Considering that Bush has elimated poverty, why do Democrats keep saying he doesn't care about the poor?

Question

Was just reading this article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_go_ot/poverty
and find it hard to believe that democrats are spreading the lie that bush only cares about the rich and doesn't care about the poor.

Answer 1

If by "eliminating" you mean the number of people in poverty INCREASING by 5 million since he took office.

The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that 36.5 million Americans, or 12.3 percent — were living in poverty last year.

That's significantly more than zero. However that figure has dropped from last year's high of 36,950,000, or 12.6%

It's important to note that when Bush took office that figure was 31,581,000 or 11.3%, so it has increased by roughly five million during his administration.

When Bill Clinton took office, the number of people in poverty was just over 38 million (14.8%) so it actually decreased by almost 6.5 million under the Clinton administration, after an INCREASE by almost 9 million during the Reagan -Bush Sr. years.

OK, so let's review:

1980 - 1992 (Reagan/Bush Sr.) Number of people living in poverty is up by 9,000,000.

1992 - 2000 (Clinton) Number of people living in poverty goes down by 6,500,000

2000 - 2007 (Bush Jr.) Number of people living in poverty is up by 5,000,000

The next time you want to make up a lie, pick one that isn't so easy to expose.

Answer 2

LOL, you're kidding right? did you read the entire article? the poverty level was decreased by .3 percent. It's not much considering that number took over 5 years to get too. And, it also said that the number of uninsured people increased alot! That means that those people who now have jobs don't have health benefits and even more people who are working lost theirs. More than likely those people who got out of poverty still can't buy their own home or afford their own health insurance because even the middle class is struggling with both of those. I suggest you bring the whole story to the forground instead of cherry picking.

Answer 3

12.3% down from 12.6% sure looks like total elimination doesn't it. Based on statistics from one year. Yup it sure is true we have no more poverty in America. Close the food banks, shut down the church's meal program, and don't forget to ignore all those street people or those kids and old folks getting the meals on wheels. Yes, poverty is dead in America. No need to donate old clothes to charity, in fact let's close the charities all together. Right Cons?

By the way, poster, please show us what he did to care about the poor that made this total elimination as you claim. Of course we already know that church led programs and other such socialistic endeavors had nothing to do with it don't we? So what exactly did he do? I will wait for your answer......On second thought I don't have that long. I am already a senior citizen.

Answer 4

I guess I didn't get the memo.

How do you even figure when salaries have been all but stagnant while this administration has been in power while inflation has shot through the roof with the insane cost of energy and the BS housing market, as well as a credit system that has more power over you life then the Nazis did in Germany.

Sorry try again.

Answer 5

Let's say I am Bush and want poverty to disappear, like puff, easy, I say, poverty is, when somebody makes less then 12,000 a year and we don't count the 60 Million, who make less and the ones out of the system for more then 6 month.
- Puff, poverty is gone -

Have you been recently been to Cleveland, Detroit, Atlanta, N. Orleans, Washington D.C......., behind the nice facades of the main street?

Answer 6

Woohooo! People have canceled their medical insurance to feed their families and pay their bills!

Is this really grounds for celebration?


Psst also inflation increases wages whereas the poverty lines stays the same. People will always be making more money than previous years, the poverty line has to change to reflect that, however it does not.

Answer 7

If you think poverty has been eliminated, just take a trip to the Appalachians. You might find that it is alive and well there. Common sense says that he does not care about the poor, as do his actions.

Answer 8

The poverty line hasn't changed -

Wages have gone up with inflation -

Hence, less people live in poverty! Reality is -

MORE people are living in poverty, even if the federal classification says it isn't so. With less buying power for your dollar, there are many more people who have slipped into poverty. The poverty line hasn't changed because of this reason. If they do change it, it will show a dramatic rise in poverty levels.

Answer 9

Bush has made 99% of us poorer. How much personal debt do you have? Bush has borrowed about $10,000 in your name. Besides the war, the sub-prime mortgage debacle is going to cost us hundreds of millions of dollars, with most of that money going to bankers to protect them from their own greed and incompetent management.

Anyone can live high off the hog for a while if he can go deeply into debt. The GOP used to be the party of fiscal responsibility!

Answer 10

Ok...Bush has been in office for two terms and it takes six years for a decline in poverty to appear.

It's apparent that Bush doesn't care about the poor...for crying out loud, look at New Orleans.