Texas Leads Nation in Household Hunger

[Rose Siding]

AUSTIN, Texas -- A higher percentage of Texas households were at risk of going hungry over the past three years than in any other state, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Between 2002 and 2004, more than 16 percent of Texas households at some point had trouble providing enough food for all their family members, the USDA report said.
....
Nationwide, 11.4 percent of households were at risk of going hungry during that period, and 3.6 percent of U.S. households had at least one member go hungry, the USDA said.

The latest national figures were higher than in the previous three-year period. Between 1999 and 2001, an average of 10.4 percent of households were at risk for hunger, and an average of 3.1 percent of households experienced hunger.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/28/AR2005102802161.html

[KingFlorez]

1. Big surprise

Didn't ya know? Under the Republicans, food is a luxury in Texas. It's not for those greedy poor people.

[truthisfreedom]

2. but... didn't bush put food on their families?

[nickyt]

3. did he raise the pie so high no one could reach it? n/t

[jobycom]

17. Well, you know, you can lead food to a family, but you cannot

make that family love freedom unless you invade Iraq because we were attacked on September 11, 2001.

[truthisfreedom]

21. you should write for the Daily Show.

i think i broke an adenoid on that one.

[jobycom]

23. Thank you. Now if I can convince the Daily Show, I'll be in business.

[Nay]

22. LOL!!!!

[Demeter]

34. The Bush Legacy

He got to Texas first, rememeber. There should be a nifty slogan to parody for this: no child left behind? Mission accomplished? Shock and awe.

None of those has the right zing. Anybody got the magic?

[VegasWolf]

37. LOL! Very Clever!!!

:toast:

[Wise Doubter]

4. I`m not too sure about this report...

I`ve been to Texas twice in the past three month(to visit wife`s family), and all I did was EAT !! I gained about ten pounds in those visits.

I think the data may be skewed by this remark

Between 2002 and 2004, more than 16 percent of Texas households at some point had trouble providing enough food for ALL their family members, the USDA report said.

I`ve never seen such a large family gathering







edit for spelling

[truthisfreedom]

5. yeah, probably one of those damned liberal reporters. 8^)

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Reciprocity]

42. It's probably just the democratic families who are doing without food.

[Lithos]

6. I believe it

There are some incredibly poor sections of Texas.

L-

[Wise Doubter]

8. Oh, I believe it... I just never was able to see them. Sorry

I am from Cali, but I love Texas!

[Reciprocity]

43. Do you live in Texas now are California?

[barb162]

9. I thought it would be Louisiana or Mississippi

as they are usually regarded as the poorest states

[Lithos]

11. It's a reflection on Texas itself

Texas is a have and have-not state. There are many rich people here who raise the average up. There are many, many poor people in the woods of East Texas and along the Mexican border (especially S. Texas).

[Polethebear]

12. This is just sad anyway you look at it.

The thoughts of anyone going hungry.

[depakid]

13. True enough

Yet as a whole, the majority of Texans seem to relish being the lowest on these sorts of lists- education, healthcare, hunger, etc.

Not much anyone can do about it, when there are so many Texans who not only don't care- but actively try to drag other parts of the country down with them....

[Polethebear]

16. You got that right..

I'll second...and third that one.

[pop goes the weasel]

28. that's unfair and untrue

I have lived in Texas my whole life. Yes, there are people here who don't care if Texas shows up last on every index of quality of life. But most people do care. However, the government in this state has been in the hands of anti-humanists since before the Civil War. Three are all sorts of impediments to successful reform efforts, to successful organizing. The surprising thing is how much has been done despite the powers that be.

As for Texas dragging the rest of the country down it, what a bunch of BS. When Idiot Son ran for president in 2000, I thought, surely people in the rest of the country, where the press wasn't so controlled by business interests, where there are strong unions, where education is well-financed, where the social safety net is real and not a PR office, surely the rest of the country will turn its back on W. But no, the rest of the country is absolutely no different than Texas. You look at Texas and don't like what you see? Well, you are looking at yourself. Yeah, the Pugs stole the election, but the Dems also lost it, leaving themselves vulnerable to the usual conservative vote-thieving that always goes on. Why did the Dems lose 2000 and 2004? Because Good Democrats want to believe that everything is just Okey-Dokey in the US, if it weren't for Texas, if it weren't for the South, if it weren't for Kansas, if it weren't for Ohio, if it weren't for the Midwest....

Texas provides the very minimum of federally required assistance, and always has. No one outside of Texas ever cared about Texans going hungry or dying from lack of medical care until now, when people in states like Texas can't see why they should care that social spending by the federal government is being cut, seeing as how it never helped them to start with.

