Please Pass The Bread & Water
When I was a young kid growing up in a single parent household, I would often have to ask before I randomly grabbed a snack from the kitchen cupboard. Mom was on a really tight budget in those days, and the weekly allotment of food had to last until the next paycheck. Of course, I never went hungry and didn’t even know how close to the edge we sometimes were. I guess I should consider myself lucky.
According to a newly released report by the American charity network, America’s Second Harvest, the number of Americans going hungry has increased 9% since 2001. Last year, more than 25 million American citizens turned to food banks, soup kitchens and shelters for meals. Perhaps even more striking is the fact that 36% of those people came from households that had at least one person holding down a job. What’s more, 35% already were receiving food stamps too.
But wait, you say…of course there were more people getting help. 2005 had two major disasters in Hurricane Katrina and Rita. Well hold your tongue. The surveys were actually done BEFORE the hurricanes hit. After the hurricanes, demand for help TRIPLED in the Gulf States.
In addition to this report, the federal government releases its own reports. Their findings? The USDA report released last year said 13.5 million American households, or nearly 12%, had difficulty providing enough food for their families in 2004. That number was 11% higher than in 2003.
Sounds like the economic benefits of the Bush agenda are working marvels, just like he says.
More Great Economic News
Following the reports about the increase in hunger in America, the Federal Reserve issued a report yesterday noting that after adjusting for inflation, the median income for American families suffered a setback, decreasing 2.3% between 2001 and 2004. But despite the hemming and hawing from corporate America, overall, businesses aren’t doing nearly as bad their employees:
“What’s troubling about the economic recovery that we’ve been in is that all of the traditional indicators of employment, household income and poverty levels are lagging behind prior expansions,” said Jean Ross, director of the California Budget Project, an economic think tank in Sacramento.
“The only indicator that is doing better than in prior expansions is corporate profits, which indicates that businesses aren’t passing on what they are gaining to their workers,” she said.
Other economic indicators like net worth have risen, albeit very grudgingly, moving up only 1.5%- the weakest measured gain in a decade. By contrast, between 1995 and 1998 that increase was 12.3% and between 1998-2001 the increase was 17.3%. But those were years Clinton was in office, so while Bush II’s supporters like to give him credit for today’s economy, they say that the good times in the 90’s were inherited by Clinton from the Reagan/Bush I years. And now, of course, any bad news during Bush II’s term are remnants of Clinton’s economic policies. Nothing like having your cake and eating it too, I guess.
Oh yes, the net unemployment rate from early 2001 to August 2003 was negative- 2.7 million fewer working Americans. Damn that Clinton!
This entry was posted on Friday, February 24th, 2006 at 8:44 pm and is filed under Bush, Economy, Health, Life, Politics, Social Programs.
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February 25th, 2006 at 3:03 am
Ken,
This is a rather short post for you. I’m impressed. I too was raised on the cheap. My parents fed us powdered milk for many years because it was cheaper than the real deal. Three kids in a 900 square foot home? Small, not like the McMansions of today.
The numbers are astonishing and no doubt underestimated. Some folks don’t report these things becuase they are embarrased.
The bigger problem is how is it that the W, Rove and Co can seem so upbeat and optimistic when the numbers don’t lie unless you are selective in which ones you look at. Moreover, when you talk about this “ownership” ideology – which is what it is – the picture for average americans is even more bleak. You can’t own a whole lot of shit, when you are forced to feed powdered milk to your kids.
February 25th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
I am a retires social worker, and so enjoy seeing bloggers talk about things that are really important. . . and back their ideas with data. Nice comprehensive post. Keep up the good work. I posted about hunger last Thanksgiving and a U.N. site linked to it, which made me feel good. This was not said to ttot my own horn, BTW, just to say that hunger is not going away under this administration.
February 25th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
Let’s see…the number of hungry in this country has risen by 9% since 2001. Hmmm…did something happen in the last half of 2001 that might account for the fact? Thinking…thinking. It’s on the tip of my tongue but I just can’t come up with it. I know SOMETHING happened in the last half of 2001 that drastically effected the economy in a negative way. Give me a minute, it’ll come to me…
February 26th, 2006 at 1:04 am
Lets just blame everything on President Bush, does it make you all feel better, you act like this is the only time in out history that we have had problems. The reason that President Bush is so optimistic is because most of the economic indictors are pointing to a strong economy. You people just like to dump everything on President Bush and his Administration. The people need to accept that they are supposed to be providing for their families. It is up to the federal governmentand State government to offer the assistance if necessary. Why do you all think the American taxpayer is responsible to provide everything just because someone can’t afford it.
February 26th, 2006 at 6:56 am
Ken, I agree with your conclusions, and I’ll even reinforce your conclussion a bit: while net worth has risen 1.5%, net worth of the top 5% has risen by 12%. That also means that the net worth of the lower 95% has decreased a fair amount. Bush’s policies have been very effective in making the richer richer and the poorer poorer. But as far as the overall standard of living, it has decreased in the past 8 years, especially compared to the rapid growth of the 8 years that preceeded them.
February 26th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
remember how New York was in the 1900s? it’s back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
where is Teddy Roosevelt when you need him?
February 27th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
I was raised in a very poor single-parent household, where powdered milk would have been a treat on some days. As an adult, there were about 15 years of my life where I had a good job, and lived pretty much like an “average” American. Unfortunately, in my late twenties, I was diagnosed with a chronic and incurable (but, not terminal) disease. I’m sick enough not to be able to keep a job, but have a condition that is absolutely NOT eligible for Social Security. I’ve applied three times and been denied three times — with three different attorneys trying to help me get benefits.
