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Poverty:
In 2004, 1.1 million more people slipped into poverty despite overall robust economic growth. Household incomes stagnated and earnings fell. The number of Americans without health insurance rose by 800,000, to 45.8 million.
The median household income stood at 444,389 in 2004. More people were going to work for lower earnings. A full-time male worker earned a median income of $40,798 in 2004, down $963 in inflation-adjusted dollars from 2003. Women's median earnings fell $327, to $31,223.
The poverty rate climbed in 2004 to 12.7%, from 12.5% in 2003 -- the 4th year in a row that poverty has risen.
From the start of President Bush's first term in 2001 to 2004, the number of Americans without health insurance increased from 41.2 million to 45.8 million. Last year's uninsured rate was the highest it has been since 1998.
Hispanic workers "are much less likely to have health insurance offers with jobs than they were 10 years ago," said Len Nichols, a health economist at the nonpartisan new America Foundation.
-- Census Bureau's annual report on income, poverty and health insurance as reported in the Washington Post, 8/31/05
Which Path to a Safer World?
TOOLS FOR PEACE TOOLS FOR WAR
11 Blankets for refugees $100 11 hand grenades
3-day training for 160 youth in peace building $4,000 1 rocket launcher
Enroll 2 children in Head Start $14,000 1 cluster bomb
2 home health aides for disabled elderly $40,000 1 Hellfire missile
Associate Degree training for 29 RNs $145,600 1 Bunker-buster guided bomb
Rent subsidies for 1,000 families $586,000 1,000 M-16 Rifles
Annual salary/benefits for 15 RNs $763,000 1 minute war on Iraq
Improve, repair, modernize 20 schools $46 million 1 hour war on Iraq
WIC program nutrition for 200,000 families $130 million 7 unmanned Predator drones
Eradicate polio worldwide $275 million 3 tests of missile defense system
Best vaccinations for 10 million children worldwide $350 million 6 Trident II missiles
Childcare for 68,000 needy children $413 million Amphibious Warfare Landing Ship Program
7,000 units of affordable housing $494 million 1 year military aid to Colombia
Prevent cuts to education programs (FY2003) $1.1 billion 1 day of war on Iraq
Minimum support to save Amtrak train service $1.2 billion 2 months U.S. war force in Afghanistan
Annual salary/benefits for 38,000 elementary teachers $2.1 billion 1 Stealth bomber
Double federal funding for mass transit $12 billion 1 year cost of war in Afghanistan (2001/2002)
Healthcare coverage for 7 million children $16 billion 1 year nuclear weapons program
Save 11 million lives worldwide fighting infectious diseases $38 billion 1 month U.S. current military spending
The costs of warmaking are staggering-especially while cities and states face huge budget deficits. The administration has hidden its real priorities by not putting the costs of the war on terrorism or war on Iraq in its budget. Stay informed about the real budget and other means to enhance security by seeking information from the groups below.
Partial source list: Center for Defense Information (www.cdi.org); Federation of American Scientists (www.fas.org); Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (www.cbpp.org); National Priorities Project (www.natprior.org); World Policy Institute (www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms), Children's Defense Fund (www.childrensdefense.org); UNICEF (www.unicef.org); New York Times (11/12/01; 3/18/02; 10/13/02; 12/05/02); World Health Organization (www.who.int); National Center for Education Statistics (nces.ed.gov); Mennonite Central Committee (www.mcc.org/us/colombia/dollars.html)
1940 Calvert Street, NW
Washinton, DC 20009-1502
phone: 202-265-6707
www.wifp.org