The Census Bureau's annual report on income, poverty and health insurance may actually be bleaker than it looks. That’s according to a Washington Post report which argues that, since the current data was collected in spring before millions more have lost their jobs, the situation may be worse now than what was just reported.1
1 Carol Morello and Dan Keating, ”Millions More Thrust Into Poverty”, Washington Post
2 “Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008”, U.S. Census Bureau
3 Rep. Mike Honda, "‘Political Courage’ Needed for Health Care Reform", Nichi Bei Times
- The nation's poverty rate rose to 13.2% in 2008, up from 12.5% in 2007 (the first significant increase since 2004 and the highest level in 11 years)
- Median household income shrank to $50,303 in 2008, down from $52,163 in 2007 (the first drop in four years)
- The number of people without health insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008, from 45.7 million in 2007 (continuing an eight-year decline)
- Poverty rates rose at higher rates among Hispanics (23.2% in 2008, up from 21.5% in 2007) and Asian Americans (11.8 % in 2008, up from 10.2% in 2007); in contrast it rose at a lower rate among non-Hispanic whites (8.6 % in 2008, up from 8.2 %in 2007) and remained statistically unchanged for African Americans (24.7 percent).
- Real median income in 2008 declined 5.6% (to $37,913) among Hispanics and 4.4% ($65,637) to among Asians; in contrast, it declined 2.6% among non-Hispanic whites (to $55,530) and 2.8% among African Americans (to $34,218)
- The percentage of uninsured Hispanics decreased to 30.7% in 2008, from 32.1% in 2007. The uninsured rate for Asian Americans in 2008 rose to 17.6%, up from 16.8% in 2007. In comparison, the uninsured rate and number of uninsured for non-Hispanic whites increased in 2008 to 10.8% and 21.3 million, from 10.4% and 20.5 million in 2007, while the uninsured rate and number of uninsured for African Americans in 2008 were not statistically different from 2007, at 19.1 percent and 7.3 million. (Note the difference in U.S. Census reporting here for the percentage of the uninsured versus the uninsured rate.)
The task is not small and demands strategies on all fronts, including a more diverse workforce, strengthened ethnic institutions, and improved evaluation and accountability measures. But we must do it quickly; the health of our nation and our economy depends on it. America deserves a health care system that enables everyone to live a healthier and happier life.For those who would rather challenge the government's efforts to reach a pragmatic solution toward this task, it may be just too overwhelming for them to fathom. For while what is the right thing to do is to face this challenge head-on, the opposition has taken the more politically expedient approach of wanton opposition. Is it too steep a bar to reach? Is it easier to brandish any language one can grasp ("death panel"), allude to any scapegoat one can route ("illegal immigrants"), rouse the irrational fears of the uninformed ("socialism"), or just shout as loudly as one can ("liar") to quiet any lucid conversation that needs to transpire.
1 Carol Morello and Dan Keating, ”Millions More Thrust Into Poverty”, Washington Post
2 “Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008”, U.S. Census Bureau
3 Rep. Mike Honda, "‘Political Courage’ Needed for Health Care Reform", Nichi Bei Times
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