'Dismal' prospects: 1 in 2 Americans are now poor or low income

[momxx5]

http://*******.com/8y9zgtv


Wondering how or if it is effecting Disney Vacations. In the fall I knew a lot of people planning trips, but not hearing as much lately. Of course everyone is busy with the holidays too.

Just so sad.

 

[mrsklamc]

I've seen this headline multiple times and it just bugs me. It defines "low income" as $45,000 of household income or less. NY or LA, sure, low income. Lots of places- very doable if you don't think you need a large screen TV, two cars, and a huge house, and every plastic thing toys r' us can sell you.

The version of it I read profiled a girl who got pregnant at 17 and is 18 now. She and her BF and kid live in (horrors!) an apartment and combined bring in like $44k. What did you think was going to happen when you got pregnant at 17 and had no education? You make do with one car, you work opposite shifts so you don't have to pay for childcare, and you use the Pell Grant you are eligible for to go to college- probably part time. You cancel the cable. I'm sure they are on medicaid and food stamps so that wage should be livable.

I work with the poor (in fact our Christmas giveaway is this morning) and most of them have nicer newer cars than the workers, fancy manicures, big screen TVs. Of course there are people who legitimately down on their luck right now, but there is a whole class of people who feel entitled to a lifestyle they can't afford- and they truly don't understand. They think they are getting the raw end of the deal because they don't understand that they don't earn an income that means they should own a home. Apartments don't occur- they think a house is something everyone has. Older model cars, no cable- just doesn't dawn on them.

And "poverty" for most in this country is far different from ACTUAL poverty. Living in a 4X4 hut built with scraps, where everyone throws their trash in the street, and there is NO chance to make money or get a job or have medical care- that's poverty.

 

[nunzia]

I've seen this headline multiple times and it just bugs me. It defines "low income" as $45,000 of household income or less. NY or LA, sure, low income. Lots of places- very doable if you don't think you need a large screen TV, two cars, and a huge house, and every plastic thing toys r' us can sell you.

The version of it I read profiled a girl who got pregnant at 17 and is 18 now. She and her BF and kid live in (horrors!) an apartment and combined bring in like $44k. What did you think was going to happen when you got pregnant at 17 and had no education? You make do with one car, you work opposite shifts so you don't have to pay for childcare, and you use the Pell Grant you are eligible for to go to college- probably part time. You cancel the cable. I'm sure they are on medicaid and food stamps so that wage should be livable.

I work with the poor (in fact our Christmas giveaway is this morning) and most of them have nicer newer cars than the workers, fancy manicures, big screen TVs. Of course there are people who legitimately down on their luck right now, but there is a whole class of people who feel entitled to a lifestyle they can't afford- and they truly don't understand. They think they are getting the raw end of the deal because they don't understand that they don't earn an income that means they should own a home. Apartments don't occur- they think a house is something everyone has. Older model cars, no cable- just doesn't dawn on them.

And "poverty" for most in this country is far different from ACTUAL poverty. Living in a 4X4 hut built with scraps, where everyone throws their trash in the street, and there is NO chance to make money or get a job or have medical care- that's poverty.

Exactly..they have made the defination of poor pretty high. Yes..it is tough out there, but people can and do get by, and when you add food stamps, medicaid, housing assistance, child care assistance, utility assistance..well..I see it every day.

 

[mrsklamc]

Oh and I've been reading these stories of people who got their layaway paid off at Kmart- which is great- but they've been examples like, living paycheck to paycheck and had $250 worth of toys on layaway for their 4 year old. That is insane.

 

[lisaross]

The problem is those are just out of a job now because of times - not exactly at poverty level - it is very hard for them to get "assitance" to get food stamps, free health benefits u need to have ZERO in the bank!!! so in other words u need to use up all your money - have no "emergency" money - that is hard! The system needs to be changed to help those that are in a temporary bad situation not to help those that enjoy being in a permanent bad situation because they get so many "free" handouts - such as food stamps, medicaid etc.

 

[momx2]

I've seen this headline multiple times and it just bugs me. It defines "low income" as $45,000 of household income or less. NY or LA, sure, low income. Lots of places- very doable if you don't think you need a large screen TV, two cars, and a huge house, and every plastic thing toys r' us can sell you.

The version of it I read profiled a girl who got pregnant at 17 and is 18 now. She and her BF and kid live in (horrors!) an apartment and combined bring in like $44k. What did you think was going to happen when you got pregnant at 17 and had no education? You make do with one car, you work opposite shifts so you don't have to pay for childcare, and you use the Pell Grant you are eligible for to go to college- probably part time. You cancel the cable. I'm sure they are on medicaid and food stamps so that wage should be livable.

I work with the poor (in fact our Christmas giveaway is this morning) and most of them have nicer newer cars than the workers, fancy manicures, big screen TVs. Of course there are people who legitimately down on their luck right now, but there is a whole class of people who feel entitled to a lifestyle they can't afford- and they truly don't understand. They think they are getting the raw end of the deal because they don't understand that they don't earn an income that means they should own a home. Apartments don't occur- they think a house is something everyone has. Older model cars, no cable- just doesn't dawn on them.

And "poverty" for most in this country is far different from ACTUAL poverty. Living in a 4X4 hut built with scraps, where everyone throws their trash in the street, and there is NO chance to make money or get a job or have medical care- that's poverty.

The version I read was about the 18 yr. old girl also, but she, BF and baby lived in a bug infested apartment and was evicted because her BF lost his job. They were living with one of the parents now. I didn't see where it was a combined income of $44K, but since he lost his job, that doesn't help them now.

 

[mistysue]

I can't follow that link, the the issue with this huge "breaking news" going around right now is that this isn't a change. They just changed what the standard for low income was. This is an example of media sensationalism at it's best.

ETA: a quick google search just told me that the number in September was 1 in 3, but then they adjusted the number for the poverty level, which made the same census give a 1 in 2 rate.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I've seen this headline multiple times and it just bugs me. It defines "low income" as $45,000 of household income or less. NY or LA, sure, low income. Lots of places- very doable if you don't think you need a large screen TV, two cars, and a huge house, and every plastic thing toys r' us can sell you.

The version of it I read profiled a girl who got pregnant at 17 and is 18 now. She and her BF and kid live in (horrors!) an apartment and combined bring in like $44k. What did you think was going to happen when you got pregnant at 17 and had no education? You make do with one car, you work opposite shifts so you don't have to pay for childcare, and you use the Pell Grant you are eligible for to go to college- probably part time. You cancel the cable. I'm sure they are on medicaid and food stamps so that wage should be livable.

I work with the poor (in fact our Christmas giveaway is this morning) and most of them have nicer newer cars than the workers, fancy manicures, big screen TVs. Of course there are people who legitimately down on their luck right now, but there is a whole class of people who feel entitled to a lifestyle they can't afford- and they truly don't understand. They think they are getting the raw end of the deal because they don't understand that they don't earn an income that means they should own a home. Apartments don't occur- they think a house is something everyone has. Older model cars, no cable- just doesn't dawn on them.

And "poverty" for most in this country is far different from ACTUAL poverty. Living in a 4X4 hut built with scraps, where everyone throws their trash in the street, and there is NO chance to make money or get a job or have medical care- that's poverty.

Yes....this. I completely agree. This news story has really irked me because the way we are defining poverty these days is crazy.

Take a look at these statistics based on 2010 Census information:

• 80 Percent have Air Conditioning
• Two Thirds have Cable TV
• Three-fourths have a Car or Truck
• Over half have an XBox or Playstation

Source: http://www.heritage.org/research/re...d-states-surprising-facts-about-americas-poor

While there are absolutely families that are having a very hard time making a go of things, especially with the lingering recession, the definition of "poor" sure has changed over the years.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

The American definition of "poor" is something the majority of people in the world can only dream of, and will never achieve.

 

[Bonniec]

Agree with all the others. I wish they'd more focus on what is happening with our healthcare system. We directly suffer from that. If you are rich or poor, it's fine. If you are middle class and have a child with medical needs, you are screwed.

 

[RitaE]

Yeah, it seems to me that they have put their definition of "Poverty" at just a little under the median income of the average US household, so it isn't really surprising that 1/2 the population falls below that point.

The US as a whole is still an incredibly wealthy nation. Statistically, a very small percentage of our citizens live in what would really be considered "poverty" for many nations. In the article, the young Mother with a baby and her husband move in with her Mother and they are both working at minimum wage jobs and paying her Mom $200 a month in rent. That isn't poverty for most of the world, they have housing, jobs, food, and clothing. And frankly, if they wanted it they could also probably get a Pell Grant and some other financial aid and get a better education.

 

[mrsklamc]

I HAD missed the part about the bugs. But they quote her as saying "After gas, formula, diapers, and rent, we barely have money to spend." They are receiving food stamps and "other government assistance" so I really would like to ask her "on what?"....I would guess if it were something necessary to survival,(her baby lacked clothing or something) she would name it. But she just wants to "spend."

 

[RangerPooh]

I too read that article and was hoping for more substance. Such as families who are really in a bind. Not teenage parents who expect more of a lifestyle. Heck, if you ahve unprotected sex and get pregnant and lack a college education then this is what you get. Yes this was rude of me to say, but I am tired of reading/hearing about teems/early 20 sometings complaining that they don't ahve "more" when they invested in an education or decent careers.

It's the families where one or both parents are out of work due to the economy that are really in binds that I am concerned with. Those who are "temporarily" poor, or those who have always been struggling on their own but don't accept all of the government assistance available.

Yes I realize that many in this country are struggling, I've been there, but it's something that you ahve to work through. You ned to reassess what is and isn't important in life and make do. I guess in a society where you are trying to compete with everyone else in showing that you ahve more than you actually do, $45k is not much to live on. But for a family who lives modestly it can be enough. Do I wisht hat I made more, yes, But with the economy and budget cuts to my employer I am happy that I have a job. A someone who works in education I never expected to make decent money.

So if the media has designated $45k as por/low income then what doe sit take to reach middle class standing? Grwing up I thought that $45k was a decent amount to aim for.

 

[ilovemk76]

I too read that article and was hoping for more substance. Such as families who are really in a bind. Not teenage parents who expect more of a lifestyle. Heck, if you ahve unprotected sex and get pregnant and lack a college education then this is what you get. Yes this was rude of me to say, but I am tired of reading/hearing about teems/early 20 sometings complaining that they don't ahve "more" when they invested in an education or decent careers.

It's the families where one or both parents are out of work due to the economy that are really in binds that I am concerned with. Those who are "temporarily" poor, or those who have always been struggling on their own but don't accept all of the government assistance available.

Yes I realize that many in this country are struggling, I've been there, but it's something that you ahve to work through. You ned to reassess what is and isn't important in life and make do. I guess in a society where you are trying to compete with everyone else in showing that you ahve more than you actually do, $45k is not much to live on. But for a family who lives modestly it can be enough. Do I wisht hat I made more, yes, But with the economy and budget cuts to my employer I am happy that I have a job. A someone who works in education I never expected to make decent money.

So if the media has designated $45k as por/low income then what doe sit take to reach middle class standing? Grwing up I thought that $45k was a decent amount to aim for.

Think about it. The media has a reason to do make us believe that 1/2 of all American's are poor or low income. We are less than a year to the next election where the media's candidate is not a shoe in for reelection.

 

[crisi]

So if the media has designated $45k as por/low income then what doe sit take to reach middle class standing? Grwing up I thought that $45k was a decent amount to aim for.

How old are you? Because inflation changes things.

Growing up $45k was a darn good income for me - but I graduated high school in 1984. I remember when I started making $32k and I had a "good job" - I was single. When my husband moved in, we made a combined $60k (and this would have been around 1995) and had quite a bit of money.

But that was almost 30 years ago. Gas was under $1 when I graduated from high school, under $2 when my husband and I married. I could get a pound of hamburger for $.99 in 1984, for less than $2 in 1995. My utilities were cheaper, my insurance was cheaper. To have the same lifestyle of 15 years ago, I'd need twice as much money.

I'm not sure a household income of $45k is poor, but for most Americans it isn't going to provide a middle class lifestyle if you have a family. Especially when you consider that we just cut funding for Pell grants - if your kids are going to be middle class and you make $45k, you'd better plan on funding their educations....and that is going to be hard on $45.

 

[momx2]

How old are you? Because inflation changes things.

Growing up $45k was a darn good income for me - but I graduated high school in 1984. I remember when I started making $32k and I had a "good job" - I was single. When my husband moved in, we made a combined $60k (and this would have been around 1995) and had quite a bit of money.

But that was almost 30 years ago. Gas was under $1 when I graduated from high school, under $2 when my husband and I married. I could get a pound of hamburger for $.99 in 1984, for less than $2 in 1995. My utilities were cheaper, my insurance was cheaper. To have the same lifestyle of 15 years ago, I'd need twice as much money.

I'm not sure a household income of $45k is poor, but for most Americans it isn't going to provide a middle class lifestyle if you have a family. Especially when you consider that we just cut funding for Pell grants - if your kids are going to be middle class and you make $45k, you'd better plan on funding their educations....and that is going to be hard on $45.

ITA!!!

Yes, when I was growing up and even when I was in law school in the early-90s, I thought $45K was a great living and it was, but now, not so much. In college in the late 80s I thought $100k house would be a small manision. Yeah, $100k now isn't going to get you much of a house.

I live in a pretty low cost of living area and I know a single mom with 2 kids, making about $35K with great, cheap health insurance and she can barely make ends meet. She rents where I wouldn't live, has no cable and has to turn her cell phones off routinely (she has no house phone.) Does she live in poverty??? I don't know? Not the kind of poverty of a third world country, but I would hate to work full-time and live like her.

 

[Marionnette]

The version I read was about the 18 yr. old girl also, but she, BF and baby lived in a bug infested apartment and was evicted because her BF lost his job. They were living with one of the parents now. I didn't see where it was a combined income of $44K, but since he lost his job, that doesn't help them now.