Democrats want to take back power? Start by acting like this is one entire country, where we either succeed as a whole or we fail as a whole. State- and region-bashing have got to end. Convine the people of Texas, and Mississippi, and Alabama, and all the other states where people have never been cared for, that this time things will be different, that the safety net is not being won by promises that poor Southerners, black and white, will be excluded. Because, you know, going all the way back to the New Deal, that has been the compromise. Hell, that has been the compromise since before the Civil War. And that hideous betrayal of the poor Southerner has spread throughout the entire country, as poor Southerners of all races have migrated to places they hoped would be better. The racism of the South is the racism of the North, the classism of the South is the classism of the North, the ignorance of the South is the ignorance of the North. The problems of the South, the problems of any state, are the problems of the entire nation.

[juajen]

44. Thank you very much for this post

I am rather tired of the bashing of the South. Our hearts are breaking in So. Louisiana for New Orleans and the rest of our neighbors, because we know that help is going to be sporadic and corruption rife. We are also very tired of hearing how corrupt Louisiana is, as I am talking about the Federal corruption, not local. The past eight years before Kathleen took over, this state was run by a very wealthy republican, with Kathleen as Lt. Governor. They worked very hard, in a non-partisan way to get rid of as much corruption as they could, with admittedly mixed results.

The oil companies have raped Louisiana, refusing to pay us a fair price for the destruction of our land, while extracting oil and gas from every acre. The hurricanes are just finishing what the oil companies started. I am a southerner, but not a native Louisianian, though we have lived here for over twenty years. We love this state for many reasons and are sick of the Louisiana bashing, not to mention the bashing of the rest of the south. Yes, Huey Long was horrible, but I do not believe there is any more corruption here than in other states I have lived in, including Tennessee (who also had a Governor jailed), Arkansas, and Texas (who needs to jail theirs).

[Bacchus39]

45. Texas has alot of immigrants

I imagine this accounts for a rather large amount of the poverty.

[depakid]

48. Well, I just go by results

and look at the people that the state of Texas keeps electing despite (or because of?) the results.

The very same types of people who ensure that public policy keeps the state last (or very close to last) on list after list.

Moreover, Texas does send people like Dick Armey to other states in the union- including my own- to spead its no-tax/no government services agenda through dishonest initiative campaigns driven fueled by out of state money. Texas repeatedly sends corrupt people like Tom Delay, Joe Barton and Kay Bailey Hutchison to Congress- with little regard for the heath of the rest of the nation.

Now, if Texas were some poor state with few resources- like Mississippi- that would be one thing. But it's not. It's a very wealthy state overall- and an arrogant one to boot.

So the logical conclusion is that a majority of people there like the results they are getting- and from what I see, many are not content to leave their policies in Texas- and leave other states with more sensible ideas alone.

[pop goes the weasel]

51. What crap

Yeah, we're arrogant. I can name a few other states with arrogance, and I bet you can too.

Texas sends people like Dick Armey to other states? Golly gee willikers, I must have missed it when the donation was taken to send him beyond state lines. Did Texans also people down in your state and force them to listen to him? Are Texans holding you up at gunpoint and making you and your fellow citizens donate to Armey's causes? No? Are you doing that your own stupid selves? You are in a more sensible state, but not so sensible that Armey can't attract a following? Is Armey so honey-lipped that he can do what Rick Santorum or Bill Frist (neither of whom are Texans, please notice)cannot and just talk your silly head into surrendering your virginity right there on the spot?

Or is it easier to blame people you don't know, living in a place you obviously know nothing about, for your own state's problems? Cuz you know, if it was just Texas, and not the whole country, one state couldn't make everyone else do what they didn't want to do. But blaming one state sure lets you off the hook for your own responsibility, doesn't it?

[Erika]

14. Texas, the state of oilmen and bushbots,

Let them meet St. Peter as to their greed. Texas, leading the way to our being a banana republic. Bush should be so proud.

[Erika]

15. Remember when W in 2000 said he would set every child

in front of a table of plenty so all could partake in the bounty of this country? What an effin joke. He has sold our needy out without a second thought. His legacy is that of the first corporatist globalist who sold our entire country out.

[TaleWgnDg]

18. Yup, Texas is at the bottom on the pile in lots of things . . .

.
Yup, Texas is at the bottom on the pile in lots of things . . .

Tell me, is Texas still worst in the nation as for healthcare for women and kids, particularly single parent households?

Makes you stop and wonder why the hell New Orleans LA (NOLA) evacuees went to Texas, huh? From bad to worse. Ooops. Or is their ass -- Texas, that is -- covered by federal funds for these NOLA evacuees?

.

