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Some 1.3 million Americans slid into poverty in
2003 as the ranks of the poor rose 4 percent to 35.9 million, with
children and blacks worse off than most, the government said on
August 26, 2004 in a report that fueled Democratic criticism of
President George W. Bush. (Reuters)
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The number of Americans living in poverty or
without health insurance grew last year, a government survey showed,
adding dynamite to the battle for the White House.
The ranks of the financially stricken in the world's most powerful
economy climbed 1.3 million to 35.9 million people in 2003, pushing up the
poverty rate to 12.5 percent from 12.1 percent, the Census Bureau said.
It is the third year in a row that it has
increased and the highest poverty rate since 1998, when 12.7 percent of
Americans lived in poverty. The poverty threshold
is 18,810 dollars annually for a family of four or
9,393 dollars for a single person.
With opinion polls showing the economy as the most
important issue to Americans, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry
seized on the figures to lash
out
at President George W. Bush's economic record.
"Today confirms the failure of President Bush's
policies for all Americans," the Massachusetts senator said in a
statement. "While George Bush tries to convince America's families that
we're turning the corner, slogans and empty rhetoric
can't hide the real story."
The census survey showed an even bleaker picture
among children, with more than one in six of those under the age of 18 living in poverty. The number of children living in poverty rose
to 12.9 million from 12.1 million, pushing up their
poverty rate to 17.6 percent from 16.7 percent.
Among minorities, only Asians experienced a poverty rate increase, from
10 percent in 2002 to 11.8 percent in 2003.
While the
poverty rate rose, the median, or mid-range, household income remained at
43,318 dollars between 2002-2003, following two consecutive years of
decline.
Meanwhile, the number of people without health insurance
climbed 1.4 million to 45.0 million in 2003, lifting the no-coverage
rate to 15.6 percent from 15.2 percent.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-08-26 11:16