NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2008
U.S. Working Poor On The Rise, Says Report
Poverty-Level Jobs Increased By 4.7 Million Between 2002 and 2006, According To New Analysis
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(CBS/AP)
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Interactive Living In Poverty A state-by-state look at U.S. Census Bureau data on income and poverty levels.
A report by The Working Poor Families Project, based on an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, found conditions worsened for the working poor in the four years ending in 2006, as the number of low-income working families increased by 350,000. The project is funded by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, Joyce and C.S. Mott Foundations.
The report defines a low-income working family as those earning less than twice the Census definition of poverty. In 2006, the most recent year for available data, a family of four earning $41,228 or less qualified as a low-income family.
The number of jobs with pay below the poverty threshold increased to 29.4 million, or 22 percent of all jobs, in 2006 from 24.7 million, or 19 percent of all jobs, in 2002.
"The real surprising news, the alarming news, is that both the number and percentage of low-income families increased during this period," said Brandon Roberts, co-author of the report. "This was a time when we had solid and robust economic growth."
An increase in poverty "is not just a new phenomena over the last six months," he said.
Poverty-wage jobs increased in part because 2.5 million new jobs paid poverty wages; additionally 2.2 million jobs that paid greater than poverty wages in 2002 became poverty-wage jobs by 2006, as pay failed to keep up with the cost of living, Roberts said.
In two states, Mississippi and New Mexico, 40 percent of working families were low income in 2006, according to the report.
In 11 other states, at least 33 percent of working families were low income: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.
The number of low-income families rose to nearly 9.6 million, or 28 percent of the total population, in 2006 from 9.2 million, or roughly 27 percent, in 2002, according to the report. The number of children in low-income families rose by roughly 800,000 during the same period, climbing to 21 million from 20.2 million.
During the period, the number of working families spending more than one-third of their income on housing grew to 59 percent from 52 percent.
The report sought to address what it called myths about low-income families. For instance, it found 72 percent of low-income families work, with adults in low-income working families working, on average, 2,552 hours per year in 2006, the equivalent of one and one-quarter full-time jobs.
It also found that 52 percent of low-income families are headed by married couples; 69 percent have only American-born parents; 43 percent are white and non-Hispanic and only one-quarter of low-income families receive food stamp assistance.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 67 Comments
- If you work for GM, you have no reason for arrogance in anything.
Posted by wl7bzh
I don''t work for an Auto company.
I bet your knowledge of automobiles does not go beyond knowing where to stick the key. - Reply to this comment
- Don''''t put an ignorant label on something you know nothing about.
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Posted by TRMarine79 at 03:12 PM : Oct 15, 2008
Gee,,, I geuss I know nothing about the southern states,,
Even though I live those same southern states,,,,, - Reply to this comment
- Quit flying off the handle with your knee jerk reations about things with which you are clueless.
Posted by mytoosense at 03:10 PM : Oct 15, 2008
Hey schmuck,
All I know is that someone admitting to being involved with the quality of vehicles for companies which are facing financial difficulties due to the quality of vehicles-has the audacity to pretend to be an expert on anything.
As for overreaction, I think a lot of consumers are upset about so-called automotive engineers and the companies they work for. Your pretense as an expert on anything is only exceeded by your arrogance.
If you work for GM, you have no reason for arrogance in anything. - Reply to this comment
- "I find it interesting that all the states that are cited in this article, with the exception of Idaho, are southern states. Which are historically non-union states.
Is there any correlation there?
Of course with the closings of GM plants, and future closings of other plants in the north, we''''ll have many more poor people in that region, I believe.
Posted by slim1h2o"
What are you trying to say about Southern states? Do you realize that NASA is here? And guess where your precious Dell computer came from that you are typing on now? Don''t put an ignorant label on something you know nothing about. - Reply to this comment
- You consider computer technicians "Blue Collar"?
You are an ignorant and arrogant azz.
Oh, that''''s right you''''re an engineer which makes anybody working for you a subordinate and thus "Blue Collar". Excuse me your Holiness, as we peons need your sage words of wisdom as well as your obvious conceit-Not.
Posted by wl7bzh
Hey putz,
Blue collar means Union, in this case the UAW. They are Union Electricians working on automated assembly lines using computers as tools. They are not Computer Technicians although most of them could be if they didnt mind taking a big pay cut.
