What it is like to be in poverty in the US

[dude1394]

Very interesting set of numbers. This was brought out by Newsweeks latest Edwards lovefest on why he cannot "connect" with the american people because so many are impoverished.

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/20...enough-by.html

So... Maybe the reason America is "not moved enough" by John Edwards' theatrics is because America knows better!

And, then there is this from The Heritage Foundation as noted below in the comments:

For most Americans, the word "poverty" suggests destitution: an inability to provide a family with nutritious food, clothing, and reasonable shelter. But only a small number of the 35 million persons classified as "poor" by the Census Bureau fit that description. While real material hardship certainly does occur, it is limited in scope and severity. Most of America's "poor" live in material conditions that would be judged as comfortable or well-off just a few generations ago. Today, the expenditures per person of the lowest-income one-fifth (or quintile) of households equal those of the median American household in the early 1970s, after adjusting for inflation.1

The following are facts about persons defined as "poor" by the Census Bureau, taken from various government reports:

** Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.

** Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.

** Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.

** The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)

** Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.

** Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.

** Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.

** Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher.