One in five American children is living in poverty:
The Census figures are for 2009, and the number living in or near poverty has no doubt continued to increase this year, with the official unemployment rate remaining near 10 percent and the combined rate of unemployment and underemployment at nearly 17 percent. Ref. Source 2
Poverty Rises as Wall Street Billionaires Whine:
Why are Wall Street's billionaires so whiny? Is it really possible to make $900,000 an hour (not a typo -- that's what the top ten hedge fund managers take in), and still feel aggrieved about the way government is treating you? Ref. Source 3
Paul Mason on Live Working or Die Fighting: How the Working Class Went Global
The Census Bureau's latest report shows that the numbers of Americans living in poverty and without health insurance have skyrocketed. 43.6 million people-about one in seven-lived below the poverty level of $22,000 for a family of four in 2009, pushing the national poverty rate to a fifteen-year high of 14.3 percent. We speak with British journalist Paul Mason about his new book, Live Working or Die Fighting: How the Working Class Went Global. Ref. Source 5
More Americans fell below the poverty line last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday.
The nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993.
Last year marked the third year in a row the rate increased. All told, 46.2 million people are considered in need. In addition, real median household income last year was $49,445, a 2.3% decline, the Census Bureau reported. Ref. CNN