It was a bed bug infested apartment. And while that is still disgusting, it is not exclusively a problem that is restricted to low-rent places. Heck, there's a thread on the resorts forum about bed bugs at the Poly.

I think that the 18 yo is a lucky kid to have a family that is willing to take her in for the $200 she and the boyfriend can afford to give them in the form of rent. Others are not nearly as fortunate. I have no sympathy for her plight.

 

[mrsklamc]

I live in a pretty low cost of living area and I know a single mom with 2 kids, making about $35K with great, cheap health insurance and she can barely make ends meet. She rents where I wouldn't live, has no cable and has to turn her cell phones off routinely (she has no house phone.) Does she live in poverty??? I don't know? Not the kind of poverty of a third world country, but I would hate to work full-time and live like her.

Part of it comes down to expectations though. I'm not at all saying this is the case with your friend,(or with any specific case study someone is probably going to offer to prove me wrong) but statistically most single moms at this point in our country were not married. A lot of others were married but the guys turned out to be jerks. Now sometimes people will surprise you but for the most part it you can tell by a guy's character if he's going to man up and be a good dad or not.

And my point after saying all that is that if you choose to be a single mom, or to make a baby with a guy who is useless, you have to have a DARN good job if you think you're going to have a middle class lifestyle.

 

[eliza61]

Here's the article I found just by googling.

http://newssun.suntimes.com/busines...ows-1-in-2-people-are-poor-or-low-income.html

WASHINGTON — Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans — nearly 1 in 2 — have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.

The latest census data depict a middle class that’s shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government’s safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.

“Safety net programs such as food stamps and tax credits kept poverty from rising even higher in 2010, but for many low-income families with work-related and medical expenses, they are considered too ‘rich’ to qualify,” said Sheldon Danziger, a University of Michigan public policy professor who specializes in poverty.

“The reality is that prospects for the poor and the near poor are dismal,” he said. “If Congress and the states make further cuts, we can expect the number of poor and low-income families to rise for the next several years.”

Congressional Republicans and Democrats are sparring over legislation that would renew a Social Security payroll tax reduction, part of a year-end political showdown over economic priorities that could also trim unemployment benefits, freeze federal pay and reduce entitlement spending.

Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, questioned whether some people classified as poor or low-income actually suffer material hardship. He said that while safety-net programs have helped many Americans, they have gone too far. He said some people described as poor live in decent-size homes, drive cars and own wide-screen TVs.

“There’s no doubt the recession has thrown a lot of people out of work and incomes have fallen,” Rector said. “As we come out of recession, it will be important that these programs promote self-sufficiency rather than dependence and encourage people to look for work.”

Mayors in 29 cities say more than 1 in 4 people needing emergency food assistance did not receive it. Many formerly middle-class Americans are dropping below the low-income threshold — roughly $45,000 for a family of four — because of pay cuts, a forced reduction of work hours or a spouse losing a job.

States in the South and West had the highest shares of low-income families, including Arizona, New Mexico and South Carolina, which have scaled back or eliminated aid programs for the needy. By raw numbers, such families were most numerous in California and Texas, each with more than 1 million.

 

[eliza61]

I volunteer with the working poor and unemployed at my church. we run an almost full service center. we donot run a shelter. 4 years ago we opened our food pantry 2x's a week, now it's open 6 days a week.

Yes, it would be nice if all single mothers had the gift of fore sight to know their partners were creeps but you know when they come to the shelter the third week of the month because their limited food stamps are gone, trying to lecture them about their ability to "judge" a good partner seems crash and does absolutely NOTHING to prevent kids from going hungry.

Almost 99% of our clients are working poor. They are 100% willing to do just about any job that will pay decently. some may have child care issues but I've yet to have one person that didn't go to any interview we were able to get them.

I live in the Northeast which unfortunately is one of the highest col areas. I just looked at my insurance claim from Aetna, Aetna simply sends me an email notification whenever they pay a bill. I went to my doctor to schedule a colonoscopy (over 50, yuck) and they paid him $380 bucks. I often wonder how people with no insurance deal especially if you don't qualify for medicare.


Yes, we don't live in huts and we are not living like the poor folks in Ethiopia but I have to wonder, is that now some sort of standard we are aspiring to before we solve any of our problems? Are we really saying we want children to have bloated stomaches and flies in their eyes before we deal with childhood hunger or food insecurity? why do we have a rush to the bottom?

Interestingly enough I just got finish watching "A christmas Carol" and Scrooge yells.

Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

'Many can't go there; and many would rather die.'

'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

I don't think anyone wakes up and says "I think I'll be poor for the rest of my life". so in this season of Christ, I think I'll pray that the millions of Americans who find themselves in a bad way, find the tools and get the assistance they need to help them get a hold onto the path of doing better.