Poverty rate growing

[sallylou]

The poverty rate here in the United States has now risen to 13.2 percent, the highest level in eleven years. And around the world, two billion people, or a full third of humanity, are poor, living on less than $2 a day. One billion live in extreme poverty, earning less than $1 a day. The latest numbers from the United Nations indicate that over a billion people are also going hungry.

Amnesty International Head Irene Khan on "The Unheard Truth: Poverty and Human Rights"

This makes me sad. Why do we have over a billion hungry people on this planet?

 

[rockin'robin]

I agree. More and more applying for food stamps and cash assistance. More and more people forming long lines at the Food Banks, Churches, etc. And come January, senior citizens who live off their SS checks will not see them increased due to the COLA, which they have gotten every year since 1983, I believe. Their checks will actually decrease, due to the increase deduction of Medicaid. And they are already struggling to be able to get their meds.

 

[sallylou]

Actually, I'm most concerned with the poor people living on less than $1 per day hungry. Those of us in the Western world are blessed with many things that we take for granted, like clean water. Babies die daily for lack of clean water.

 

[saywhatkid]

....And come January, senior citizens who live off their SS checks will not see them increased due to the COLA, which they have gotten every year since 1983, I believe. Their checks will actually decrease, due to the increase deduction of Medicaid....

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/us/politics/03benefits.html
Copied from NY Times, a partial copy from a larger article:

A freeze in Social Security benefits would have major implications for Medicare because the COLA, in effect, puts a cap on premiums for Part B of Medicare, which covers doctors’ services.

If there is no cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security, about three-fourths of beneficiaries will not see any change in their basic Part B premiums, federal officials said. But some beneficiaries do not have this protection and could face substantial increases in their Part B premiums.

In addition, millions of beneficiaries could see higher premiums for drug coverage, provided under Part D of Medicare.

 

[webexplorer]

Yes, I believe that because the government does not want us to know how bad it is now and the future. In the reality, there will be more ghost towns. i.e. a well-known for too many foreclose stores and houses in Flint, Michigan - it is still there now. No recovery.

Moore's film is called, "ROGER & ME." He proved it to us. Roger & Me | MichaelMoore.com

Somewhere in California, they lost their homes and everything. They forced to move and live on an opened field to join with the hundreds of homeless groups. It is almost like "Tent City." Tent cities rise across the country - Life- msnbc.com