[BlueIris]

19. Hate to say it, but I'm sort of glad that Oregon isn't the leader anymore.

I mean, I'm not happy that anyone is starving anywhere, but it really disturbed me to learn several years ago that for a time, my beloved Oregon was the hungriest state in the nation.

[depakid]

20. It never really was

A lot depends on how you define hunger and how you compile the stats. Oregon is way higher than it should by most any measure, but most analysts never really considered it to be at the top of the list (press comments and OFB statements notwithstanding).

Here's a summary of the latest food insecurity data:

http://www.ocpp.org/cgi-bin/display.cgi?page=issue041119

[NorthernSpy]

31. Maine and Massachusetts tie for the lowest level of food insecurity...

... at 6.2% each. We need to get that number down to zero!

Also, at 1.8% it looks as though Delaware has the lowest level of food insecurity severe enough to result in hunger.

Thanks for the posting this link, Depakid!

[BlueIris]

52. Thanks for the additional info.

I've participated in many food drives in Oregon; the number of hungry families here really disturbs me.

[fshrink]

24. Your compassion dollar at work.

[leesa]

25. The Bush legacy.

[wordpix2]

38. my first reaction, too

[splat@14]

26. We're feeding them over there so we don't have to here....

[paul_fromatlanta]

27. Let's be fair

"
Between 2002 and 2004, more than 16 percent of Texas households at some point had trouble providing enough food for all their family members, the USDA report said."

Texas has probably 16% or more of it's population that are illegal aliens. With better border security both of these numbers would likely go down. The Federal government isn't taking care of it's immigration responsibilities.

[cap]

29. it's not just the migrants who are going hungry

it is poor blacks and native born whites, as well.

[paul_fromatlanta]

30. Of course you are right

My point was that the large numbers of illegal aliens artificially inflate Texas' numbers.

[MissB]

32. Wow. Nice lighter side of hate.

I'm sure it's all okay - hell, they're just illegal immigrants. They're just lazy do-nothing buggers here illegally. :eyes:

The USDA would've noted if those 16% were illegal immigrants.

But hey, if it makes you feel better, go ahead and just assume that 16% were illegal immigrants.

[paul_fromatlanta]

33. You are inferring hate where there is none

My point was analytical

1. I didn't say that that all the hungry in Texas are illegal.

2. I didn't assume anything I researched it. Research Perspectives on Migration, a joint project of the Migration Policy Institute and the Urban Institute found that illegals in Texas, in a period roughly corresponding to the hunger study lost about 20% of their purchasing power due to food stamp cuts.

[PurityOfEssence]

35. Explain the lack of health coverage and worker protection

Texas was a country founded by a bunch of people who welched on their deal. It remains an entity of thugs who consider themselves superior to others and with no obligation to the rest of the human race.

Texas was populated by immigrants from the United States (mostly) upon the premise of agreement on three points: conversion to Catholicism, learning to speak Spanish and GIVING UP SLAVERY.

No matter how one slices the abrogation of the 1824 constitution, the real issue was SLAVERY. Texans wanted slavery and this was the greatest issue in its fight for independence.

To this day, Texas is the land of "fuck you" to the weak and impecunious. It is now, always has been, and will probably continue to be so. The ugliness of the premise of Texas is the darkest part of the dark side of America, and as it's been glorified as the godly genius of human endeavor, it destroys and subjugates with systematic impunity. The very concept of this state is a lie, and I hope they never exercise their deal to split into as many as five states should they please. (Scary, huh?)

Why does this state have a greater percentage of people with no health coverage than any other state? Is this just another skewing of statistics because of "illegals"?

This is a state of hate, and anyone who can't see this has HUGE problems.

[paul_fromatlanta]

36. I'm sure those things are skwed too

That doesn't mean that Texas doesn;'t have severe problems of their own making or that government policies don't need to be changed.

It simply mean the top line number is effected by the number of illegals.

And I appologize if I've been unclear. I need sometimes to remember that I am not talking to fellow physicists when I get analytical about serious situations - I know that can be a bit cold blooded.

[fshrink]

39. As analytical and a physicist

perhaps should you consider being a little more critical about your measures and your reasoning as well? Co-occurence, or even correlation, doesn't imply any sort of causality. In addition, even assuming that there is causality, do you really think that immigrants move to Texas because of the weather? They come because they are surreptitiously invited as good profit generators. And that's still Texas' rulers problem, as very well developed by PoE.

[paul_fromatlanta]

41. Of course, correlation and causation are not the same thing.

But I don't think I said anything about the causation of immigration.

I said said that illegals contribute to the hunger statistics disproportionately - something I double checked before I posted it.

I did say that if the Federal government exercised more control over the border that there would be less illegals in Texas. That is a conclusion at far less than a scientific certainty. It is possible they would find other ways to enter the United States but if they did I don't see why they congregate disproportionately in Texas.