Quit flying off the handle with your knee jerk reations about things with which you are clueless. - Reply to this comment
- As an Electrical Controls Engineer, I work with at Ford, GM and Chrysler use PCs to modify and troubleshoot the computer programs that control the automated (Robotic) assembly lines.
If they screw up, equipment self-destructs and workers can be injured or killed.
What do you two do with a PC besides post ill informed BS.
Posted by mytoosense at 01:50 PM : Oct 15, 2008
You consider computer technicians "Blue Collar"?
You are an ignorant and arrogant azz.
Oh, that''s right you''re an engineer which makes anybody working for you a subordinate and thus "Blue Collar". Excuse me your Holiness, as we peons need your sage words of wisdom as well as your obvious conceit-Not. - Reply to this comment
- Can ya picture the blue collar crowd sitting at home in front of the computer wearing their skivvies and bunny slippers-beer in hand. Dang that''''''''s inspiring.
Posted by wl7bzh at 12:04 PM : Oct 15, 2008
most quit after first logon, to logon it says "press any key to continue"....drives them crazy because they can''''t find the "any" key.
Posted by jamesm12341
As an Electrical Controls Engineer, the Blue collar electricians I work with at Ford, GM and Chrysler use PCs to modify and troubleshoot the computer programs that control the automated (Robotic) assembly lines.
If they screw up, equipment self-destructs and workers can be injured or killed.
What do you two do with a PC besides post ill informed BS. - Reply to this comment
- The "have it now attitude" is what got us into this economic mess in the first place.
Posted by wl7bzh
I agree this is a contibuting factor.
Another was people using their home equity and credit cards as ways to maintain a middle class lifestyle while middle class wages were shrinking and the cost of necessities were rising.
Then the credit bubble burst..... - Reply to this comment
- jamesm12341 point appears to be: If you did not get a college degree or you were not smart enough to get a college degree in a field that is still valued in todays economic environment, you deserve to be poor.
Posted by mytoosense at 12:32 PM : Oct 15, 2008
Maybe it''s not about being smart enough. It may be about a little thing called delayed gratification-that little bit of character that enables one to wait in order to be able to afford what they want. Instead most folks today have to what they want now.
People not having the "smarts" to get higher education can take remedial courses in order to get higher education. That is they can get the higher education if they are willing to sacrifice "now" for "later".
The "have it now attitude" is what got us into this economic mess in the first place. - Reply to this comment
- looks like they made the wrong choice in life after highschool.....governments fault? nope. theirs and theirs only. they made their bed they need to lie in it. or learn how to say "hi welcome to walmart" while pushing a cart to a customer at same time.
Posted by jamesm12341
jamesm12341 point appears to be: If you did not get a college degree or you were not smart enough to get a college degree in a field that is still valued in todays economic environment, you deserve to be poor.
He also stated that any job that can be done cheaper overseas, should be done overseas.
America owes nothing to it''s citizens but a Hot and a cot if they break the law.
What Jamesm fails to realize is, If average Americans arent making a survivable living, they will stop spending money on non-necessities and they will stop paying their bills. When they do, homes will go into forclosure, stores and businesses that make non- essential goods will close, banks will fail, the stock market will crash, and...Oh wait, all that just happened.
Either Jamesm lives in a vacuum, or is in self denial about how all this will eventually effect his livelyhood or he was born with one hell of a silver spoon in his mouth thus is immune to the trials and tribulations of working Americans.
In other words, he is a die-hard Republican. - Reply to this comment
- And you should know that they are dropping these plants in southern rural areas where the cost of living is much lower and these jobs are still some of the highest paying in the area.
Posted by mytoosense at 12:01 PM : Oct 15, 2008
I was at the GM foundry in Defiance, where they pour engine castings, and I talked to a 19 year-old kid who''s job was to ride a towmotor around and empty trash cans. He told me he makes over $70k a year.
Are you in metal stampings by any chance? - Reply to this comment
- Please, share your insight.
Posted by mytoosense at 11:57 AM : Oct 15, 2008
Don''t know how computer literate the blue collar crowd is, but there are a lot of online college courses.
Can ya picture the blue collar crowd sitting at home in front of the computer wearing their skivvies and bunny slippers-beer in hand. Dang that''s inspiring. - Reply to this comment
- And you should also know that the Big 3 pay 30% more in wages & bennies than the foreign automakers.
