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Census shows 1 in 2 people are poor or low-income
See BS ^ | 12/15/11

Posted on 12/15/2011 5:33:19 AM PST by markomalley

Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans — nearly 1 in 2 — have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.

The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.

"Safety net programs such as food stamps and tax credits kept poverty from rising even higher in 2010, but for many low-income families with work-related and medical expenses, they are considered too 'rich' to qualify," said Sheldon Danziger, a University of Michigan public policy professor who specializes in poverty.

"The reality is that prospects for the poor and the near poor are dismal," he said. "If Congress and the states make further cuts, we can expect the number of poor and low-income families to rise for the next several years."

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: bhoeconomy; bhofascism; bhosocialism; democrateconomy; democrats; economy; elections; fail; hopeychangey; lowincome; nobama2012; nodemocrats2012; obama; obamadepression; poverty; redistribution; socialism; socialistdemocrats; socialisteconomy; spreadthewealth; unemployment; welfare
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Obama is fuming because his programs are an utter failure. I knew that he was counting on far better numbers. Perhaps 2 in 3 or 3 in 4.
1 posted on 12/15/2011 5:33:21 AM PST by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Tipping point here we come.


2 posted on 12/15/2011 5:35:54 AM PST by Lady Lucky
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To: markomalley
"Safety net programs such as food stamps and tax credits kept poverty from rising even higher in 2010, but for many low-income families with work-related and medical expenses, they are considered too 'rich' to qualify,"

The safety nets don't prevent poverty, they simply spread it around and encourage it. Hell, people on welfare live better than I do.
3 posted on 12/15/2011 5:36:26 AM PST by cripplecreek (Stand with courage or shut up and do as you're told.)
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To: markomalley

That must be the 50% paying no Federal Income Taxes......

The problem with government “charity” is the motivation to continually expand the dependent class.


4 posted on 12/15/2011 5:37:30 AM PST by G Larry ("I dream of a day when a man is judged by the content of his Character.")
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To: cripplecreek

And the vast majority of the folks on the dole are too stupid to realize that they are voting to strangle the economy that has kept them in the style to which they’ve become accustomed.


5 posted on 12/15/2011 5:40:31 AM PST by mewzilla (Santelli 2012)
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To: markomalley; ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas; stephenjohnbanker; DoughtyOne; calcowgirl; Gilbo_3; ...

This countries immigration policies both legal and illegal the past 15 years or so have been a disaster. We were told we needed all these immigrants to fill the unfilled jobs of our ‘growing economy’, presumed to keep wage inflation in check. Our trade policies need a close look at also.


6 posted on 12/15/2011 5:41:40 AM PST by sickoflibs (Man we are screwed!)
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To: markomalley

Our “poor” have big screen TVs and smart phones. And most of them are obese.

Most of the world would love to be “poor” in America.


7 posted on 12/15/2011 5:41:42 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: markomalley

More likely this “study” was commissioned by Obama2012 for use in tv commercials to convince the voters we need four more years of the redistribution of wealth. After all, it is all the fault of the rich,and who better to punish the rich than the Democrats?
Just watch.


8 posted on 12/15/2011 5:42:48 AM PST by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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To: markomalley

Most of the rising costs of living are caused by government regulation and intervention in the private sector IMO.


9 posted on 12/15/2011 5:44:59 AM PST by Truth29
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To: Travis McGee

Our “poor” have big screen TVs and smart phones. And most of them are obese.

Most of the world would love to be “poor” in America.

***

Totally agree. Where I live, they also carry REALLY nice designer purses, wear designer boots, clothes, drive SUV’s, and seem to shop all day long with about 3 kids each hanging off of them. They also seem to push really nice strollers throughout the mall and usually leave with loads of bags after a day of shopping. As I often find myself dithering over how to spend my last 20 bucks for the month leftover after taxes, I often find myself becoming very envious of them.


10 posted on 12/15/2011 5:46:12 AM PST by LibsRJerks
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To: G Larry

Obama’s base.


11 posted on 12/15/2011 5:49:49 AM PST by petercooper (2012 - Purge more RINO's.)
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To: sickoflibs
Wage inflation, sounds like a word from the chamber of commerce. If you have a real free market, the wage is set by supply and demand, when you want a third world economy you have unlimited slave like labor. The government does not give a damn about the people, they care about government.
12 posted on 12/15/2011 5:50:32 AM PST by org.whodat (Just another heartless American, hated by "AMNESTY" Newt, Willard, Perry and his fellow supporters)
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To: Travis McGee

I had a fellow from Cameroon tell me pretty much the exact same thing.

He was an engineer, living and working in Berlin. Spoke good German, friendly fellow.


13 posted on 12/15/2011 5:50:34 AM PST by AnAmericanAbroad (It's all bread and circuses for the future prey of the Morlocks.)
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To: markomalley

When you define the dividing line for poor and rich as the middle of the income bell curve, by definition half of the sample will be poor. What a crock.


14 posted on 12/15/2011 5:50:39 AM PST by oncebitten (Obama: "A Big Ole’ Hunk of Nothing on Two Thick Slices of Nada.”)
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To: LibsRJerks

The sierra is going to hit the fan on the day that their ATM and EBT cards flash zero, and they are told “cash only” at the grocery store and gas station.

That will be the day our cities erupt.


15 posted on 12/15/2011 5:52:04 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: markomalley

Does everyone agree that continuing to let in millions and millions more additional (legal and illegal) poor, unskilled, uneducated, Democrat immigrants from third world countries is going to help?


16 posted on 12/15/2011 5:52:13 AM PST by CGalen
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To: Travis McGee

And most of them are obese.

Funny you should say that the picture on our local paper shows exactly that a black baby over weight being held by a black obese mother. Bet they all have flat screens,cell phones, A/C and a least one car probably newer than mine.


17 posted on 12/15/2011 5:52:44 AM PST by bikerman (you can take the man out of the jungle but can't take the jungle out of the man)
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To: cripplecreek

Yep, the rest of us are paycheck to paycheck. (minus the .32% who are to rich to faIL)


18 posted on 12/15/2011 5:52:52 AM PST by wolfcreek (Perry to Obama: Adios, MOFO!)
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To: Truth29
Most of the rising costs of living are caused by government regulation and intervention in the private sector IMO.

Electricity and heating costs are killing me now because they're more than 3 times higher than they were a decade ago and almost all of that cost increase is a result of regulation and taxation.

My electric company recently decided against building a coal fired plant they spent a decade fighting for. In stead they're going to go with a wind farm because they get tax breaks for going green. Meanwhile the reduced reliability of wind power effectively creates an artificial increase in demand which drives prices up.
19 posted on 12/15/2011 5:53:08 AM PST by cripplecreek (Stand with courage or shut up and do as you're told.)
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To: Wiser now
“More likely this “study” was commissioned by Obama2012 for use in tv commercials to convince the voters we need four more years of the redistribution of wealth. After all, it is all the fault of the rich...”

I agree with your premise. Ironically, those of us who are working hard will be the target. I'm not rich, but in the class envy world of the Obamanites I'm sure they would target me. I've just worked 24 hours straight, and have a full day ahead, but that doesn't matter. They'd still say I wasn't contributing enough, somehow.

I believe that the resentment runs so deep in some on the left, that they wouldn't be satisfied with total redistribution of wealth to the point of supposed equality. What some would really like is role reversal, and to take essentially everything from those they resent.

20 posted on 12/15/2011 5:53:45 AM PST by pieceofthepuzzle
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