|
|
Article: Not So Poor: The luxury of American poverty.(Census Bureau definitions too wide)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- National Review
- Article date:
- October 25, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 National Review, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The Census Bureau has just issued its annual poverty report, claiming that nearly 35 million Americans (13 percent of the population) are "living in poverty." But just what does living in poverty mean?
Today, the typical American defined by the government as poor has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove, a VCR, a microwave, a stereo, and a color TV. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not over-crowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry, and in the last year he had sufficient funds to meet all his essential needs. While his life is not opulent, it is far from what the popular consciousness understands by ...