Now is not the time to cut back. Now is the time to provide. [View all]

[kpete]

If the current downturn has not mirrored the Great Depression, that’s thanks to safety net programs that grew out of the Depression and other hard times. Breadlines have, by and large, been replaced by food stamps, while income from Social Security, unemployment benefits and the earned income tax credit has kept many people from falling irretrievably into the economic abyss.

Without those supports, conditions — which are bad enough — would be much worse, as is clear from the Census Bureau’s latest poverty measures. According to the bureau:

Poverty among children, at 18 percent in 2012, would have been nearly 21 percent, but for food stamps; it would have been nearly 25 percent but for household income from tax credits like the one for earned income.

Poverty among the elderly, at 14.8 percent, would be nearly 55 percent, but for Social Security.

Poverty among non-elderly adults, at 15.5 percent, would be 16.4 percent, but for unemployment benefits.

Now is not the time to cut back. Now is the time to provide.


MORE:
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/breadlines-return/?hp&rref=opinion&_r=1