US Census Bureau report: 40 million living in poverty

[Hannah Bell]

The overall poverty rate in the US rose to 13.2 percent in 2008, as workers across all sectors of the economy became jobless and increasing numbers of families were forced into destitution, according to a new government report. Real median household income also declined by 3.6 percent.

The report released Tuesday, part of the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, is the most recent to measure the recession’s impact on working class families and the poor. Based on the changes between 2007 and 2008, the first full year of the recession, its findings do not reflect increases in poverty and joblessness this year as the consequences of the crisis have become even more acute.

The official poverty rate of 13.2 percent in 2008 was up from 12.5 percent in 2007. This figure translates into 39.8 million people in poverty across America. The official poverty level is set at $22,000 annually for a family of four with two children or $12,000 for an individual, an absurdly low threshold. This means that far more people than indicated by the survey do not have adequate resources to pay for food, shelter, medical care and other basic necessities.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/sep2009/pove-s30.shtml

[LynnTheDem]

1. We're #1! We're #1!

Oh yeah, aren't we just.

[raccoon]

2. "The official poverty level is set at $22,000 annually for a family of four with two children

or $12,000 for an individual, an absurdly low threshold.

Even in a very low cost-of-living area, it would be hard to scrap by on this amount.

I want to reiterate this.

Rec'd.

[dkf]

3. If a person has housing, medical care, and food stamps, I would think

$22,000 would be fine.

I bet they wouldn't pay any taxes either.

I would be interested to see how the average $22k family lives and manages its bills. I agree that $22k with housing costs and no Government assistance is impossible.

[Hannah Bell]

4. in my state they'd pay 8% or more on everything they bought except grocery store food.

and everyone who works gets 7+% taken off the top before they see the cash.

my town of 30,000 has a waiting list of 1,500 people for subsidized housing.

75% of hud vouchers have to go to people/families making <30% of median income. For a family of 4 here, that's <$16,600.

If I were in a family of 4 making $22K & paying $1000/mo in rent, I'd get the max benefit, $668 in food stamps. I'd get the same if I were paying 0 rent (total subsidy).

there are about 100 people in the 2 local homeless/battered women's shelters.

we have 15% unemployment.

[dkf]

5. Inheriting a parents house is the single biggest gift a person can get.

Without housing costs, life is not so bad.

On the other hand, a person can make a decent amount of money and spend enough on housing and food that they have $22,000 -6% -7% left over to live on.

It all depends on the expenses, not the income.

[Hannah Bell]

6. except most families of four here with $22K in income don't get housing vouchers.

you have to be under $16K, as i said. & there's still a 4-year waiting list of 1,500 people. because there's a limit to the number of vouchers funded.

& of course, most of the rentals that take the vouchers are in drug neighborhoods.

sure, it's not about income at all, it's just some people irresponsibly spend too much...

of course it's about income.

[Hannah Bell]

7. kickin it.

[Kalyke]

10. And in my state, they'd pay taxes on grocery store food, as well.

Ridiculous!

[intheflow]

9. I made $11,800 last year, owed $2K in taxes & was told I didn't qualify for food stamps.

So I think the poverty level for a single person is less than $12K.

[redqueen]

11. It is telling that healthcare subsidies are aimed at people at 250%

of the poverty line. The amount varies, I've seen anything from 200% to 400% of the threshold. So very telling.

K&R

[Hidden Stillness]

8. This Time, There is No One to Help

This actually goes along with another thread that happens to be on DU today, about a new poll showing that people feel completely disconnected from the public health care debate and bill. This is also like that: you never hear anyone refer to people making less than about $50,000 a year; you never hear anyone mention unemployment, homelessness, or even foreclosures anymore; nobody talks about the kinds of debts most people have, such as from credit cards--nothing. They totally cut off from us and do not relate to "the little people" at all anymore, and it all started when the huge corporate donations became legal.

This Census result proves yet again what has been shown generation after generation--that deregulating corporations and cutting taxes is a disaster, (and is not popular; it always goes against what the people want), it always increases unemployment, poverty, and all levels of debt. The median income is much lower than anything you hear on corporate media, debt is higher, the standard of living has been sinking since the 1970s because of these corporate-centered policies, and reduced Government programs to help, and nobody even addresses it. (I am not referring to great people like Dennis Kucinich, Marcy Kaptur, Maxine Waters, etc., but the Obama Admin.--which DUers are going to have to face is a corporate disaster like Reagan and Bill Clinton--and Congressional leadership.)

These things are going to get worse because they refuse to even admit it--Obama pretends the recession is over!--and do nothing that even relates to any of these problems. Their disgusting treatment of what was the recent health-care opportunity, turning it to corporate insurance profits, proves it again.

[blindpig]

12. Hey! The recession is over!

On Wall St, anyway.

What else matters?