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Joe Biden’s claim that ‘almost half’ of Americans live in poverty (false)
Washington Post ^ | June 20, 2019 | Salvador Rizzo

Posted on 06/21/2019 1:35:32 PM PDT by reaganaut1

“We have . . . almost half the people in the United States living in poverty.”

— Former vice president Joe Biden, in remarks at the Poor People’s Campaign presidential forum, June 17, 2019

What does it mean to be poor? Biden took an expansive view at a presidential candidate forum hosted by anti-poverty advocates.

The Census Bureau calculates the poverty rate in different ways. Using the official poverty measure, 12.3 percent of U.S. residents were below the federal poverty line in 2017. Using the supplemental poverty measure, the rate was 13.9 percent. Biden says it’s much more: almost half the country.

We surveyed several leading researchers on poverty, and almost all agreed Biden was including people who are not poor.

The Facts The Biden campaign told us he was using the supplemental poverty measure (SPM) and counting every individual and family whose income was below 200 percent of the poverty line. That formula gets him to 140 million people, or 43.3 percent of the U.S. population in 2017.

Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said the Poor People’s Campaign, which hosted the candidate forum where Biden made these remarks, uses the same formula.

“Poverty spans every race, creed, color and sexual orientation,” the Rev. William J. Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign said at the start of the forum. “... All of those numbers combined makes up 43.5 percent of this nation — not 30, not 23, but almost half of this nation — and any nation that ignores half of its people, half of the people, is in a moral and economic crisis that is constitutionally inconsistent, economically insane and morally indefensible.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: biden; poverty
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If we pass a Green New Deal and other hare-brained ideas maybe he'll be right.
1 posted on 06/21/2019 1:35:32 PM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

Where’s snopes?


2 posted on 06/21/2019 1:36:29 PM PDT by samtheman (Biden is their Hindenburg. Harris will be their Hitler once Hindenburg is elected.)
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To: reaganaut1

He probably read that half of the population have an income that is below average.


3 posted on 06/21/2019 1:37:41 PM PDT by tgdunbar
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To: samtheman

Clueless Joe is at it again


4 posted on 06/21/2019 1:39:11 PM PDT by Atticus
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To: reaganaut1

What a nut.


5 posted on 06/21/2019 1:39:25 PM PDT by crusty old prospector
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To: reaganaut1

“... Rev. William J. Barber II of the Poor People’s Campaign...”

This ol’ boy sure as hell isn’t “poor”...He must weigh 350 lbs....Eats DAMN good!!!!!!!!!


6 posted on 06/21/2019 1:39:52 PM PDT by JBW1949
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To: reaganaut1

Define poverty. I think some people in Sudan and Mumbai might disagree...


7 posted on 06/21/2019 1:40:59 PM PDT by EEGator
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To: reaganaut1

The big lies are never ending now because They know gullible people buy into it

because the mainstream media will not even challenge it

What sick bastards all these people are


8 posted on 06/21/2019 1:41:02 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat (Pussie Smollett, Mizzou, campus fake nooses, fake "protests" FAKE EVERYTHING Hey CNN? lol)
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To: reaganaut1

Wishful thinking on his part. That’s what he wants to happen to the country.


9 posted on 06/21/2019 1:41:06 PM PDT by Jess Kitting
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To: reaganaut1
Half the people are below average...........😯
10 posted on 06/21/2019 1:41:52 PM PDT by Red Badger (We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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To: JBW1949

Probably the “worst economy in 50 years” will be coming along soon.


11 posted on 06/21/2019 1:42:36 PM PDT by CMailBag
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To: reaganaut1
Joe Biden: "Almost half of American's live in poverty"
Joe Biden supporters: "Gosh, it sounds really crowded there."
12 posted on 06/21/2019 1:42:51 PM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: reaganaut1
According to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2017, the latest release, the median household income is $61,372.

Don't look now, Joe, but your pants are on fire!

13 posted on 06/21/2019 1:42:54 PM PDT by econjack
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To: reaganaut1

Every time he speaks I am reminded of some of my old customers that came down with dimentia or alzheimers.


14 posted on 06/21/2019 1:43:04 PM PDT by eyeamok
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To: reaganaut1

Compared to filthy rich politicians like him they do. I’d love to see 10 years worth of Biden’s tax records.


15 posted on 06/21/2019 1:43:18 PM PDT by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man.)
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To: JBW1949

I take that 350 lbs back...

Looked at pictures....I change it to 450 lbs....


16 posted on 06/21/2019 1:43:42 PM PDT by JBW1949
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To: reaganaut1
counting every individual and family whose income was below 200 percent of the poverty line.

Say.... what? I don't understand that sentence. Does he mean you have to have twice as much as the poverty level in order to not be in poverty? Because that seems excessive.

17 posted on 06/21/2019 1:44:50 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady ( Political correctness forbids discussing any negative outcomes of Left-wing ideology. -PMcL)
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To: EEGator

Not having an iPhone X


18 posted on 06/21/2019 1:46:43 PM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: All
Joe has had since the 70's to do something about poverty.

Just another lie to tell his admirers' itching ears.
19 posted on 06/21/2019 1:46:50 PM PDT by ssfromla
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To: Atticus

Well, there’s one story on FR today that reports that Clueless Joe listens to Morning Joe every day.

Literally the Blind leading the Blind.


20 posted on 06/21/2019 1:47:38 PM PDT by samtheman (Biden is their Hindenburg. Harris will be their Hitler once Hindenburg is elected.)
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