11.7% of Americans live in Poverty. $18,104 for a Family of Four? [View All]

[JanMichael]

http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/inequal/2002/0925census.htm

"The Census Bureau said the number of poor Americans rose last year to 32.9 million, an increase of 1.3 million, while the proportion living in poverty rose to 11.7 percent, from 11.3 percent in 2000. Median household income fell to $42,228 in 2001, a decline of $934 or 2.2 percent from the prior year. The number of households with income above the median is the same as the number below it. A family of four was classified as poor if it had cash income less than $18,104 last year. The official poverty levels, updated each year to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index, were $14,128 for a family of three, $11,569 for a married couple and $9,039 for an individual."

Let's see, that's around $1,418 a month (I took out 6% for FICA/etc) for four people to live on...Do your own math.

Rent Wages in 2001 http://www.nlihc.org/oor2001/ (The 2003 are here: http://www.nlihc.org/oor_current/ ) here's the by-state page http://www.nlihc.org/cgi-bin/oor2001.pl?state=_all

"In Florida, an extremely low income household (earning $15,210, 30% of the Area Median Income of $50,700) can afford monthly rent of no more than $380, while the Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom unit is $694."

Gee. Trickle down is such a booming success:eyes:

At least in Prison you can get your teeth fixed...