The reality of welfare reform.

[mikemover]

http://66.216.126.164/comment/comment-rector031003.asp

I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.
I will not say I told you so.

etc................

Mike

[Kuan]

Where is this guy getting his stats? Do we have two different census bureaus?

Poverty rose again last year. Another 1.7 million people fell into poverty in 2002. This is an increase of .4 percent from 11.7 to 12.1.

The largest groups affected were blacks and married couples, a large proportion in the Midwest.

12.1 million kids live in poverty, up from 11.7 million last year. An increase of 16.3 percent.

African Americans weren't hit as hard as a group. An increase of only 1.3 percent from 22.7 percent in 01 to 24 percent in 02. An increase not great in terms of percentage points, but significant in terms of numbers.

Go read...

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/IncomePoverty.html

[mikemover]

Our POPULATION is increasing, so of course raw NUMBERS will increase...but look at PERCENTAGES.

You also can't rely on census data alone...how many "impoverished" people actually bother to reply to a census mailer, if they even receive one at all? Very few.

Mike

[Kuan]

Originally posted by mikemover
Our POPULATION is increasing, so of course raw NUMBERS will increase...but look at PERCENTAGES.

I swear I did, do I have to quote myself? Now we can't rely on census data, which means Robert Rector can't either, which would make this whole discussion moot.

[Botnst]

The economy has taken a hit the past few years. The vulnerable are always hit hardest, else, why call them "vulnerable"?

What's the solution, start a government program to provide jobs for all people out of work? Who will we tax to pay for that?

Botnst

[Kuan]

There's plenty of work out there. It's in services.

[mikemover]

Originally posted by Kuan
Poverty rose again last year. Another 1.7 million people fell into poverty in 2002. This is an increase of .4 percent from 11.7 to 12.1.

This number is between 2001 and now, while a survey of 29 major cities showed that emergency requests for food are up 16%! What does that say?...FAR more people seem to be CLAIMING to have need than actually DO have need.

Originally posted by Kuan
The largest groups affected were blacks and married couples, a large proportion in the Midwest........

..........African Americans weren't hit as hard as a group.........

Which is it? Were blacks the largerst group affected, or not?

Mike

[Kuan]

Originally posted by mikemover

Which is it? Were blacks the largerst group affected, or not?

Mike

Yes, and no. You want me to give you the answer in Clintonesque or English?

Clintonesque: Yes, blacks were the largest group affected, but they're not, as a group, affected the most, and that is a good sign.

English: Only 1.3 percent increase in poverty rate among blacks.

[mikemover]

1.3% of what? Of the number of impoverished now as compared to the previous number of impoverished, or as a percentage of the entire population, regardless of population growth? There's a BIG difference.

Mike

[Kuan]

1.3 percent increase in poverty rate. The percentage of blacks who are considered living below the poverty line. Population growth is not relevent when considering percentages. If the increase in poverty rate is lesser than the population growth, the poverty rate will decrease.b

[mikemover]

Originally posted by Smakbat
The census is bias and inacurate, a total [joke].

VERY true. I have NEVER responded to a census...I KNOW that many "impoverished" folks don't, if they even received one in the first place....

Mike