The American economy is in a recession that is 14 months old, and the downturn appears to be growing deeper and more severe. Approximately 1.8 million Americans lost their jobs in the past three months alone—nearly 20,000 a day. It’s increasingly looking like “the worst recession since World War II” may be a best-case scenario.
The economic downturn means hard times for millions of Americans. If unemployment rates reach double-digits, as some economists fear, nearly 7 million people will lose their jobs, more than 7 million will lose their health coverage, and more than 12 million will fall into poverty.
The economic recovery legislation before Congress would cushion the blow for the most vulnerable families by cutting taxes and strengthening the safety net, while boosting the economy and creating jobs to make the middle class stronger and larger. Helping struggling families is not only the right thing to do in hard times; it is also one of the most cost-effective ways to fight the recession. Aid for low-income families generates five times more economic activity than aid for high-income families, according to some estimates, because these families are more likely to spend the money immediately on necessities rather than saving it.
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http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/02/middle_class_report.htmlThere is so much info in this article it should take you awhile to go through it. Actually, there are articles within articles and pdf's to print out. so, have fun. it is well worth it.
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