I also concede bias here. My wife is a second generation immigrant and further legal immigration is limited largely because the tremendous influx of illegals jumping in line. There is a general backlash in the country against immigration in general because illegals and this is hurting several groups near and dear to me - foreign science students and foreign technology workers.

Legal immigration has provided new life for this country throughout it's history and given the twin problems of illegal immigration - displacement of legal immigration and security concerns I believe the Federal government should be aggressive at limiting illegal immigration.

[rainbow4321]

40. Now they get to pick between their electric bill and food

Commissioners approve 24 percent rate increase for TXU Energy

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8DHJVO80.html


The Texas Public Utility Commission has approved a TXU Energy request to raise rates by 24 percent, with the first increase slated to hit consumers next month.

About half of the increase will go into effect in November and the rest will follow in January, raising the average North Texas electric bill to $150 that month from $110 last year, based on 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, The Dallas Morning News reported. TXU has said it will allow residences and small businesses to lock in January rates for the remainder of the year.

"Let your outrage drive you to be the next one to switch," Hudson said, adding that the increase has sparked an "upwelling of anger at this commission."

Gov. Rick Perry ordered the commission on Thursday to institute a campaign informing the public about retail electric options. The order came on the same day that he instructed state agencies to conserve energy and speed the licensing of new electric generating plants. "It is imperative that consumers not only have choices in the marketplace, but that the state undertake conservation measures," Perry said.

[burrowowl]

46. Wow!

They even beat out NM for this malevolent distinction!
The U$ of A Greatest Nation in the World! :sarcasm:

[Arkana]

47. But....but Texans are TEXANS! YEEEE-HAWWWW!!!!

Bush really fucked things up royally there, didn't he? And Rick Perry isn't helping things.

[Tight_rope]

49. Dumb Texans down here keep giving their money to the corrupt

politicians and the Churches.:spank:

[cosmicdot]

50. Texas rankings under Bu$h - and, the memory lingers

going nationwide and trickling-down soon in a town, city, state near you ...


1st in Children without Health Insurance %...1st in Toxic Air Releases...1st in Smog Days (Houston)...1st in poorest counties(3)...3rd in Hunger %...5th in Highest Teen Birth Rate...45th in Mothers Receiving Pre-Natal Care...46th in Public Libraries and Branches...46th in High School Completion Rate...46th in Water Resources Protection...47th in Delivery of Social Services...48th in Literacy...48th in Per Capita Funding for Public Health...48 in Best Place to Raise Children (29th before Bush)*...48th in Spending for Parks and Recreation...48th in Spending for the Arts...49th in Spending for the Environment...50th in Teachers' Salaries plus Benefits...

*Children's Rights Council.
Only one accredited child-care center exists for every 2,637 children. A fourth of children still are not immunized by age 2. --Texas Freedom Network


Texas Rankings Under Bush: Good Enough for You?

AUSTIN, TEXAS -- A quick look at Texas under Bush:

National Ranking
Among 50 States

The Education Governor

Teacher salaries at beginning of 1st term 36 (1)
Teacher salaries at beginning of 2nd term 38 (1)
% Change in Average Salaries 1987-97 constant $ -5.4%
Teacher salaries plus benefits 50 (1)
High school completion rate 46 (2)

Bush Family Values

Highest number of children living in poverty 2 (3)
Highest number of children without health insurance 2 (3)
Highest % of children without health insurance 1 (3)
Highest % of poor working parents without insurance 1 (3)
Highest % of population without health insurance 2 (3)
Highest Teen Birth Rate 5 (4)
Per capita funding for public health 48 (4)
Delivery of social services 47 (4)
Mothers receiving prenatal care 45 (9)
Teen smoking - down nationally, flat in Texas (5)
Teen drug use - down nationally, up in Texas (5)

Pollution

Pollution released by manufactuting plants 1 (6)
Pollution by industrial plants in violation of Clean Air Act 1 (6)
Greenhouse gas emissions 1 (6)

Quality of Life

Spending for parks and recreation 48 (7)
Spending for the arts 48 (7)
Public libraries and branches 46 (8)
Spending for the environment 49 (7)
Best place to raise children 48 (9)

Sources: (1) National Education Association, (2) U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Development (3) U.S. Bureau of Census, Current Populations Trends (4) U.S. Dept Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics (5)1998 Texas School Survey of Substance Use Among Students: Grades 7-12, Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (6) U.S. EPA, Office of Pollution and Prevention (7) Texas Observer (8) Statistical Rankings by State (9) Children's Rights Council



http://www.bushwatch.com/documentation.htm

[usregimechange]

53. kick