Number of People Kept Out of Poverty by Unemployment Insurance

[Pirate Smile]

Chart Of The Day



Arloc Sherman analyzes new census data on unemployment insurance:

An exclusive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis of the new survey data shows that unemployment insurance benefits — which expanded substantially last year in response to the increased need — kept 3.3 million people out of poverty in 2009. In other words, there were 43.6 million Americans whose families were below the poverty line in 2009, according to the official poverty statistics, which count jobless benefits as part of families’ income. But if you don’t count jobless benefits, 46.9 million Americans were poor.

Jonathan Cohn explains how even that number is understated.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/09/chart-of-the-day-4.html

Too Much Government Spending? Tell It to These People

Jonathan Cohn



The new income statistics from the Census Bureau paint a grim picture, with 43.6 million people living in poverty. But it could be a lot worse. According to analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, extensions of unemployment insurance kept an additional 3.3 million jobless people from falling into poverty. The Center's Arloc Sherman explains:

Total unemployment benefit payments increased by fully $78 billion (154 percent) in 2009, reflecting both a massive influx of laid-off workers qualifying for help and temporary changes made to the program in the 2009 Recovery Act and other legislation. The Recovery Act raised jobless benefits by $25 per week (the increase expired June 2) and, together with other legislation, gave additional weeks of benefits to long-term jobless workers.

And that actually understates the extent to which government kept people out of poverty during the recession. Census income figures don't include refundable tax credits and food stamps, both of which the Recovery Act bolstered. The Center on Budget estimates that accounting for those programs would have reduced the poverty ranks by a few million more, although it's hard to calculate a precise figure right now.

In other words, the income picture is actually a bit less grim than the official income statistics suggest. And it's because of all that dreaded government spending.

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-cohn/77735/too-much-government-spending-these-people-may-disagree

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Lost4words]

2. wouldnt it be better if all those saved had jobs/futures!

what about when their lifelines expire, what then any ideas, any concerns, any cognitive thought what so ever?

[flamingdem]

3. K + R

[dkf]

4. Which is why the only thing that matters is jobs.

The lack of attention to jobs and a living wage causes poverty. Unemployment benefits are a bandaid and an effect of inadequate support for job creation.