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A national embarrassment: 46.2 million Americans live in poverty!

That is 1 in 6 Americans! We should be ashamed.

I am going to abandon cohesive prose (well, as cohesive as usual :-) ) tonight for a bulleted list of facts from CNN Money. The list of items from the 2010 Census data is a national embarrassment, ESPECIALLY when considered alongside the view of House of Representatives Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, that House Republicans will oppose having the wealthy pay more in taxes to fund President Obama’s job plan.

Personally, I do not care about Mr. Cantor‘s opinions. The 2010 Census data present the facts.

You remember these House Republicans. They were those frowning folks who remained seated during President Obama’s speech when he suggested that money from taxing billionaires could be used to fund schools and schoolkids. I personally waited a long time to see the very few items that would bring them to their feet. It must be tough to go through life with defective personalities that allow so little compassion for your fellow humans.

I guess that the President’s suggestion did not fit in with the overall scheme of the wealthiest 1% to “dumb down” the American populace. (A scheme that appears to be WORKING, by the way!)

Why not? Their kids will have the money to attend private schools.

Without further ado, the embarrassing list of FACTS:

  • The poverty rate in the U.S. rose to 15.1% in 2010, the highest level since 1993.
  • There are 2.6 million more people in poverty this year than last year.
  • For the “middle class,” income FELL in 2010, down to $49,445 from $49,777 the year before.
  • Median income has changed VERY LITTLE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS!
  • The middle-income family earned ONLY 11% more in 2010 than in 1980.
  • The richest 5% of Americans saw their incomes INCREASE 42% over the same period.
  • The BOTTOM 60% of households had their incomes FALL last year, but households earning over $100,000 saw their incomes RISE.
  • The poverty rate for CHILDREN increased to 22%, so 1 in 5 children in America LIVES IN POVERTY.
  • The poverty rate for Blacks was 27.4%; for Hispanics, 26.6%, for Asians, 12.1%, and for non-Hispanic whites, 9.9%. (No “racism” there! 😉 )
  • For the 5th year in a row, Mississippi had the highest poverty rate in the U.S., with the most recent median income at $37,985.
  • Data on health insurance show that people who lack medical benefits grew to 49.9 million in 2010, up from 49 million in 2009.

If you need EVEN MORE embarrassing facts, the CNN Money article has them.

IF you are NOT a member of the uppermost 1% or 5% of income earners, AND you support those House Republicans who DO NOT SUPPORT YOU (or your children) and many of whom come from those very poorest of states, I would have to repeat to you those immortal words of Forrest Gump‘s mother:

“Stupid is as stupid does!” :-)

It is time to throw the NEW batch of bums out, and start to rebuild America.

(Note added September 21, 2011: CNN Contributor Roland Martin notes that Census 2010 data show that the poorest 10 states in the U.S. are all solidly GOP states, even though Republicans running for office don’t like to talk about it.)

-Bill at

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