One in eight Americans in poverty

[Little Chuchok]

8.00am Wednesday August 30, 2006


WASHINGTON - In the world's biggest economy one in eight Americans and almost one in four blacks lived in poverty last year, the United States Census Bureau said today, releasing a figure virtually unchanged from 2004.

The survey also showed 15.9 per cent of the population, or 46.6 million, had no health insurance, up from 15.6 per cent in 2004 and the fifth increase in a row.

It was the first year since President George W Bush took office in 2001 that the poverty rate did not increase. As in past years, the figures showed poverty especially concentrated among blacks and Hispanics.

In all, some 37 million Americans lived below the poverty line, defined as having an annual income below around US$10,000 ($15,876) for an individual or US$20,000 for a family of four.

The last decline in poverty was in 2000, the final year of Bill Clinton's presidency, when it fell to 11.3 per cent.

"It shows that we are spending more money than ever on anti-poverty programmes and we haven't done anything to reduce poverty," said Michael Tanner of CATO Institute, a free market think tank in Washington.

Around a quarter of blacks and 21.8 per cent of Hispanics were living in poverty. Among whites, the rate edged down to 8.3 per cent from 8.7 per cent in 2004.

"Among African Americas the problem correlates primarily to the inner-city and single mothers," said Tanner, adding that blacks also suffer disproportionately from poor education and lower quality jobs.

Black median income, at US$30,858, was only 61 per cent of the median for whites.

Some 17.6 per cent of children under 18 and one in five of those under 6 were in poverty, higher than for any other age group.

Real median household income rose by 1.1 per cent between to US$46,326 from US$45,817 - its first increase since 1999.

The figures contained wide regional variations, ranging from a median household income of US$61,672 in New Jersey to US$32,938 for Mississippi.

Major cities with the highest proportions of poor people included Cleveland with 32.4 per cent and Detroit with 31.4 per cent under the poverty line.

[lom]

The price to pay for having "The strongest economy in the world".

[Storekeeper]

The US has a severe shortage of truck driver jobs. And the problem is projected to only get worse through 2016. Why don't any of these people in poverty want to work?

The OP cites $20,000 as the poverty line for a family of four. Why would people choose to do that when entry level pay is over $30,000 year for a first year truck driver and most add $5000 - $10000 to that after the first year. Ang good golly those very same campanies offer health and dental coverage at fairly low rates.

More and more goods are arriving via container in the Port of Seattle (from China ) and there aren't enough drivers to move the material.

[Begbie]

The US has a severe shortage of truck driver jobs. And the problem is porjected to on get worse. Why don't any of these people in poverty want to work.

You mean a shortage of truck drivers.

Most of those in poverty are employed, it's just that wal-mart etc pay peanuts.

[Bung]

I've only ever seen more derelicts in one place than in the US....

The UK.

How many do you see here?

[KID]

The US has a severe shortage of truck driver jobs. And the problem is projected to only get worse. Why don't any of these people in poverty want to work?

The OP cites $20,000 as the poverty line for a family of four. Why would people choose to do that when entry level pay is over $30,000 year for a first year truck driver and most add $5000 - $10000 to that after the first year. Ang good golly those very same campanies offer health and dental coverage at fairly low rates.

I would guess not many men want to be away rom their familys for 14 days at a time then get 2-3 days of then back on the road for 14 day's

[Storekeeper]

KID & Begbie,

Point is there are jobs paying way above the poverty line and they have the benefits.

If people are choosing to live below the poverty line at WAL-MART jobs .... then this poverty statistic is a misleading pulse point my friends.

[Storekeeper]

I've researched it and the indicators are that pay is going to get even better for truck drivers with experience. It's already a cut throat career field with companies going out of their way to steal other companies drivers. The shortage of drivers is severe.

[raycarey]

If people are choosing to live below the poverty line

yeah, that's what's happening..... they're choosing to live below the poverty line because it's so much fun. but hey, stop posting about it! if word gets out about all the good times, then everyone will want to live below the poverty line.

[ChiangMai noon]

It's quite possible that some of them are not medically able to drive a truck and what kid said too.

[Storekeeper]

It's also quite possible that many of them have a felony or a DUI on their record. But "many" isn't a very good way to capture or describe hard data.

That just makes me want to know what your suggestion is then for these people ?

And yes ... you're damn right ... people do choose to live in a way that amounts to just scraping by. Funny, isn't it ? People would rather live where they were born and raised even if it's just scraping by than move to where there are jobs.

If people can't drive truck or join the military ( ) ... what do you suggest we do to get them above the poverty line ? I'm trying to be constructive ... do you liberals know what that means ? Or do you just approach every issue in a cynical, pessimistic way ? FMTT you guys are sad.

[flash]

A lot of the Hispanics are illegal and a lot of the blacks don't want to work, and if all the single mothers kept their legs closed a little more often those stats would change too.

A lot of people also have too much pride to do a job that they think is beneath them, so they would rather get welfare than get a job.

If a kid ditches school or gets thrown out for wrong doings why do they deserve special treatment over the kids that work hard or even just make an effort.

fuck em all if they are too stupid to hold down a job or better themselves, stupid people should be neutered so they cannot breed.