Lost in all the war talk in Washington these days is the state of the economy
and particularly the state of the economy for the nearly 33 million poor Americans,
including 11.7 million children and 3.4 million seniors who
live in poverty. The old folks in my African American community used to say
that when the nation gets a cold, black folks get pneumonia. The same could
be said for poor people, a growing segment of our society.
Indeed, the Census Bureau just released its annual statistics and they paint a grim picture. The number of poor people is on the rise for the first time in eight years. While most of this increase in poverty occurred in white households in suburban and rural areas in the South and Midwest, the poverty rate for black Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans is still double that of whites. It is important to note that the federal government calculates the poverty line at about $18,000 for a family of four. Few families of four can eke out a living on such a small income.
Moreover, the median household income also fell in all but the nation's richest
households. That means that income inequality, which had shown signs of moderating
during the 1990's, is growing once more. In addition,
the income in black households fell at more than double the rate for whites
and Hispanics.
The reason for the increase in poverty is, of course, primarily the recession.
This increase is alarming because it means that children and working-age adults
continue to lose private health insurance as hundreds of thousands of jobs have
disappeared from the economy. Under legislation passed over the past several
years many states have been able to enroll uninsured children in statewide health
insurance programs, but as states
find themselves strapped for cash, they are looking to cut costs. Similarly,
the Medicaid program which has paid for such state programs has suffered a billion-dollar
drop in federal funding.
Not surprisingly, only days after the Census Bureau announced the increase in poverty, the Agriculture Department announced that food stamp rolls are growing, with almost 24,000 more people receiving food stamps in July than a month before. A survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that requests for food stamps had increased by 23%, while requests for emergency shelter were up, on average, by 13%. Churches and community organizations across the nation are reporting similar increases in food banks and feeding programs.
Still more alarming is the fact that the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
(TANF) program which has provided assistance for poor families since the end
of welfare, is languishing in Congress. Organizations like
the National Conference of State Legislators and the American Public Human Resources
Association have urged congressional leaders to approve a three-year extension
of the current TANF program, but with much-needed increases in child care subsidies.
Moreover, many advocates for the poor are calling upon Congress to keep the
current 30 hour work requirement rather than the increase in hours being called
for by the Bush
administration, which is also proposing reductions in education and training
for TANF recipients and for an end to the current practice of allowing states
to decide whether they wish to include legal immigrants in their programs.
Moreover, many mothers who were receiving TANF are now reaching their time limits for participation in the program and are losing their benefits. Many have found employment, but are still poor because their low-paying jobs seldom include benefits and they lose government-provided health care, housing and child care subsidies.
As Congress winds down its current session and as both Congress and the administration
focus their attention on the possibility of war, it is imperative that we not
let them forget the poor families in this nation who
are suffering here and now. If we won't speak out on behalf of the poor, who
will?
(Note: You can contact your Congressperson by calling (202) 224-3121 and your Senator by calling (202) 225-3121 or go to www.ucctakeaction.org and register your concern.)