Us poverty rate up

AP ^ | August 30, 2005 | Jennifer Kerr

[Scarchin]

It was from my personal experiences. However - check the post above that links to the Heritage report. Possessions are discussed.

[commonerX]

""A family with three kids has to make less than $14,974.""

It's their choice
$15,000 dollars a year is plenty.

They just need to live within their means. Why do they need Tv's, cars, phones, radios and stuff.

[commonerX]

""Especially this:
The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:

* Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.

* Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

* Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

* The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)

* Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.

* Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.

* Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.

* Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.


By this definition, most people from other countries would be happy to be poor in America."""



Damn Poor, they just don't realize how good they have it.

[A CA Guy]

The illegals who come here by the millions have a lot to do with tat number I am sure.

[Electrowoman]

Your saracsm aside, yes, that's true. It's a matter of relative condition, of course, but the poor in this country are so much better off than anywhere else.

I don't not worry about the poor, even under the better conditions here, though. I don't think anyone really doesn't care about people who are struggling. But poverty, like it or not, really is about choices. Consider that poor people work far fewer hours than the non poor for instance. There is also the condition of the devaluation of marriage in this country, and it is having a particularly devastating effect on lower income families. Consider that few of us bother to ask what are the effects of supporting a system that rewards people for being idle. Rewards single parent households, even though we know that marriage raises a huge number of kids out of poverty within a year? Consider our government has done NOTHING about the influx of poor immigrants across our southern borders and through our seaports, and the impact they have on the lower income, entry level job market. Consider that just finishing highschool can diminish the chances that a young person will grow up to be poor. Consider the consumer culture we live in, and how few of our younger generation even think about setting money aside, preferring instant gratification. Consider the regulation of housing, and the pressures of that on the market (in my city, our "affordable housing" law and other restrictions have raised prices on an average home about 20k and rents right along with it for instance).

I do feel bad for folks who are in very tight situations. I feel bad for them mostly because it's all they know. They have no idea that the choices they made early on contributed to their situation now. They have no idea that the aid they rely on is perpetuating a problem that no amount of public money can solve. Try and tell them, and you would be met with outrage. I was very poor once. I know how quickly your mindset changes, and how quickly you start blaming everyone around you for your own choices. I can only imagine how hard it must be to never have realized it ever was a choice in the first place.

[commonerX]

That all fine, but just remember if you ever wind up poor and in financial ruin it's your fault.

[stuartcr]

OK, thanks, I was wondering where the poster got his info.

[skeeter]

Does the Census count illegals? If it doesn't, then they have no factor in it.

They sure do by competing for low end jobs & suppressing wages, beginning with those at the low end.

[Reagan Man]

Historically, a 12.7% national poverty rate is about average. Let's see now.

Under Clinton, 1993-2000, the average poverty rate was 13.3%. During his first four years as President, the poverty rate was 14.3. During Bush43`s first four years as President, the poverty rate stands at 12.3%.

The liberal MSM may try to spin this as a big negative for PresBush, but I don't see how they expect to get away with it. The facts aren't on their side.

[PISANO]

One thing is for sure.....POVERTY in the US.....is NOT poverty anywhere else IN THE WORLD!!!

There it would be called LIVING IN LUXURY!!!

[LexBaird]

For a typical two parent, three kids household, the threshold is $22,959. This does not include any assistance such as food stamp vouchers or W.I.C. in the range of $4000 by one quickie calculation site. Where would $27, 000 put you in Sweden?

[LexBaird]

A family with three kids has to make less than $14,974.

Nope. 1 dad, 1 mom, 3 kids not earning income, $23,959, according to the chart linked in post 13.

[LexBaird]

I didn't see anything in the article mentioning people's possessions

Assets aren't figured in. Neither are capital gains. A retired person living in a paid for house with capital gains and a million in savings would be figured as being in poverty.

[cyborg]

Technically I am poor. I don't feel poor having two laptops, an ipod and car to look for jobs in. Somehow the government tells I am so you know it must be true and I ought to get their wonderful, benificent help.

[tnlibertarian]

the rich level may be back to $40,000 and the poor level somewhere around $39,000.

Hey, I think I found the reason for that 'shrinking middle class'.

[stylin19a]

Didn't SF give cell phones to the homeless ?

[superiorslots]

$15,000 dollars a year is plenty. They just need to live within their means. Why do they need Tv's, cars, phones, radios and stuff.


Give me a break!! A family with three cannot live on $15k per year unless they are eskimoes. Health Insurance even with a high deductibl would be $400-500 per month. Let alone food, gas, electricity, rent, clothing etc etc.

[Doe Eyes]

Where would $27, 000 put you in Sweden?

There are worse places to be.

[Ann de IL]

You are totally correct, the amount of things the poor here in the US have would make them at least middle class in the majority of the world. I sometimes wonder if the people who calculate the standard for "poor" have ever been to any other country in the world. We are as a nation incredibly blessed but there are those who only see the dark side of things and they must be in the business of calculating what poor is.

[Sir Gawain]

Got a link?