Poverty rate drops - How did Bush make this happen?

Question

Was it the tax cuts for working people that caused this decline?

"WASHINGTON — The nation's poverty rate declined for the first time this decade."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2003858104.html

It might be our very very low unemployment rate (4.6%).

Thanks for helping the poor get back on their feet Mr. President!

Answer 1

Bush did it!

That SOB!

Answer 2

Well, the poverty rate went up each and every year of the Bush administration. From 11.3 in 2000, to 12.6 in 2005. Last year, for the first time, there was a slight drop. If the "tax cuts for working people caused this decline" they caused a 4 or 5 year increase first! And there were 2 million more people without health insurance in 2006 than there were in 2005. Many of these uninsured are just one serious illness away from poverty themselves

Answer 3

Of course, the news on that is always spun to reflect one's political leanings. The Left will say that it's all lies and that certain factors... blah, blah.. While the Right will say this justifies the administration and blah, blah... A point that everyone forgets is that we define "poverty" differently from the rest of the world. The Third World would laugh at what we call "poverty." After all do people in poverty have color TV, cable, cell phones, or air conditioning? What most libs would call "poverty" (while attacking the Prez), the Third World would call living high on the hog. Even though we can do better for our working poor, they certainly are far better off in America than they would be anywhere else.

Answer 4

No, it was the drop in unemployment among the very poor.
And seemingly not the ones who voted for Pres. Bush
But;

"The nation's poverty rate was 12.3 percent in 2006, down from 12.6 percent a year before, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Median household income increased slightly, to $48,200."
"The last significant decline in the poverty rate came in 2000, during the Clinton administration, when it went from 11.9 percent to 11.3 percent."
"The poverty rate increased every year for the next four years, peaking at 12.7 percent in 2004. It was 12.6 percent in 2005, but Census officials said that change was statistically insignificant."

"Income remains lower than it was six years ago, poverty is higher"

"The Census Bureau on Tuesday released 2006 income and poverty figures for all the states and every city and county with a population of 65,000 or more.

Among the findings:

_Maryland led the country with a median household income of $65,144. It was followed by New Jersey, Connecticut, Hawaii and Massachusetts.

_Mississippi had the lowest median income, at $34,473. It was followed by West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Alabama.

_Mississippi had the highest poverty rate, at 21.1 percent. It was followed by Louisiana, New Mexico, Arkansas and West Virginia.

_Maryland had the lowest poverty rate, at 7.8 percent. It was followed by New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey and Hawaii. "

Answer 5

I can just feel the prosperity. Do you think we might be able to find a new, pointless war for the U.S. taxpayers to spend another $500,000,000.00 on. I know, lets cut taxes on the rich (those that still bother to pay any) down to 0. More oil subsidies and less social services would help the economy for sure. More billionaires, less funding for schools, hospitals, roads...etc. No more labor unions, we need slave labor to compete with the Asians for our lost manufacturing jobs. Go, Bush. Go to Hell. Thanks for saddling the poor and middle class in the U.S. with a crushing debt that will remain with us for generations, Mr. "President".

Answer 6

Only very slightly, still way above when we took over in 2,000. More are uninsured now. We are doing pretty good with what we are working with, guys! Guys, with more service jobs we can cut into that nasty middle class and keep them just above the poverty line and get more people interested in the military this way. Stick with Bush guys.

Answer 7

By increasing the number of people without insurance to record levels and altering the definition of poverty.

Answer 8

What happened the other 5 years bush was in office? Poverty rates increased? Also from your link:

"Poverty rate drops, but record number don't have insurance"

Why are you celebrating?

Answer 9

They have probably come up with a creative way for tracking this statistic. It probably is skewed in some way.

It probably is not counting those displaced by Hurricanes, those in the Military, illegal aliens etc. etc.

The middle class been eroded under 7 years of Bush. There is a greater gap between the haves and haves nots.

Answer 10

Bush lowered the poverty rate for the first time in SEVEN YEARS. Whoopee he managed to get it back down to what Clinton had maintained it his entire presidency.

Answer 11

You can make polls show what you want. Polls are used to spread propaganda.

If you were to do a search on his subject I would imagine you could find several polls that state the opposite.