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This article explains how poverty is measured in the US. Every year the Census Bureau issues poverty thresholds that determine the official poverty rate. The thresholds represent the minimal annual amount of income required to support families of various sizes. The thresholds are updated each year to accommodate inflation. Poverty has been fluctuating constantly over time. In the 1950’s it was at an all time high of 22.4 percent over the next 30 years it declined steadily and fluctuated between 11.1-12.6 percent. Then in 1980 it began to steadily rise and as of 2014 the poverty rate was at about 14.5 percent. Another key point of this article is that children represent a huge proportion of the poor in america. Children make up 24 percent of the population, but make up 36 percent of the poor population which is very disproportionate. Another huge factor is race, if you look at the graph under “How Many Children Live In Poverty” you can see how race can affect the poverty rate of children under 18, and those numbers aren’t optimistic.
This article really explains how poverty is measured and what qualifies someone as poor. Another main point in my claim is how some people don't have a chance to get out of poverty and most people are born into poverty which means they never even had a chance to begin with. In the article you see that an unnerving amount of the poor population is made up of children. Which proves that a lot of people living under the poverty line were born or grew up there and the likelihood of them getting out of it is very slim.
This article really explains how poverty is measured and what qualifies someone as poor. Another main point in my claim is how some people don't have a chance to get out of poverty and most people are born into poverty which means they never even had a chance to begin with. In the article you see that an unnerving amount of the poor population is made up of children. Which proves that a lot of people living under the poverty line were born or grew up there and the likelihood of them getting out of it is very slim.