Poorest US poor hits new record: 1 in 15 people

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

'There now really is no unaffected group, except maybe the very top income earners'


The ranks of America's poorest poor have climbed to a record high — 1 in 15 people — spread widely across metropolitan areas as the housing bust pushed many inner-city poor into suburbs and other outlying places and shriveled jobs and income.

New census data paint a stark portrait of the nation's haves and have-nots at a time when unemployment remains persistently high. It comes a week before the government releases first-ever economic data that will show more Hispanics, elderly and working-age poor have fallen into poverty.

In all, the numbers underscore the breadth and scope by which the downturn has reached further into mainstream America.

"There now really is no unaffected group, except maybe the very top income earners," said Robert Moffitt, a professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University. "Recessions are supposed to be temporary, and when it's over, everything returns to where it was before. But the worry now is that the downturn — which will end eventually — will have long-lasting effects on families who lose jobs, become worse off and can't recover."



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45145370/ns/us_news-life/

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1 in 15 Americans now rank as poorest poor
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57317400/1-in-15-americans-now-rank-as-poorest-poor/?tag=stack

About 20.5 million Americans, or 6.7 percent of the U.S. population, make up the poorest poor, defined as those at 50 percent or less of the official poverty level. Those living in deep poverty represent nearly half of the 46.2 million people scraping by below the poverty line. In 2010, the poorest poor meant an income of $5,570 or less for an individual and $11,157 for a family of four.

[Uben]

1. And we wonder why kids sell crack

When you can't even get a job flipping burgers, people would sell nuclear weapons if it would put food in their mouths. Hunger knows no boundaries, people have to eat.

[closeupready]

10. They don't have to sell crack! They can always starve to death, you know.

:mad:

:sarcasm:

[valerief]

12. Ah, the Republic healthcare plan. Get sick and die quickly. nt

[tpsbmam]

2. 5th K&R....a sad one.

:cry: :grr:

[sam11111]

3. WPA is needed....zero unemployment in 4 months

R Reich has called for it

Join the move for WPA

See sig belo

[valerief]

14. The US does have a WPA. They call it Defense. Just risk your life and limb

and you'll get a paycheck. Maybe. And healthcare. Maybe.

[dotymed]

16. You're right. They earn a living wage but are required to

kill and be killed. When I was young (they still had the draft) and my Father was an enlisted man in the Army. The pay was terrible until you finally earned some rank. We didn't have a car until I was about 7. Most enlisted personnel were eligible for food stamps (if they had them back then). I know that in the '70's many soldiers had to use food stamps to feed their families.

I remember when they started paying our soldiers a living wage it was well deserved. It seems that they have now increased their salary (without combat pay) to a level that puts them in a position of envy for many people. They have free medical care, paid vacations and leave time. This is as it should be. The problem is that they have kept civilian pay at low(ering) levels. that makes the military a desirable job for most young people. They can afford new cars and good lifestyles compared to their civilian counterparts, unless of course, you are a privatized mercenary.

Every occupation should have pay and benefits like the military. However that would cut into profits for the corporations. Health care should be a right for all, paid for by taxes. If the for profit were removed and the health insurance companies eliminated, the American people would save trillions and have preventative health care as well. Too bad that "our" leaders would not allow the CBO to present this during the HC reform debates.

[valerief]

4. It's a police state now. nt

[barbtries]

5. so wrong.

such a rich country, yet this. occupy.

[izquierdista]

6. Only one question

The "downturn", why does it have to "end eventually"? If I remember my history correctly, feudal serfs were pretty much perpetually poor.

[TBF]

7. K&R nt

[AsahinaKimi]

8. This kind of news makes people like Rush Limbaugh

Puff out his chest and talk about how proud he is to be a Republican. All Republicans are hanging a banner "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED". The 1% are toasting themselves.. They have stomped down on the little people and gotten away with it. The Scott Walkers in the worlds are walking around like the only Rooster in a hen house. ALL REPUBLICANS should be proud of their accomplishments..and now if
they could only get the people

To vote for their Idiot Candidate for President, the distruction of America can continue, and they will drown Governement, whats left of it.. in the bathwater.

Oh, and of course, no, the Liberals and Democrats would never ever revolt, never want a revolution because they know "all the Republicans are armed".


I have news for you Republicans...

Demare kono yaro! Neboken Ja Neyo! Jigoku e ike!


(Sorry, these people piss me off..I hate their arrogance. )

[defendandprotect]

9. A depression as manipulated as the first one -- with barely a response by Obama and Dems -- !! UGH

[OhioChick]

11. Let's offshore more work overseas and continue to give corps tax breaks to offshore...

That'll fix the problem.

[valerief]

13. Yeah, cuz we're taxed enough already!

:sarcasm:

[Botany]

15. Don't worry Exxon is doing fine

Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., the world’s largest company by market value, said net income exceeded $10 billion for a third consecutive
quarter as rallying crude prices more than made up for the biggest production decline in three years.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-27/exxon-mobil-profit-tops-10-billion-on-crude-oil-price-surge.html

[alp227]

17. How are that free market and private charity working out, Republicans?

I've heard that capitalists would guarantee a living wage out of the kindness of their hearts, and THAT is why government should be limited because we can trust CEOs and big corporations to make the best decisions for the people! :sarcasm:

(Reality: polluted communities where Koch-owned factories are, banks getting away with issuing subprime mortgages, food poisoning outbreaks, outsourcing manufacturing to deregulated nations...)

[tjwash]

18. People that are lucky enough to still have jobs are fucked with 8 ways to Sunday as well

Everything from taking pay cuts, to their workloads doubling and tripling, forced overtime, the cutting of benefits and pensions that disappear the second they go to collect them. If someone protests, they are shown the door, because they have the peasants right where they want them...cowed, submissive, and about 5000 people lined up that will take their job and subsequent abuse in a second.

These arrogant pieces of shit that the pukes call "job creators" are raking it in hand over fist as a result.

Sad state of affairs actually. >(

[sarcasmo]

19. Make the corporations pay taxes and tax the 1% and watch the economy correct itself.

[Vanje]

20. Change I can believe in?

Thanks a lot Mr President.
Its like a Bush third term.

[xchrom]

21. recommend

[FlyByNight]

22. Not to worry

Austerity is on its way.

:puke:

[Action]

23. Does it matter?

How many of those same folks will vote for the repubs?

[workinclasszero]

24. No worries. The dems and teapublicans will pass another tax cut for the rich

and big business.

Oh and the coming war with Iran will be sure to help the war profiteers as well!

Ah who needs social security, medicare and food stamps anyway, huh?

Help is on the way!:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm: