U.S. economy leaving record numbers in severe poverty

[ribonucleic]

The percentage of poor Americans who are living in severe poverty has reached a 32-year high, millions of working Americans are falling closer to the poverty line and the gulf between the nation's "haves" and "have-nots" continues to widen...

Worker productivity has increased dramatically since the brief recession of 2001, but wages and job growth have lagged behind. At the same time, the share of national income going to corporate profits has dwarfed the amount going to wages and salaries. That helps explain why the median household income of working-age families, adjusted for inflation, has fallen for five straight years.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/16760690.htm

[240 is Back]

middle class is disappearing.  yet so many see the Dow and just feel better.

[ribonucleic]

middle class is disappearing.  yet so many see the Dow and just feel better.

Latin America is the Republican vision of the way things ought to be...

A handful of ultra-wealthy families who control everything and everyone else either toiling in the sun on their plantations or serving them drinks by the pool. Only the most vestigial middle class left to run the corrupt bureaucracy.

No wonder Bush bought land in Paraguay.

[Thin Lizzy]

Latin America is the Republican vision of the way things ought to be...

A handful of ultra-wealthy families who control everything and everyone else either toiling in the sun on their plantations or serving them drinks by the pool. Only the most vestigial middle class left to run the corrupt bureaucracy.

No wonder Bush bought land in Paraguay.

Yeah, things are so horrible here, yet, we have an immigration problem. Go figure.

[ribonucleic]

Yeah, things are so horrible here, yet, we have an immigration problem. Go figure.

You keep clinging to that. 

Millions in poverty, millions more without health care...

But we're still better than Mexico, damn it!

[Thin Lizzy]

You keep clinging to that. 

Millions in poverty, millions more without health care...

But we're still better than Mexico, damn it!

So, if you have a plan to eliminate poverty, let's hear it. I don't believe Capitalism is a perfect system. It needs to be regulated, but Socialism doesn't work at all.

[OzmO]

You keep clinging to that. 

Millions in poverty, millions more without health care...

But we're still better than Mexico, damn it!

That's where unemployment rates are deceiving.

Getting a job is easy.  Getting good paying job is not.

I fear for the middle class as it is shrinking and is the back bone of this country.

So, if you have a plan to eliminate poverty, let's hear it. I don't believe Capitalism is a perfect system. It needs to be regulated, but Socialism doesn't work at all.

It's not about eliminating poverty,  it's about shrinking it by increasing the middle class. 

[Eyeball Chambers]

But we're still better than Mexico, damn it!

hahahahah yeah, atleast we can hang onto that. 

[Thin Lizzy]

People in really poor countries would laugh at the American definition of poverty. The average "poor" American has more technology at his disposal than the richest man in the world had 25 years ago.

[OzmO]

People in really poor countries would laugh at the American definition of poverty. The average "poor" American has more technology at his disposal than the richest man in the world had 25 years ago.

Technology?

Decent:  affordable Health care, housing, automobile, food, clothing.

Many people who live in poverty just need those things.  The problem is, there isn't enough opportunities outside of straight commission sales to get a job that can provide you with those things.

[ribonucleic]

That's where unemployment rates are deceiving.

Actually, unemployment rates - the official ones, anyway - are deceptive by design.

This is the government's definition:

    * People with jobs are employed.
    * People who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work are unemployed.
    * People who are neither employed nor unemployed are not in the labor force.

http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

So if you're an IT guy whose job got outsourced to Bangalore and after 15 months of trying you gave up looking for work, you're not unemployed. You're simply not in the labor force. 

If you have 2 doctoral degrees in the humanities but are working in the paint section at Home Depot because they have better health benefits than any of the non-tenure-track jobs left in academia [i.e. my sister-in-law], you're not unemployed.
 

[Thin Lizzy]

Technology?

Decent:  affordable Health care, housing, automobile, food, clothing.

Many people who live in poverty just need those things.  The problem is, there isn't enough opportunities outside of straight commission sales to get a job that can provide you with those things.

You need to get out of this fantasy world where everyone can have everything. It's just not gonna happen.

Do you think the government should start handing out houses and cars to people?  If so, why would anyone go out and work for these things?

[Thin Lizzy]

Actually, unemployment rates - the official ones, anyway - are deceptive by design.

This is the government's definition:

    * People with jobs are employed.
    * People who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work are unemployed.
    * People who are neither employed nor unemployed are not in the labor force.

http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

So if you're an IT guy whose job got outsourced to Bangalore and after 15 months of trying you gave up looking for work, you're not unemployed. You're simply not in the labor force. 

If you have 2 doctoral degrees in the humanities but are working in the paint section at Home Depot because they have better health benefits than any of the non-tenure-track jobs left in academia [i.e. my sister-in-law], you're not unemployed.
 

It works both ways. What about people who are sitting on unemployment insurance, waiting for it run out, before they start looking for work. Don't these people artifically increase the unemployment rate, or do you believe that everyone on the dole is trying as hard as possible to get work. And what about people who have jobs they don't deserve, but for one reason another don't get fired. Believe me, these people are out there. I work with a lot of them.

And, as far as your multiple degree guy, he's allowed to start a business you know. You don't have to work for someone else.

[ribonucleic]

It works both ways. What about people who are sitting on unemployment insurance, waiting for it run out, before they start looking for work. Don't these people artifically increase the unemployment rate, or do you believe that everyone on the dole is trying as hard as possible to get work. And what about people who have jobs they don't deserve, but for one reason another don't get fired. Believe me, these people are out there. I work with a lot of them.

And, as far as your multiple degree guy, he's allowed to start a business you know. You don't have to work for someone else.

Don't forget all those people driving the Cadillacs they bought with their welfare checks - you know, the ones Reagan told us about. 

[OzmO]

You need to get out of this fantasy world where everyone can have everything. It's just not gonna happen.

Do you think the government should start handing out houses and cars to people?  If so, why would anyone go out and work for these things?

At what point did i say the government should start handing out cars and houses?


Can you please show me?


So instead of putting words in my mouth, try re-reading what i posted on this subject:

That's where unemployment rates are deceiving.

Getting a job is easy.  Getting good paying job is not.

I fear for the middle class as it is shrinking and is the back bone of this country.

It's not about eliminating poverty,  it's about shrinking it by increasing the middle class. 

Get it now?


BTW  I've been self employed for 22 years.   I make my own money.  I don't depend on anyone else. I think everyone should be like this.  But it's as unrealistic as eliminating poverty.   

BUt we can decrease from where it's at now and the answer isn't giving out free money.

[Camel Jockey]

It works both ways. What about people who are sitting on unemployment insurance, waiting for it run out, before they start looking for work. Don't these people artifically increase the unemployment rate, or do you believe that everyone on the dole is trying as hard as possible to get work. And what about people who have jobs they don't deserve, but for one reason another don't get fired. Believe me, these people are out there. I work with a lot of them.

Yes, these people are causing enequity in the economy. Due to affirmative action too many undeserving people get hired over more qualified individuals. Just look at NYC's transportation system the MTA.

We should cut policies that are supposed to "help the poor." Stuff like rent control does more harm than good, along with public housing projects. One thing that would really help the poor would be to lower tax rates for low income earners, but I don't see this happening.

[Dos Equis]

Yes, these people are causing enequity in the economy. Due to affirmative action too many undeserving people get hired over more qualified individuals. Just look at NYC's transportation system the MTA.

We should cut policies that are supposed to "help the poor." Stuff like rent control does more harm than good, along with public housing projects. One thing that would really help the poor would be to lower tax rates for low income earners, but I don't see this happening.

Low income earners don't really pay much in taxes.  The Earned Income Tax Credit often takes care of that.  It is actually higher income earners who need the most tax relief. 

[240 is Back]

Low income earners don't really pay much in taxes.  The Earned Income Tax Credit often takes care of that.  It is actually higher income earners who need the most tax relief. 

Thankfully, most of the voting population is no longer as stupid as to believe this. 




Notice I said "most".


And please tell us what "low income earners" are in dollar amounts.

[Dos Equis]

Thankfully, most of the voting population is no longer as stupid as to believe this. 




Notice I said "most".


And please tell us what "low income earners" are in dollar amounts.

lol.  Insult me and then ask me a question?  Tsk tsk.   

[240 is Back]

lol.  Insult me and then ask me a question?  Tsk tsk.  

that's okay.  if you had an answer, you'd give it to prove me wrong.  Sadly, you don't know the numbers and you're defending a policy which benefits the minority at the expense of the middle class.

But I don't have to tell you that.  Tsk.

[Camel Jockey]

Low income earners don't really pay much in taxes.  The Earned Income Tax Credit often takes care of that.  It is actually higher income earners who need the most tax relief. 

I could have meant the middle class too you know. It's getting harder and harder for famalies to save enough in order make a downpayment on a house. My family is up to the roof in taxes. 

[Dos Equis]

I could have meant the middle class too you know. It's getting harder and harder for famalies to save enough in order make a downpayment on a house. My family is up to the roof in taxes. 

I think we are overtaxed and we punish success a lot in this country.  Having been self-sufficient for my entire adult life, from starving student to professional, I have been in every tax bracket we have, so I have firsthand experience with how little, or how much, we give to the government.  We're moving too close to Canada IMO, where they take about half of what you make over a certain threshold. 

I am all in favor of tax relief for everyone who actually pays taxes.  And I have no problem giving the most tax relief to the people who pay most of the taxes in this country.  What I don't support is this class warfare approach that is nothing more than the redistribution of wealth when it comes to taxes.       

[Cavalier22]

middle class is dissapearing?

where do you get this rubbish.  more people own their own homes today (% and total)  than ever before.  more people have college education then ever before. middle class is doing just fine

[OzmO]

middle class is dissapearing?

where do you get this rubbish.  more people own their own homes today (% and total)  than ever before.  more people have college education then ever before. middle class is doing just fine

There's also more people in America than ever before.  So it only stands to reason they would be higher than ever before.

The question is, is the poverty "rate" growing?

If it is, you and i both know the "Filthy Rich" isn't shrinking as a result.

[Top Dog]

married couples filing jointly earning up to 61000 only pay 15% in taxes.  those earning over 336000 pay 35%.   you can earn up to 15100 and pay zero taxes. Obviously those who earn the most pay the most.