[Straight Vermonter]

You can see by the folowing chart that these programs have completely eliminated poverty, though. < /sarcasm>

LBJ started this all in the mid-1960s and the rate has remained in a constatnt range ever since.

[Hunble]

That is an outstanding chart. Thanks Freeper for providing the information.

Only have one tiny little problem with it. Who defines what the poverty rate is?

Compare American citizens with an African tribe and measure the difference in how much they eat per day. At the last, that would be an honest point of reference.

This is not my recommendation, but can they not use a specific qualifier when measuring something?

[Hunble]

Also, is a chart available going back to 1900?

The starting date of 1959 is most curious!

[Hunble]

Both of my wife's parents lived through the depression. Her father did go into France after D-Day during WWII.

Just curious why this chart started off at 1959. It kinda ignored a very vital aspect of American History.