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- Title
A Wake-Up Call on Poverty.
- Authors
Barnes, Shailly Gupta
- Abstract
The Census Bureau recently released new poverty data revealing a significant increase in economic insecurity in the United States. The Supplemental Poverty Measure showed a record jump, with child poverty doubling. The number of poor and low-income individuals in the country rose to over 135 million, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the population. These figures highlight the widespread nature of poverty and the need for effective measures to address it. The report also emphasizes the racial disparities in poverty rates, with Latinos, Black non-Latinos, and American Indian or Alaskan Natives experiencing higher rates of hardship. Poverty can have life-threatening consequences, and it was the fourth leading cause of death in 2019. Government programs like Social Security and stimulus payments have helped reduce poverty, but as these programs expired in 2021, the number of poor and low-income individuals increased by 20 percent to 135 million. This return to pre-pandemic conditions underscores the ongoing challenges faced by millions of people in terms of eviction, hunger, low wages, and health crises. This information serves as a reminder that the nation's return to "normal" comes at the expense of the lives and well-being of poor and low-income individuals. Policymakers should take this as a wake-up call and implement effective strategies to address poverty.
- Subjects
U.S. Census Bureau; POOR children; ALASKA Natives; POVERTY rate; SOCIAL services; SOCIAL security; LOW-income countries; POVERTY
- Publication
CounterPunch, 2023, p18
- ISSN
1086-2323
- Publication type
Article