to fuel election-season debate over President Bush’s handling of the economy.

In releasing a massive collection of data describing the state of the economy in hundreds of states, counties and localities, the Census Bureau said the median household income was unchanged last year after adjusting for inflation, at about $43,300.

But a total of 35.9 million people, or 12.5 percent of the population, were living in poverty, up 1.3 million from 2002 when the rate was 12.1 percent.

The rise was more dramatic for children. There were 12.9 million living in poverty last year, or 17.6 percent of the under-18 population. That was an increase of about 800,000 from 2002, when 16.7 percent of all children were in poverty.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5829707/

WELCOME TO BUSH'S AMERICA!

[bryant69]

1. Yep

This is great for big business; labor conditions will plummet as thousands of out of work and under employed workers compete. Soon America will have many of the same employment benefits (for employers) as the third world.

Bryant
check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[cheezus]

2. If your family of 4 makes $19K, don't worry!

You're doing just fine!

holy crap


The poverty threshold varies depending on age and family size, but on average a family of four is considered to be living in poverty if its annual cash income is below $18,810, according to government guidelines. The average threshold falls to $14,680 for a family of three, $12,015 for a couple and $9,393 for an individual.

[krkaufman]

3. Poverty rates... Bushes just bad for the people

Here's poverty rate %s and some deltas, 2003 back to 1959 (from the linked report). We were at 22% poverty in 1960, before the Great Society; this is what the right-wing would have us return to -- before fully rewinding back to the conditions of 1900.

Year Poverty rate (%)
2003 12.5 +0.4%
2002 12.1 +0.4%
2001 11.7 +0.4%
2000 11.3 -0.6%
1999 11.9 -0.8%
1998 12.7 -0.6%
1997 13.3 -0.6%
1996 13.7 -0.1%
1995 13.8 -0.7%
1994 14.5 -0.6%
1993 15.1 +0.3%
1992 14.8 +0.6%
1991 14.2 +0.7%
1990 13.5 +0.7%
1989 12.8 -0.2%
1988 13.0 -0.4%
1987 13.4 -0.2%
1986 13.6 -0.4%
1985 14.0 -0.4%
1984 14.4 -0.8%
1983 15.2 +0.2
1982 15.0 +1.0
1981 14.0 +1.0
1980 13.0 +1.3
1979 11.7 +0.3
1978 11.4 -0.2
1977 11.6
1976 11.8
1975 12.3
1974 11.2
1973 11.1
1972 11.9
1971 12.5
1970 12.6
1969 12.1
1968 12.8
1967 14.2
1966 14.7
1965 17.3
1964 19.0
1963 19.5
1962 21.0
1961 21.9
1960 22.2
1959 22.4

[krkaufman]

4. 4.3 million more Americans in poverty under Boosh

From the article...

The poverty rate has risen from a recent low of 11.3 percent in 2000, meaning an additional 4.3 million people are living in poverty as defined by the government.

It looks like its time for Boosh to change how the poverty rates are defined.

Heh, I wonder if the bureaucrats snuck the numbers out early, trying to get them out without interference from the Boosh Admin.