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The economy may be booming, but nearly half of Americans can't make ends meet
Los Angeles Times ^ | 09/01/2018 | David Lazarus

Posted on 09/02/2018 9:33:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

By virtually any yardstick, the U.S. economy is doing great. Unemployment is near a two-decade low. The stock market is strong. Corporate profits are at record highs.

Yet a report out this week finds that almost half of Americans are having trouble paying for basic needs such as food and housing.

The Urban Institute, a left-leaning Washington think tank, surveyed more than 7,500 adults about their experience making ends meet. It found that about 40% of people ages 18 to 64 faced some sort of hardship last year.

“It’s certainly surprising and disconcerting that so many people are having difficulty meeting their basic needs,” said Michael Karpman, a research associate at the Urban Institute and coauthor of the report.

“What we found is that a lot of people have to devote much of their income to fixed expenses like rent or healthcare,” he told me. “If they’re hit with a large, unexpected expense, they simply can’t cover it.”

The stats become more troubling the deeper you drill down. More than 35% of families with at least one working adult reported difficulty meeting at least one basic need last year.

Almost a quarter of Americans experienced food insecurity, which is to say they didn’t always know if they’d be able to eat if they were hungry.

A staggering 18% faced issues paying medical bills, and nearly as large a percentage reported skipping treatment for an ailment because they couldn’t afford it.

Slightly more than 10% of Americans missed a rental or mortgage payment. Thirteen percent couldn’t pay a utility bill.

While much of these economic woes were concentrated among lower-income households, the Urban Institute found that many middle-class families also struggled to pay their bills.

“About 20% of middle-class people are having trouble, mostly with healthcare,” Karpman said.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: costoflving; debt; economy
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1 posted on 09/02/2018 9:33:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Funny, I don’t remember the LA Slimes saying anything about this when Obama was in charge and this was actually a real problem.


2 posted on 09/02/2018 9:36:23 AM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
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To: SeekAndFind

Must have big screen tv, cable ESPN and iPhone first. Then mortgage and car payment on bmw. Spend first save later.


3 posted on 09/02/2018 9:38:14 AM PDT by Oldexpat (C)
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To: SeekAndFind

Well, my own stoopidness is a major contributor in that. Just sayin’.


4 posted on 09/02/2018 9:38:38 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
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To: SeekAndFind

The LA Slimes is running one of many articles we’ll see this fall of people struggling despite the great economy. So predictable. They have to talk down the prosperous financial times in this country to prop up their Democrat buddies!


5 posted on 09/02/2018 9:40:25 AM PDT by dowcaet
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To: SeekAndFind

Then Jerry Brown ought to cancel his train to nowhere and his protection of the Delta-Smelt, so farmers can be productive again.


6 posted on 09/02/2018 9:41:30 AM PDT by G Larry (There is no great virtue in bargaining with the Devil)
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To: SeekAndFind
The economy may be booming, but nearly half of Americans can't make ends meet

Especially the lazy, dependent on government handout types and thanks to the NEA uneducated stupid ones.

7 posted on 09/02/2018 9:41:50 AM PDT by Don Corleone (Nothing makes the delusional more furious than truth.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Stop supporting illegals and help out our own!


8 posted on 09/02/2018 9:42:04 AM PDT by New Jersey Realist ( (Be Nice To Your Kids. They Will Pick Out Your Nursing Home))
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To: SeekAndFind

OK, then how come the Food Stamp Program has Four Million LESS People claiming Benefits?


9 posted on 09/02/2018 9:43:22 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (The way Liberals carry on about Deportation, you would think "Mexico" was Spanish for "Auschwitz".)
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To: SeekAndFind

F t L A T

Disgusting B. S. on parade for decades.


10 posted on 09/02/2018 9:44:41 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (01/26/18 DJIA 30 stocks $26,616.71 48.794% > open 11/07/16 215.71 from 50% increase 1.2183 yrs)
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To: dowcaet

Just like THE HOMELESS PROBLEM was all but invisible while Obama was POTUS.


11 posted on 09/02/2018 9:44:43 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (The way Liberals carry on about Deportation, you would think "Mexico" was Spanish for "Auschwitz".)
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To: SoConPubbie

Yeah.

Eight years of ‘the new normal’ was the cause. Libs turn a blind eye because they do not want to credit President Trump with a complete turnaround in the economy, jobs, construction, etc.

Notice how the newsies have come to ignore that ‘new normal’ they tried to cram down our throats. It seldom even gets a mention anymore — and won’t unless the voters vote in another socialist/Marxist Liberal.


12 posted on 09/02/2018 9:49:40 AM PDT by TomGuy
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To: Kickass Conservative

“Just like THE HOMELESS PROBLEM was all but invisible while Obama was POTUS.”

That is because Obama WANTED the welfare load on the U.S. taxpayer and all the Democrat VOTES that come along with it. This is not going to change until the USA stops welfare as an acceptable way of life HERE.


13 posted on 09/02/2018 9:49:45 AM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: SeekAndFind
How did this survey compared to the ones done for each of the past 10 years? What? This is the first time they've done it? Ha! No credibility.
14 posted on 09/02/2018 9:52:42 AM PDT by Cowboy Bob ("Other People's Money" = The life blood of Liberalism)
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To: SeekAndFind

If the LA Times actually Cared, they’d be running editorials to get rid of the remaining 21% Federal Consumption (Corp. Income) Tax.


15 posted on 09/02/2018 9:53:27 AM PDT by To-Whose-Benefit? (It is Error alone which needs the support of Government. The Truth can stand by itself.)
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To: Oldexpat

first of all, 40% isn’t “half”, and second of all, if I understand the survey, that “about 40%” is actually 37%, which is closer to a third than a half ... in other words, just more fake news ...


16 posted on 09/02/2018 10:13:22 AM PDT by catnipman ((Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!))
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To: SeekAndFind

Quit living beyond your income or wages and start saving. Take responsibility and do not look to government to solve your problems. That is why our nation is in such a mess financially.


17 posted on 09/02/2018 10:20:54 AM PDT by mulligan (EeThe)
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To: SeekAndFind

I wonder if they included any of the residents on Obama Row to see how they feel. Just go anywhere south of the 101 to the 10 and between Alameda and Main St, that is Obama’s Legacy


18 posted on 09/02/2018 10:21:21 AM PDT by eyeamok
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To: SeekAndFind

To be honest, wages have been stagnant for a long time, especially for blue collar and service industries yet prices on most everything have doubled or tripled in the same period.

It will take some time but things will get better. Employers are starting to have to compete for employees. Very recently, there were dozens of people competing for a single position so they didn’t have to offer much in the way of pay and benefits.

Another thing that will help is when the health care situation is fixed. Trump helped in that area with the elimination of the mandate. A lot of places eliminated full time positions to avoid the obamacare costs.

25 hours a week at or near minimum wage don’t do much. $8x25=$200


19 posted on 09/02/2018 10:22:05 AM PDT by Pollard (If you don't understand what I typed, you haven't read the classics.)
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To: catnipman

Where were the surveys taken? Together, my wife and I have a six figure income. Yet if we rented a place in Manhattan we couldn’t afford food and some other necessities.

Our same salaries in San Antonio and we can afford pretty much anything we want. And that includes carrying a mortgage if we chose.


20 posted on 09/02/2018 10:22:46 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Proud member of the DWN party. (Deplorable Wing Nut))
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