5 million more Americans living in poverty today than four years ago

[G_j]

http://www.alternet.org/story/30447/

Prosperity in George Bush's Economy

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. Posted January 6, 2006.


Why are folks so pessimistic about our boom-boom American economy? Because for most of us, it's painful to live in.

The economy the cable news networks gush about is going gangbusters. We're hearing about 10 straight quarters of strong growth in gross domestic product, and jobs being created at a clip of over 2 million per year. Unemployment is down, and more Americans own their homes than ever before. And don't forget, Americans' net worth is at an all-time high! And all this prosperity, the corporate media will tell you, is thanks to five years of President George Bush.

But that's an economic picture you won't find hanging on the wall of any normal American house. Most of us know that we're not doing as well today as we were a few years ago. According to a recent Gallup Poll, almost two-thirds of those asked said the economy was "fair" or "poor," and almost six in 10 thought it was getting worse.

That disconnect has left many commentators -- especially on the right -- either scratching their heads with befuddlement or raging apoplectically at the bias of the "liberal media."

National Review author Victor Davis Hanson scolded those who read the New York Times for living "in an alternate universe where everything is supposedly going to hell." In "the real adult world," Hanson wrote, "the economy is red-hot, not mired in joblessness or relegating millions to poverty." But in fact, there are 5 million more Americans living in poverty today than there were four years ago.

..more..

[Crazy Dave]

1. Yesterday....

....there were several news (propaganda) stories about how unemployment was down but it makes you wonder...? Did people's benefits just run out? Less people collecting checks but still out of work?

Does anybody know where a reliable place to find accurate, non-biased, employment, poverty, jobs, salaries, education, crime, etc.?
I won't even consider a government or political party's website stats as truthful or reliable. Especially the labor department who the Bush administration wanted to reclassify fast-food restaurant jobs as manufacturing jobs so that it would show an increase.

See:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/20/politics/main601336.shtml
and
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/07/BUGMJ5F97N1.DTL

[rodeodance]

2. 'half of what was expected" -regarding jobs creation-yet Bush to make

rose speech-along with several of his aids-will sprawl out across the county to talk up the economy. per msnbc just now.

[G_j]

4. here is a good resourse:

the Economic Policy Institute

The Datazone:
http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/datazone_index
------------------

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/pm110

December 21, 2005 | EPI Policy Memorandum

What's wrong with the economy?

by EPI President Lawrence Mishel and Policy Director Ross Eisenbrey

1. Profits are up, but the wages and the incomes of average Americans are down.

Inflation-adjusted hourly and weekly wages are still below where they were at the start of the recovery in November 2001. Yet, productivity—the growth of the economic pie—is up by 13.5%.


Wage growth has been shortchanged because 35% of the growth of total income in the corporate sector has been distributed as corporate profits, far more than the 22% in previous periods.


Consequently, median household income (inflation-adjusted) has fallen five years in a row and was 4% lower in 2004 than in 1999, falling from $46,129 to $44,389.
2. More and more people are deeper and deeper in debt.

The indebtedness of U.S. households, after adjusting for inflation, has risen 35.7% over the last four years.


The level of debt as a percent of after-tax income is the highest ever measured in our history. Mortgage and consumer debt is now 115% of after-tax income, twice the level of 30 years ago.


The debt-service ratio (the percent of after-tax income that goes to pay off debts) is at an all-time high of 13.6%.


The personal savings rate is negative for the first time since WWII.
3. Job creation has not kept up with population growth, and the employment rate has fallen sharply.

The United States has only 1.3% more jobs today (excluding the effects of Hurricane Katrina) than in March 2001 (the start of the recession). Private sector jobs are up only 0.8%. At this stage of previous business cycles, jobs had grown by an average of 8.8% and never less than 6.0%.


The unemployment rate is relatively low at 5%, but still higher than the 4% in 2000. Plus, the percent of the population that has a job has never recovered since the recession and is still 1.3% lower than in March 2001. If the employment rate had returned to pre-recession levels, 3 million more people would be employed.


More than 3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since January 2000.
4. Poverty is on the rise.

The poverty rate rose from 11.3% in 2000 to 12.7% in 2004.


The number of people living in poverty has increased by 5.4 million since 2000.


More children are living in poverty: the child poverty rate increased from 16.2% in 2000 to 17.8% in 2004.
5. Rising health care costs are eroding families' already declining income.

Households are spending more on health care. Family health costs rose 43-45% for married couples with children, single mothers, and young singles from 2000 to 2003.


Employers are cutting back on health insurance. Last year, the percent of people with employer-provided health insurance fell for the fourth year in a row. Nearly 3.7 million fewer people had employer-provided insurance in 2004 than in 2000. Taking population growth into account, 11 million more people would have had employer-provided health insurance in 2004 if the coverage rate had remained at the 2000 level.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Crazy Dave]

5. Thanks for the info.

:)

[sweetheart]

32. Thanks for that link

It was very helpful.

[MountainLaurel]

17. I'd say yes to both of those questions

And add that people who are underemployed are likewise not counted in the unemployment statistics: People with master's degrees in computer science who are working at Barnes and Noble for $7/hour, librarians who can only get part-time jobs because libraries no longer offer full-time positions, Ph.D.s who can't get a tenured position and thus teach 8 courses at five different colleges at $1K each.

The problem is that no one collects the REAL data on people who aren't working, who aren't able to make ends meet, who are pressured to drop out of high school so they don't fuck up the school's statistics, etc.

[Strawman]

3. In the National Review view

Those additional 5 million in poverty don't matter. Those people are the permanent underclass. It's just a result of demographics and population growth. Those among them that are worth a damn won't stay poor forever. They'll pull themselves out of poverty by working multiple jobs. These rest, fuck 'em. It's Social Darwinism. It matters not that most National Review readers wouldn't survive a day in the life of most poor people in this country.

I think those growth and job numbers don't mean shit. They're Walmart jobs. They are spun and hyped by the politicians in power (of both parties) meanwhile little changes for working people. They were overhyped by Clinton too. Read Contours of Descent by Robert Pollin. When a Republican is in there things get shittier alot faster like they are now. When a Dem is in there they are lucky to maintain the status quo. For working and middle class people their standard of living just keeps eroding, year after year unless there is some artificial bubble like in the late 1990's. Once that bursts, things go back to normal. Bottom line is rich people take way too much money for themselves in this country. The government needs to take some of it back to provide for the rest of us.

[justabob]

6. Social Darwinism

has to be one of the most flawed concepts ever. I cannot believe it has been around for so long and still used as justification. :puke:

[Strawman]

9. Victor Davis Hanson should take the Ehrenreich Challenge

Just like she did in Nickel and Dimed. Try and survive on low wage jobs for a few months and see how he does.

After all, it should be a breeze since the economy is so great, right? :sarcasm:

[justabob]

11. I just read Nickel and Dimed

What a great book. Having worked 8 years in restaurants I laughed all the way through her period as a waitress. It isn't funny, but having lived it, I could sympathize. I wish more people could understand what it is like to be one of the people working 2-3 jobs, deal with kids etc. There was a time a few years ago when I was working two jobs, taking two classes, and had a toddler. I'd love to challenge some of these folks to see just how superior they really are. :mad:

edit: typo

[Strawman]

14. They've probably never even cooked or cleaned for themselves

Let alone done it as a job for others.

What's more I've worked a couple maintenance jobs and other maunal labor jobs and none of my colleagues went by three names like Victor Davis Hanson. That's a snob's name. So I think my suspicions about this guy are probably accurate.

[justabob]

16. Right nt

[raccoon]

30. Her new book, BAIT AND SWITCH, also kicks butt.

She goes undercover and tries to get a decent job with bennies. I could really empathize with a lot of her experiences and those of others in the book who were middle-aged and job searching.

She also tells about an "executive boot camp" which is run by a real dip who is just into victim-blaming.

Great book.

[G_j]

7. some people are just born to be poor

:sarcasm:

and naturally, it takes lots of "have-nots" to sustain one "have" in this land of "opportunity".

