Ranks of Poverty, Uninsured Rose in 2003

[Career Prole]

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans living in poverty increased by 1.3 million last year, while the ranks of the uninsured swelled by 1.4 million, the Census Bureau reported Thursday....

....Approximately 35.8 million people lived below the poverty line in 2003, or about 12.5 percent of the population, according to the bureau. That was up from 34.5 million, or 12.1 percent in 2002.
The rise was more dramatic for children. There were 12.9 million living in poverty last year, or 17.6 percent of the under-18 population. That was an increase of about 800,000 from 2002, when 16.7 percent of all children were in poverty.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=3&u=/ap/20040826/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/census_poverty

More children left behind. :shrug:
What a blazing success story the shrub has been.

[Mountainman]

1. I was listening to Laura Inghram this morning for a few minutes

she had as a guest a woman who help with the Bushville tent camp in New York. Laura asked her what these people wanted and she answered that one of the things is a right to health care.

Laura kept asking her questions like, what percentage of people who don't have health care choose not to have health care. And what tax rate would be OK to provide the Utopian society these people want. Then Laura starts going on about how the free market gives everyone the same chance in life, yada yada yada.

It is obvious to me that the right understands that there are millions of people who do not have health coverage, they just don't give a shit about it!

[redqueen]

3. Exactly right - all rightwingers know very well people are suffering

they just prefer to blame the victims, so they can keep their selfish, piggy attitudes intact. Otherwise, they might turn into... *gasp*... LIBERALS!

These kinds of people really make me sick. Many pretend to be caring and 'Christian', when in reality they're just pharisees.

[Career Prole]

4. That miserable bitch...how could you stand it?

"Laura kept asking her questions like, what percentage of people who don't have health care choose not to have health care."

I think the question is more properly asked, "How many people don't have healthcare because they chose a roof over their head or food in their belly?"

Don't these right-wing nutjobs ever make any attempt at understanding? They all have critically ill souls...they should get themselves some care for that.
I make below the median income and would in no way be able to afford health insurance for my family on my own.

[Mountainman]

5. I can only stand it for a few minutes, I try to get the rovian topic of

day to see which way the political wind is blowing.

[Career Prole]

6. Just kidding around!

It pays to know what they're feeding their base.

[maumcc1]

11. The one thing I've always noticed about these damn right wingers is

They lack empathy. Just can't seem to understand how the other half lives. Empathy is an important component of the soul. I can't stand talking to right wingers, they make me feel like the back of my head is going to blow off.

[Ernesto]

13. Welcome aboard m1

You're correct: they are the party of hate (& stupidity since many repukes are simply piss-poor morans that don't understand that they are voting against their own self interest)...... Any way, it's good to hear your voice here @ the DU!

[Career Prole]

16. Welcome to DU, Mo!

You're so right. I don't know how they can stand themselves. It makes me nuts to argue with them too. People who take unseemly pride in their religiosity seem so soulless. I just want to shake 'em and yell "Will you listen to yourself? What is wrong with you!"

[SoCalDem]

20. They "choose" not to because they CHOOSE to

pay rent, buy food, pay for transportation to and from work, pay for electricity, water, phone..you know.. frivolous stuff like that..

$18K a year breaks down to $346.15 per week (for a 4 paycheck month)

after taxes it probably comes in at about $285.00 take home...

That's $1140.00 a month..

after rent, utilities and food come out, there is damned little left to pay premiums..

[Claire Beth]

7. yep - - they do NOT care....

and do NOT intend to pay for it!

[BootinUp]

2. and 45 million without insurance now.

Yep, a rousing success. But hey we're turning the corner remember?

[realFedUp]

8. I think these census numbers ARE TODAY'S STORY

as we continue to muck among the swiftboat lies....

[Snazzy]

9. You said it! -- Kick

Third year in a row.

[maumcc1]

10. Yeah, no child left behind but plenty of them left out

Kerry and Edwards should take this news and run with it. We all know it's true.

[Gloria]

15. Edwards made a point of referring to these reports today at the

rally in Las Cruces. He said Bush hadn't talked about it in his earlier appearance here in town....This area isn't a rich area...Edwards said that Bush asked for votes to continue doing "good." Edwards remarked that "We've had just about all the good we can stand" or something like that.

It was hot!! I"m lucky I got through the day!

[Career Prole]

17. You were there? Cool!

I was reading on the Yahoo news page that Edwards was rippin' into 'em on this. Made Bush/Cheney whine about it. Called them vicious misleading attacks, or some such garbage.
Nah...this was the truth, you scumbags. Your team does the vicious misleading. :grr:

[Snazzy]

12. Reuters Headline: Nearly 36 Million Americans Live in Poverty

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1895&ncid=1895&e=1&u=/nm/20040826/us_nm/life_poverty_dc

[Ernesto]

14. On Franken today

They mentioned that traditionaly these numbers come out in late Sept. Not this year, chimp's politically appointed census boss knows that the sooner these numbers fade from the minds of voters, the better for the chimp's election chances.... Rovian manipulation never takes a day off.

[Snazzy]

18. 8 years poverty didn't rise-- Big Dog.

Funny that.

2002 story just found:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002-09-24-census-poverty_x.htm

[struggle4progress]

19. kick

:kick: