Census results say Poverty numbers are High

The new U.S. Census data released in late September showed astonishingly bad numbers that were largely ignored by the media. The data added 6 million people to the list of the officially poor, which is defined as $22,000 in yearly income for a family of four. Forty-four million people are now living below the poverty line, that is one in seven citizens. Of that, one in five are children, one in four of African Americans or Latinos, and over half of female-headed families with children under the age of 6. These poverty numbers are higher than any other time in the 51 years that the Census Bureau has been tracking poverty levels. These numbers present a horrific story, but further research reveals even more ghastly facts. Out of the forty-four million poor, 19 million are now “extremely poor”, meaning living with an annual income of just $11,000 for a family of four. That translates to a little over 6 percent of the population, and that number is steadily increasing. For years now, we have just accepted that people who are struggling to make ends meet are at fault for their problems, but at the same time we do not have any anti-poverty policies that work. But with the release of the new poverty figures, that pill has become harder to swallow. To make matters worse, the TANF Emergency Fund, put in place to help those out of work by providing sustainable employment and extending unemployment benefits when there are no jobs, is set to expire on Thursday, leaving the few that it helps without any hope. All of this data makes it very clear that America needs a bigger plan and quicker responding chain of action to create a fairer and higher-wage economy. The debilitating economy that we are facing today could possibly spawn new political alliances, and start new anti-poverty movements that are greatly needed. It is time to stand up, step up, and get the voices of the poor and struggling heard….but, who will listen? How wise is it to rely on the very same people that pushed our economy down this hill, to give a hand-up to the ones that have been hit the hardest and hurt the most? Only time will tell if our government will step up, admit being wrong, and do what needs to be done to resolve the problem.

MistyMarie

The Truth Syndicate

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