----- Original Message ----- From: "John D. Giorgis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Brin-L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 10:03 PM Subject: Re: Presidents RE: Corruption in a Democracy
> At 08:04 PM 1/18/02 -0600 Robert Seeberger wrote: > >John, I think you discount the abject poverty that existed in the US before > >Johnson. Some parts of the US, namely the south and Appalacia were like > >third world nations. When the Great Society programs were being discussed > >you used to see pitifull scenes of American families living in tin sheds on > >television pretty regularly > > Alas, that abject poverty still exists in many places to this day. > > I'm sure that Dan M. will look up the poverty rate numbers and post them, > just for effect. Since you asked, here's the trend since 1959...that's as far back as I could get numbers: 2000...... 11.3 1999...... 11.8 1998...... 12.7 1997...... 13.3 1996...... 13.7 1995...... 13.8 1994...... 14.5 1993 9/... 15.1 1992 8/... 14.8 1991 7/... 14.2 1990...... 13.5 1989...... 12.8 1988...... 13 1987 6/... 13.4 1986...... 13.6 1985 ..... 14 1984...... 14.4 1983 5/... 15.2 1982...... 15 1981...... 14 1980...... 13 1979 4/... 11.7 1978...... 11.4 1977...... 11.6 1976...... 11.8 1975...... 12.3 1974 3/... 11.2 1973...... 11.1 1972...... 11.9 1971 2/... 12.5 1970...... 12.6 1969...... 12.1 1968...... 12.8 1967 1/... 14.2 1966...... 14.7 1965...... 17.3 1964...... 19 1963...... 19.5 1962...... 21 1961...... 21.9 1960...... 22.2 1959...... 22.4 I think you can see where the Great Society kicked in..right about 1965. Although you can see the poverty rate kick up in 1980. It didn't really fall again until the mid 90s or so. Another interesting number is the fraction of people living in abject poverty. That # is given from '75 on. 2000...... 4.4 1999...... 4.6 1998...... 5.1 1997...... 5.4 1996...... 5.4 1995...... 5.3 1994...... 5.9 1993 6/... 6.2 1992 5/... 6.1 1991 4/... 5.6 1990...... 5.2 1989...... 4.9 1988...... 5.2 1987 3/... 5.2 1986...... 5.3 1985...... 5.2 1984...... 5.5 1983 2/... 5.9 1982...... 5.6 1981...... 4.9 1980...... 4.4 1979 1/... 3.8 1978...... 3.6 1977...... 3.5 1976...... 3.3 1975...... 3.7 The kick up is much more pronounced in the '80s, with a second kick up in the early '90s. The '93 fraction of abject poverty is almost twice the '76 fraction. Dan M.
