GUEST,999 says we have 25% poverty and B-pert says it is 50%!

Amazing claims since the semi-official poverty line is $12,000 a year for a single self-supporter and $22,000 for a family of four, assumed to be a husband a wife and two children.

That translates to $1000 per month for the single, a figure that qualifies you for food assistance and some other government support systems.

The $12K single/$22K family criterion represents 15 percent of the US population.

15 percent of 320 milion people is about 48 million total.. That is the same number of people who get food assistance right now, say to the tune of $160-200 per month. Effectively, that is $1000 income plus $200 Food Stamps or $1200 per month, or $14,400 per year.

As GUEST,Patsy said (before being rudely treated) is that just ain't poverty in a world where $1.25 a day is the current poverty line.