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Posted on 11/19/2011 5:06:27 PM PST by SmithL
The New York Times has a story today on the “near poor,” Older, Suburban and Struggling, ‘Near Poor’ Startle the Census.” The story concerns a new Census Bureau method of measuring poverty — which has census statisticians “startled” as they’ve found 100 million Americans they consider to be “near poor.”
Maybe the census crunchers should be”startled” because families in the story do not read like the ”near poor.” Consider this example cited by the Times:
Among them is Phyllis Pendleton, a social worker with Catholic Charities in Washington, who proudly displays the signs of a hard-won middle-class life. She has one BlackBerry and two cars (both Buicks from the 1990s), and a $230,000 house that she, her husband and two daughters will move into next week.. . .
Still, how does Washington categorize this family “near poor?” As the Heritage Foundation’s Robert Rector objected, “the emotionally charged terms ‘poor’ or ‘near poor’ clearly suggest to most people a level of material hardship that doesn’t exist. It is deliberately used to mislead people.”
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.sfgate.com ...
Holy crap. I’m downright destitute apparently.
Near poor?
We are negative each month. No Christmas presents this year. I drive a 10 y/o car that’s at risk of no brakes, worn out shifter and a rattling front-end.
Been unemployed for over 2 yrs. Apply for 10 jobs/week and can’t find anything. Why would they hire me for something I never did before when there are 2,000 other’s applying, 1 of which has done it before.
Your Federal Government - Creating Victim Groups out of thin air since 1964
I know it's the "American dream" but if there is (was) only $3000 between her family and the wolves at the door, should she have spent $230,000 on a house that is probably not in one of Washington's better neighborhoods? What if, say, the plumbing breaks or the roof leaks?
My Dad used to say, “those people are a slave to a mortgage.”
An all I want is less government so I can increase my means by honest means.
The NY Times is getting closer. They want to elicit sympathy from us, at least they found people with real jobs who PAY TAXES.
Instead of a welfare family with big screen TV and an XBox or a wealthy family trying to make do on less, but still more than we all make. lol. The NY Times has tried those.
The reporter did not they pay about 20% in taxes but the author never wonders how well off this couple would be without the income tax
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh
Who was stupid enough to loan them the money on the house without at least $64,000 down!!!
Doesn’t it make you want to pay higher taxes in order to pay off their house for them?? You are all heartless. lol.
Fannie or Freddie..... sub-prime baby!
lol
Why not? Obama's going to pay her mortgage and buy her gas for her.
LOL I only paid $65,000 for my place but I paid it off in under a decade.
They gave up Red Lobster??? Is life even worth living without shrimp-flavored lobster sauce on pawns sauteed with crabmeat for only $12.95?
51k/yr for two wage earner is poor. That’s a $12.50/hr job each.
Guess I’m closer to near poor, my home isn’t new. Or that big. No smartphone type items either.
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