[Crazy Dave]

8. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Strawman.

It's always a nice change to meet someone else who isn't a blindly obedient sheep. I love it when I see other people that can actually see beyond the bullshit and aren't too afraid to say anything about it.

I salute you. :patriot:

[Strawman]

10. It's my pleasure to meet you

And thank you for the kind words.

:hi:

[raccoon]

31. Amen to all that you said. nt

[William Bloode]

12. I feel sad to announce i am one of those 5 mil.

:cry:

I went from over $60,000 a year to about $12,000, :cry: :cry: :cry:

[justabob]

15. me too

I wasn't making so much before, but I was paying the bills and then some. I have been trying to live on a grand total of about 750 a month for the last 4 months. I am looking for full time work but there is nothing. It was hard to find a job earlier last summer too, and since then, Dallas has absorbed several thousand Katrina victims. Things are REALLY difficult now. There's a lot of people around here who are going to be having some bigtime difficulties in the coming months.

[William Bloode]

18. I know how you feel.

I have a relative that lived in Dallas. He worked some type of tech job. He had been doing very well till he got laid off about 14 months or so ago. He lived off unemployment and saving while trying to get another job. He lost his home, and new car. He ended back here living here and working retail. At least around here the cost of living is so low one can scrape by on a retail job.

I hope things get better for you in Dallas. :thumbsup:

[justabob]

22. Thanks

I have some good leads and I am not totally discouraged yet. I am stressed out, but it's alright. Good luck to you too.

[William Bloode]

26. My luck is done as far as jobs go.

I had to have spinal surgery and finally qualified for disability. The way ^ and company are going i might not be able to count on that much longer if they have their way.

[Foodbunny]

21. same

I was diagnosed with cancer and had to leave my job and now I'm struggling as a waitress.

[justabob]

24. Wow

That is a major double whammy for you. I hope you are getting through it ok. Just being a waitress is rough... I wish you well.

welcome to DU btw :)

[William Bloode]

27. Bad break!

Waitressing is a rough job, i almost feel your pain. Do you think you may be able to qualify for disability?

Any way good luck and welcome to D.U. :hi:

:toast:

[Crazy Dave]

28. Not to be nosy but if you could share what happened....

Waitressing is not an easy job as others have mentioned so I was wondering why you could not work at your old job that you had to leave? Was it more physical or did you have to leave for a more flexible schedule for treatment? The reason I ask is I believe employers have to accommodate people who need time off for treatment and if you have been screwed over in any way you may be able to get help legally and financially.

Welcome to DU and I'll see about getting you a star this weekend. I made a gift donation las week and the person never got the credit so I need to see what's going on first.

[G_j]

23. sitting here with a broken finger

& I can't afford to go to the doctor.
car falling apart
even shoes falling apart
:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. ...

[Tsiyu]

19. After spending the last three days trying to file an unemployment claim

I would say: do not trust the "UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS"

Unfortunately, I didn't qualify for payments, and I am wondering if the rules have changed as far as eligibility when computing wages.

The experience was very trying and time-consuming and I wonder just how many folks are unemployed but: A) do not qualify for payments or B) get so fed up they give up trying to file a claim.


A co-worker has worked straight for three years, but his last employer never paid into the insurance, even though it was deducted from his pay, so HE also does not qualify. The numbers don't tell you about people like us.

[Lars39]

25. My husband was contracting

for a few years, then was briefly hired on full-time as an employee.
He lost that job, called to find out if he could draw unemployment,
and was told that he would have to wait months before they added anyone else.

I've often wondered how many others self-employed have been screwed over that way.

Seems like the employer who never paid into the insurance is due for some jail time.

[Tsiyu]

29. My friend gave his name to the Unemployment folks

They were VERY interested in speaking to the employer, and hopefully the guy will pay for being the creep he is.

[WI_DEM]

20. Of course Tweety was on "Today" saying the economy is "humming"

along. Commentators rarely mention reports like poverty which have shown a significant increase under the chimp.