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Social Security Kept 27 Million Americans Out of Poverty in 2013 [View all]
I posted this article in GD http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025915356
The New Deal programs are not as popular on DU as they used to be.
I believe any Populist movement MUST fight strongly those who are attempting to dismantle the New Deal Social Safety Net.
Social Security Kept 27 Million Americans Out of Poverty in 2013
Government programs can effectively reduce poverty in the United States. Using the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM)—a more comprehensive measure of economic security than traditional poverty thresholds—the figure below illustrates the strength of the government to mitigate the incidence of poverty.
Social Security is, by far, the most effective anti-poverty program in the United States. Without Social Security, an additional 8.6 percent of Americans, or nearly 27 million, would fall below the SPM poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, kept 2.9 percent of Americans, or 9 million, above the SPM poverty threshold. Other programs, such as SNAP (food stamps), Supplemental Security Income, housing subsidies, and unemployment insurance, also have a significant impact on the ability of families to stay afloat.
Social Security is, by far, the most effective anti-poverty program in the United States. Without Social Security, an additional 8.6 percent of Americans, or nearly 27 million, would fall below the SPM poverty threshold. Refundable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, kept 2.9 percent of Americans, or 9 million, above the SPM poverty threshold. Other programs, such as SNAP (food stamps), Supplemental Security Income, housing subsidies, and unemployment insurance, also have a significant impact on the ability of families to stay afloat.
Thanks to the Democratic Party, led by FDR, the party that cared about the people enough to initiate these Social Safety Nets, now under attack, not only from the Right, but also sadly from some in our own party.
The Chained CPI would cut SS benefits.
The Chained CPI was 'taken off the table' during election season. Probably with the hope it would not be a liability for Democrats, which it certainly would and should be.
I suppose they think that we won't remember these things if they just hide them when they need our votes.
FDR's work for the American people is almost unprecedented.
I cannot imagine anyone calling themselves a Democrat wanting to touch these programs other than to make them even better.
But sadly as we know, it was a Democrat who put SS 'on the deficit table'.
Would FDR have done that? Or LBJ even?
Not in a million years.
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