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In reply to the discussion: The Downward Trend for America's Working Class continues, unchecked. [View all]ProSense
(116,464 posts)18. "Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%"
Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0
If you click on the first link, it takes you to the following Census data:
Go to the "Publications" tab for more information.
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2011
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html
Dire information, but I would say a decrease in the poverty rate among most groups between 2010 and 2011 is big news, as is the information on health insurance coverage.
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0
If you click on the first link, it takes you to the following Census data:
The data presented here are from the Current Population Survey (CPS), 2012 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC), the source of official poverty estimates. The CPS ASEC is a sample survey of approximately 100,000 household nationwide. These data reflect conditions in calendar year 2011.
- In 2011, the official poverty rate was 15.0 percent. There were 46.2 million people in poverty.
- After 3 consecutive years of increases, neither the official poverty rate nor the number of people in poverty were statisti¬cally different from the 2010 estimates1
- The 2011 poverty rates for most demographic groups examined were not statistically different from their 2010 rates. Poverty rates were lower in 2011 than in 2010 for six groups: Hispanics, males, the foreign-born, nonciti¬zens, people living in the South, and people living inside metropol¬itan statistical areas but outside principal cities. Poverty rates went up between 2010 and 2011 for naturalized citizens.
- For most groups, the number of people in poverty either decreased or did not show a statistically significant change. The number of people in poverty decreased for noncitizens, people living in the South, and people living inside metropolitan statistical areas but outside principal cities between 2010 and 2011. The number of naturalized citizens in poverty increased.
- The poverty rate in 2011 for chil¬dren under age 18 was 21.9 per-cent. The poverty rate for people aged 18 to 64 was 13.7 percent, while the rate for people aged 65 and older was 8.7 percent. None of the rates for these age groups were statistically different from their 2010 estimates.2
Go to the "Publications" tab for more information.
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2011
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html
Sex
Health Insurance Coverage
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html
- The poverty rate for males decreased between 2010 and 2011, from 14.0 percent to 13.6 percent, while the poverty rate for females was 16.3 percent, not statistically different from the 2010 estimate.
Health Insurance Coverage
- The number of people with health insurance increased to 260.2 million in 2011 from 256.6 million in 2010, as did the percentage of people with health insurance (84.3 percent in 2011, 83.7 percent in 2010).
- The percentage of people covered by private health insurance in 2011 was not statistically different from 2010, at 63.9 percent. This was the first time in the last 10 years that the rate of private health insurance coverage has not decreased. The percentage covered by employment-based health insurance in 2011 was not statistically different from 2010, at 55.1 percent.
- The percentage of people covered by government health insurance increased from 31.2 percent to 32.2 percent. The percentage covered by Medicaid increased from 15.8 percent in 2010 to 16.5 percent in 2011. The percentage covered by Medicare also rose over the period, from 14.6 percent to 15.2 percent. The percentage covered by Medicaid in 2011 was higher than the percentage covered by Medicare.
- In 2011, 9.7 percent of children under 19 (7.6 million) were without health insurance. Neither estimate is significantly different from the corresponding 2010 estimate. The uninsured rate also remained statistically unchanged for those age 26 to 34 and people age 45 to 64. It declined, however, for people age 19 to 25, age 35 to 44 and those age 65 and older.
- The uninsured rate for children in poverty (13.8 percent) was higher than the rate for all children (9.4 percent).
- In 2011, the uninsured rates decreased as household income increased from 25.4 percent for those in households with annual income less than $25,000 to 7.8 percent in households with income of $75,000 or more.
<...>
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/income_wealth/cb12-172.html
Dire information, but I would say a decrease in the poverty rate among most groups between 2010 and 2011 is big news, as is the information on health insurance coverage.
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It IS heart-breaking. One more statistic, one in six US children go to bed hungry every
sabrina 1
Jul 2013
#4
Sabrina, one big problem is that poor people don't vote regularly. Real change won't
bluestate10
Jul 2013
#8
I not only voted for Obama, I worked to get him elected and things are still getting
rhett o rick
Jul 2013
#65
The problem is much bigger than that. The media is propagandizing us, many that want to vote are
rhett o rick
Jul 2013
#64
Sabrina, not meaning to dismiss the severity of food insecurity (hunger) in the
HardTimes99
Jul 2013
#71
The minimum wage has to be increased to a level that single people and families can
bluestate10
Jul 2013
#5
No one that has the power to do anything about it genuinely cares to make it better.
HughBeaumont
Jul 2013
#10
The "poverty line" as currently determined is out of date and woefully underestimates poverty.
snot
Jul 2013
#46
Some people insist that America's Poor, the Working Poor, and the Soon to be Poor
bvar22
Jul 2013
#75
The only way to fight back is with a Union. The politicians and their owners do not care about you.
Skeeter Barnes
Jul 2013
#20
I am so sorry to hear that. Democrats cannot ignore the wage problem anymore. There are just too
liberal_at_heart
Jul 2013
#38
Bare in mind 9.5 making 500K will soon be worth twice that and twice again soon after
SleeplessinSoCal
Jul 2013
#28
I'm tired of Congress' action on minimum wage. Raising minimum wage just isn't enough anymore.
liberal_at_heart
Jul 2013
#37
Corporations are desperately trying to make the minimum wage the standard wage
PowerToThePeople
Jul 2013
#42
The thing is they raise the minimum wage, companies will merely hire part-time
duffyduff
Jul 2013
#83
what I want to know is if we now know it doesn't work why can't we change it?
liberal_at_heart
Jul 2013
#67
Because the elites who believe in it and profited from it control both political parties. n/t
duffyduff
Jul 2013
#84
And Obama has been fiddling for 5-1/2 years, while the U.S. burns. One of his solutions is to screw
MotherPetrie
Jul 2013
#76