Posted by easeup
And you should know that they are dropping these plants in southern rural areas where the cost of living is much lower and these jobs are still some of the highest paying in the area. - Reply to this comment
- so what you are saying is, that these union geniuses sees their company tanking due to "bad design" and yet they continue to work there? shouldnt they be looking for a better company to work for ?
Posted by jamesm12341
Sure, After working forty to sixty hours per week in the auto factory, what new career would you suggest they start going to school for? Remember, While working full time, going to school half time means four years for an associate degree, eight years for a bachelors degree so they should be able to assume a finacial return on their time and costs.
With Banking/Finance/Real estate currently in the toilet, manuafcturing/engineering jobs being offshored, H1B1 Visas being handed out like candy to foreign workers for American High Tech jobs, What careers do you recommend these workers go to 4 to 8 years of school for that are likely to provide a solid middle class income for the forseeable future?
Please, share your insight. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by jamesm12341 at 11:44 AM : Oct 15, 2008
Man! You''re thick headed. And blind as a bat as well. - Reply to this comment
- After 8 years of REPUBLICAN STUPIDITY AND CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE America is sick.... and just because we have stopped the vomitting doesn''t mean our once-proud nation is going to be healed in a day.
The REPUBLICANS have crippled, disgraced, and looted America. It will take time to undo the malaise brought on by the GOP MAFIA.
Remember McCains economic expert''s advice to YOU.... Phil Gramm(R) says: "SHUT UP, whiners!!! ...and eat your cake!!" - Reply to this comment
- I have worked as a supplier to the Big Three as well as Toyota, Mercedes and Honda for the last twenty four years. I can safely confirm the point that Union Workers DO NOT design cars, they build cars and maintain the facilities and machines that build cars.
jamesm12341, As short a list as it is, stick to talking about things that you know.
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Posted by mytoosense at 11:21 AM : Oct 15, 2008
Basically, what I was saying, that maybe if the designers were union, maybe they would have built cars and trucks, that people would have bought.
Designers are doing what they are told to do by management. And everyone knows that designers by definition are management. And management hate unions, because they force the auto maker to pay a good wage. I think they were trying to ruin the company, so they could ruin the union. And jamesm wants the same thing, a ruined country.
I don''t care what jamesm thinks. He is what''s wrong with this country. He favors illegals over legal, and he wants the U.S. to be no better than his home country of Mexico is.
He don''t fool me one bit.... - Reply to this comment
- I have worked as a supplier to the Big Three as well as Toyota, Mercedes and Honda for the last twenty four years. I can safely confirm the point that Union Workers DO NOT design cars, they build cars and maintain the facilities and machines that build cars.
jamesm12341, As short a list as it is, stick to talking about things that you know.
Posted by mytoosense at 11:21 AM : Oct 15, 2008
And you should also know that the Big 3 pay 30% more in wages & bennies than the foreign automakers. - Reply to this comment
- "The real surprising news, the alarming news, is that both the number and percentage of low-income families increased during this period," said Brandon Roberts, co-author of the report. "This was a time when we had solid and robust economic growth."
EXACTLY- economic growth for the rich only..
How can righties whine about dems being socialists?? How can people say Obama is going to redistribute wealth??
The wealth has already been "distributed", straight up..
We all knew this would happen as soon as Bush got elcted, especially the second time..
ITS LIKE CLOCKWORK
What amazes me is that the GOP has brainwashed all the dummies into thinking they are the party for them: the working class..
***?????????
How many indications of reality do you need before you realize that the GOP is by the rich, for the rich, and always will be?
How can self-respecting working people support these bozos? - Reply to this comment
- And one reason that GM is in trouble is, not because of the union, but because they designed and made cars and trucks that nobody wanted.
And I believe their designers were not union!
Go figure!!
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Posted by slim1h2o at 09:52 AM : Oct 15, 2008
yea thats what they tell the 6th graders at the union meetings
Posted by jamesm12341
I have worked as a supplier to the Big Three as well as Toyota, Mercedes and Honda for the last twenty four years. I can safely confirm the point that Union Workers DO NOT design cars, they build cars and maintain the facilities and machines that build cars.
jamesm12341, As short a list as it is, stick to talking about things that you know. - Reply to this comment
