Report: 1.3 million more Americans in poverty

[quietfan 233]

Bottom line: Are you better or worse off than four years ago?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5829707/

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans living in poverty increased by 1.3 million last year, while the ranks of the uninsured swelled by 1.4 million, the Census Bureau reported Thursday.

It was the third straight annual increase for both categories. While not unexpected, it was a double dose of bad economic news during a tight re-election campaign for President Bush.

Approximately 35.8 million people lived below the poverty line in 2003, or about 12.5 percent of the population, according to the bureau. That was up from 34.5 million, or 12.1 percent in 2002.

The rise was more dramatic for children. There were 12.9 million living in poverty last year, or 17.6 percent of the under-18 population. That was an increase of about 800,000 from 2002, when 16.7 percent of all children were in poverty.

The Census Bureau’s definition of poverty varies by the size of the household. For instance, the threshold for a family of four was $18,810, while for two people it was $12,015.

Nearly 45 million people lacked health insurance, or 15.6 percent of the population. That was up from 43.5 million in 2002, or 15.2 percent, but was a smaller increase than in the two previous years.

Meanwhile, the median household income, when adjusted for inflation, remained basically flat last year at $43,318. Whites, blacks and Asians saw no noticeable change, but income fell 2.6 percent for Hispanics to $32,997. Whites had the highest income at $47,777.

Even before release of the data, some Democrats claimed the Bush administration was trying to play down bad news by releasing the reports about a month earlier than usual. They normally are released separately in late September — one report on poverty and income, the other on insurance.

Putting out the numbers at the same time and not so close to Election Day “invite charges of spinning the data for political purposes,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.

Census Director Louis Kincannon — a Bush appointee — denied politics played any role in moving up the release date. The move, announced earlier this year, was done to coordinate the numbers with the release of other data.

“There has been no influence or pressure from the (Bush) campaign,” Kincannon said Wednesday.

Official national poverty estimates, as well as most government data on income and health insurance, come from the bureau’s Current Population Survey.

This year the bureau is simultaneously releasing data from the broader American Community Survey, which also includes income and poverty numbers but cannot be statistically compared with the other survey.

The figures were sure to generate attention regardless of when they were released since they typically serve as a report card of sorts for an administration’s socio-economic policies.

Partisan debate figures to be more heated now, when the economy and health care are big issues in the tight presidential election race between Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry.

Since job growth was slow until the second half of 2003 and wages were relatively stagnant, it was likely the report would show an increase in the number of people in poverty, said Sheldon Danzinger, co-director of the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan.

William O’Hare, a researcher with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private children’s advocacy group, expected increases in the number of kids in poverty and without health insurance. He called the changes in the way data is being released “bothersome.”

“It makes me wonder whether this statistical agency is being politicized in some way,” said O’Hare, who has studied the poverty and health insurance data for over two decades.

© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

[clantontiger 0]

I am Better.

[TitanTiger 20,510]

I am better and I am worse.

I'm worse financially by a decision of my own making...my wife wanted to be a full time mom and I supported that decision, so now we're living on my income alone.

I'm better because the tax cuts and the increased child tax credit really helped our new bottom line.

[CarolinaTiger 0]

what could W have done to have made this not so?

[Weagle98 119]

Does anyone think that our method of determining poverty is messed up in this country?

I heard the other day that those considered poor in this country have on average 700sq of living space - per person. I don't think MOST of our poor in this country would be considered poor in most any other country.

[AUJarhead 70]

I'm better.

My salary is basically the same as it was 4 years ago, my base salary is down, but I make that up in bonus. I got married, and bought a house.

[War Eagle 96 10]

Does anyone think that our method of determining poverty is messed up in this country?

You can have 93 $multi-million homes, 83 cars, 57 acres of property and 88 boats and still be classified as poverty-stricken in this country. As long as you don't have a claimed income.

[Tigermike 3,053]

Does anyone think that our method of determining poverty is messed up in this country?

You can have 93 $multi-million homes, 83 cars, 57 acres of property and 88 boats and still be classified as poverty-stricken in this country. As long as you don't have a claimed income.

Now there is a problem I would love to deal with!

[Ranger12 46]

I am better and my wife is better. Also I am at a rare crossroads that I am about to have to choose between two companies for a job while having a job. I would say I am much better now.

[rexbo 104]

I am better. If you had asked me in late Sep 2001, with the affect that the Clinton recession and the terrorist threat had on the economy that I would be the same or better at the next election, and that the US in general would be this strong both in security and economically, I would have said no. But, thankfully for all of us, our President has done a tremendous job in bringing this country back from the worst attack ever on our homeland.

I have said it before, and I will say it again, if Algore had been President, today, almost 3 years later, we would still be wondering what to do about the Taliban in Afghanistan, and Saddam would have those WMD factories running at full bore cranking out weapons, as terrorists streamed in from all over the world to line up for their nuclear briefcase...

[CCTAU 3,342]

Oh please mista gubment save us, we is demoncrats and is poverty stricken.

The lazy (TA's buddies) will always lay down and whine before they actually do any work. The work is out there, you just might have to work 2 jobs. I've done it before. (and would do it again if need be) If you don't want to do it for you and yours, then SCREW you!