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Von Aldo

Poverty Sucks, but Why Not Count "Obama Money?"

Watch Obama Money video here.

I don't get why entitlements from city, state, and federal gub'ments (say in yer best Michigan militia accent) isn't counted in poverty stats. The Census Bureau reports that poverty increased in 2009 versus 2008.

CnnMoney.com says, "The nation's poverty rate jumped to 14.3% in 2009, its highest level since 1994, and the 43.6 million Americans in need is the highest number in 51 years of record-keeping, the government said Thursday."

The story goes on: "The income used to calculate poverty status includes earnings, workman's compensation, unemployment insurance, Social Security, veteran's payments, pensions, interest and dividends, and just about every other source of cash.

"It does not, however, include capital gains, so, theoretically, millionaires could qualify as poor if they lived solely by selling off investments.

"Non-cash benefits, such as food stamps or subsidized rents, also do not count as income." (Emphasis added.) Let's see, some $2 trillion is redistributed in federal entitlements alone and it is not counted in poverty calculations? Remember: We live in a society in which the poor are more likely to suffer from obesity than from starvation.

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