I caught an article on ABC News that pointed out that this year was the first significant drop in the poverty rate since 2000. Take a look at this little nugget.
The last significant decline in the poverty rate came in 2000, during the Clinton administration. In 2005, the poverty rate dipped from 12.7 percent to 12.6 percent, but Census officials said that change was statistically insignificant.
See, that got me thinking. If 2000 was the last time the poverty rate declined, how did it do under the entirety of Clinton’s presidency? It’s time for… a chart. Let’s start with 1989, the year George Bush Sr took office when poverty rates were at a record low, and move right on to this one.
Source: US Census Bureau
It’s interesting to note that 1989 was the previous record low according to the USCB (way to go, Gipper, I suppose), and that despite Bush Sr bringing it up to 15.1%, Clinton still managed to shatter the old record.
But remember, “tax and spend” Democrats are bad for the economy, isn’t that right?
7 responses so far ↓
PoliShifter // August 29, 2007 at 5:54 pm
I love the way the media puts a positive spin on things for Bush’s benefit.
I still question these numbers. Who are they counting as impoverished and how many are not being counted?
I’m convinced the poverty numbers are actually much higher than anyone would willingly admit.
Hanlon // August 29, 2007 at 5:59 pm
You know that is a good question. If you looked into unreported poverty, people living below a certain income level (I believe the poverty line is unbelievably low in the US), then we may be in worse shape.
PoliShifter // August 29, 2007 at 6:24 pm
I thought also to be counted in a census you have to have an address. Doesn’t that preclude homeless people? I’m not sure…I know some try to keep track, mostly organizations that assist the homeless, but my guess is the government tries to massage the numbers to make them look favorable as much as possible.
Sort of like the unemployment numbers. If you’ve been unemployed for more than 6 months, they stop counting you.
JollyRoger // August 29, 2007 at 10:12 pm
I trust these numbers every bit as much as I trust the “unemployment” numbers.
I also wait patiently for the tooth fairy to come collect my wisdom teeth. I could really use the money.
Hanlon // August 29, 2007 at 11:19 pm
They may undershoot, but the trend is hard to ignore. Much like with every other trend such as crime rates and the surplus/deficit, things got better under Clinton and worse under both Bushes.
Moi // April 15, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Isn’t it a little simplistic to reduce to one factor (presidency) when we should also look at other factors like the economy (Clinton also got us into the Dot com bust, which Bush inherited)?
Will // September 11, 2008 at 12:13 pm
I’m not making this stuff up.