Several years ago, I received food stamps for about six months, but was “released” from the program for using too many sick-days in my job training program. There’s not much help available if you: are not a minor, don’t have minor dependents, are not a senior citizen, are not certified “disabled” by the government.
These days, I try to restrict my eating to every other day. It’s the only way I can cover the costs of my prescription medications. Usually, I can afford to feed either my stomach or my disease. Not both.
There are many reasons people go hungry in America. Unfortunately, help is not available to all of us.
February 27th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
Thank you for this post, Ken. I think people have a tendency to manipulate numbers to show whatever they want them to show, but people need to write about and talk about truth.
I feel for the commenter above, as I worked as a case worker for many years and there were so many people that are in a sort of trap, struggling, and yet unable to get through. Often an advocate is helpful.
February 28th, 2006 at 2:41 am
The worse things get, the rosier their numbers are. Orwellian phrases, selective reporting — how long is the American public gonna keep falling for it?
February 28th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Paul Krugman had a great column showing how wealth is being concentratred in the top 1% while the rest of the economy is barely moving for most Americans and not at all for Americans. It’s a shame right wing Republicans are isolating themselves from the problems of this country.
I say right wing because I know more traditional Republicans who remember the Great Depression when people had to help each other out; besides independents and Democrats, a lot of decent Republicans are growing concerned.
March 1st, 2006 at 3:01 am
Hi Ken,
I read a report about a week ago that said that one of the greatest threats to America’s poor is obesity?
-Jack
March 2nd, 2006 at 6:28 am
I cannot believe the worshippers are trying to place the blame for the spike in poverty on Osama. Tell me, Shrubberals, is your Lord ever responsible for anything? Never mind-I already know the answer to that one.
The El Shrubbo wealth-transfers to the rich had to result in this. And the wingers say they don’t like socialism! Ha!
March 2nd, 2006 at 6:30 am
Jack,
Don’t do that. The silliness of “obesity=plenty” isn’t fooling anyone but you.
Having come from a poor household myself, let me assure you that the cheaper foods also tend to be heavy in the starches.
Now could we bottle up that ridiculous premise and not get it out anymore?
March 2nd, 2006 at 6:59 am
(responses)
Windspike- I’d take water over powdered milk anyday-Of course the numbers can be twisted one way or the other, and these few factors don’t account for everything- but they are good indicators of an economy heading the wrong way.
Carol- Thanks for dropping by and leaving some thoughts. And thanks for helping out when you can, and however you can.
Craig- So now hunger and lower wages in America are to be blamed on the terrorists too? Give me a break. Corporations, especially those with interests tied to foreign policy have been making out like robber barons. So the proclivity of hunger and lower wages lies in corporate greed more than anything else, but also by an administration that caters to their every whim and rewards them for bailing out on America.
Jon- “It is up to the federal governmentand State government to offer the assistance if necessary. Why do you all think the American taxpayer is responsible to provide everything just because someone can’t afford it.”
Well, where do you think the government gets its money from? Every penny they have comes from us. So, if as you say, and I agree, that it is their responsibility to offer assistance when necessary, why are they cutting those parts of the budget that offer assistance when necessary? A conundrum Jon, I know.
Scottage- If one is going to tout a strong and positive economy, one should have supporting data to back it up. But we all know how Bush Data comes to be…I call it “wishful thinking.” Thanks for dropping in.
Rev.- And TR was a Republican. He must be shaking in his bones at the folks who call themselves republicans these days. His corporate busting policies offered great chances for the working people.
(Also one of the fathers of the modern environmental movement.)
Anon- You tell a sad tale, and I wish you nothing but the best. I wonder, are there “faith based programs” available to help in your area? If so, what are their rules? Since the government now prefers to funnel aid through them, I wonder if the assistance comes with strings attached.
Good luck.
Lily- You’re welcome. And you’re right. At the very least, we can raise the issue time and again until something gets done. And we can offer what personal help we can when we can. But more importantly, we can elect new politicians who have a better grasp on what public service is about.
Tom- Very Rip van Winkle, isn’t it. Will we finally find ourselves under the thumb of a repressive government and overbearing corporautocracy ala 200+ years ago?
Wake up people…the nightmare doesn’t get better.
craig (2)- Let’s hope their concern translates into something more than just a dull murmur. It will take a lot of those moderate republicans to turn the tides…
Jack- Fat does not mean well fed. Fat does not mean nutritious. Fat means cheap and crap. So nice straw man you’ve put up, but not enough to scare even a sparrow.
Poor quality food leads to poorer overall health, from weight to dental problems to heart issues. Poor quality food is also cheap, and when wages are down and costs go up, people will eat crap if it is the only affordable choice.
Jolly- Yes- the transfer of wealth from the public coffers to the corporate offshore accounts isn’t much different than the thugs in the former USSR. They are sleeping with the government to all our detriment, and our elected sissies don’t care.
March 3rd, 2006 at 6:11 am
After reading your post I could not help think about Dick Cheney decrying that people in the US should start saving more money, for their own best interest.
To say nothing of the unworkable Health Savings Accounts “proposed” by Bush in the SOTU.
March 4th, 2006 at 12:02 am
I have always said that we are so quick to help “others” that we forget to help “ourselves”. Granted I am all for helping other poverty stricken countries BUT we need to take care of our own first. We are suppose to be the greatest country in the world… it is sad how we can sweep our poorer fellow American’s under the rug. It’s a shame and shouldn’t be happening!
BTW thanks for visiting my diary over at BIO…