Poverty Stats

1 in 6 Americans in poverty

07:05 AM PDT on Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Associated Press

The level of poverty in America is even worse than first believed. A revised formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations show that approximately 47.4 million Americans last year lived in poverty, 7 million more than the government's official figure. The disparity occurs because of differing formulas the Census Bureau and the National Academy of Science use for calculating the poverty rate.

--The NAS formula shows the poverty rate to be at 15.8 percent, or nearly 1 in 6 Americans, according to calculations released this week. That's higher than the 13.2 percent, or 39.8 million, figure made available recently under the original government formula. That measure, created in 1955, does not factor in rising medical care, transportation, child care or geographical variations in living costs. Nor does it consider non-cash government aid when calculating income. As a result, official figures released last month by Census may have overlooked millions of poor people, many of them 65 and older.

--About 18.7 percent of Americans 65 and older, or nearly 7.1 million, are in poverty compared to 9.7 percent, or 3.7 million, under the traditional measure. That's due to out-of-pocket expenses from rising Medicare premiums, deductibles and a coverage gap in the prescription drug benefit. About 14.3 percent of people 18 to 64, or 27 million, are in poverty, compared to 11.7 percent under the traditional measure. Many of the additional poor are low-income, working people with transportation and child-care costs.

--Child poverty is lower, at about 17.9 percent, or roughly 13.3 million, compared to 19 percent under the traditional measure. That's because single mothers and their children disproportionately receive non-cash aid such as food stamps. Poverty rates were higher for non-Hispanic whites (11 percent), Asians (17 percent) and Hispanics (29 percent) when compared to the traditional measure. For blacks, poverty remained flat at 24.7 percent, due to the cushioning effect of non-cash aid.

--The Northeast and West saw bigger jumps in poverty, due largely to cities with higher costs of living such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Census Bureau said it expedited release of the alternative numbers for this month because of the interest expressed by lawmakers and the Obama administration in seeing a fuller range of numbers. Legislation pending in Congress would mandate a switch to the revised formula, although the White House could choose to act on its own.

--Arloc Sherman, a senior researcher at the nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said that because the revised formula factors in non-cash government aid, the amount of increase in poverty from 2007 to 2008 was generally smaller compared to the current measure.

-----Also released today: More people in the world now are 'urgently hungry' compared to any other time in history due to a global food shortage (WHO).

Practice Tournament Information:

The Bellingham high school practice debate tournament is scheduled for:
Tuesday, October 27
starting 3:30
Bellingham High School (2020 Cornwall)

This is a two round friendly, educational, tournament. The primary function of this tournament is to give constructive feedback to the debaters. Please feel free to interrupt the flow of the debate if you feel this is the most effective way to provide feedback. However, please be watchful of the time.

Judges for this tournament are:
Kathryn Anderson - professor at Fairhaven College; judging LD
Bryce Danz - WWU debater; judging LD
Jim Gunsolus - debate supporter; judging policy
Alec Baker - WWU debater; judging policy
Duane Goehring - WWU debater; judging policy

Round 1

Mitsu/Gordon (aff) vs Rose/Connor (neg); judge - Western Student "A"

Hayley/Hyein (aff) vs Alex/Kaitlin/Max (neg); judge Western Student "B"
optional third pairing; judge Jim Gunsolus

Julia (aff) vs Nate (neg); judge Kathryn

Ben (aff) vs John(neg); judge Western Student "C"

Round 2

Alex/Kaitlin/Max (aff) vs Mitsu/Gordon (neg); judge Jim

Rose/Conor (aff) vs Hayley/Hyein (neg); judge Western Student "B"
optional third pairing; judge Western Student "A"

Nate (aff) vs Ben (neg); judge Western Student "C"

John (aff) vs Julia (neg); judge Kathryn

Rooms:

115 – Mullarky/Wooding

120 - Wilson

121 - Mansfield

122 - Bezanson

127 – Freeman

are reserved for the debate team.

When completed please make sure the rooms are returned to their original set-up.

Weekly Agenda + More Whitman Info

Agenda:
Tuesday- Elections, fundraiser, Draft I due (LD'ers), States CP (novices), Free work time (returning debaters)

Wednesday- Free work time, everyone

Whitman Info:
We are taking off at approximately 6AM on Thursday, Nov 5. Registration is at 3pm. Bring sleeping bag in case don't want to share beds, but otherwise please pack light!!! Bring money/food for lunch and dinner for all three days. Usually Whitman provides lunch/dinner for $5 each. Free breakfast at our hotel.

Hotel information:

Travelodge
421 East Main Street

Main Street & Touchet
Walla Walla, WA 99362 US

Phone:	509-529-4940
Fax:	509-529-4943

We have 8 rooms reserved for 20 students and 3 adults. Free breakfast is included.

Students attending:
Sehome- Nicolle Stewart, Amy Han, Conner Helms, Rose Osborne, Will McShane, Kylie Behmer, Amelia Mulka, Lee Bartlett, Peter Kolodychuk

Squalicum- Ben Kaas (I realize with one student attending, it's difficult to rent a vehicle. Next time we will ask BHS or SHS to rent an extra vehicle instead of SQHS).

Bellingham- Gordon Friedman, Mitsu Gunsolus, Kaitlin Jacobus, Nate Cancilla, Hayley Krogh, Hyein Park, Katy Hagin, Julia Hobart, John Lagaire, Alex Reed

Driver Information:
James Gunsolus (BHS parent)
Aly Hoover (advisor)
Ann Osborne (SHS parent)

Both parents will have been fingerprinted and turned in all paperwork a week before the tournament.

Get certified for Whitman

http://www.whitman.edu/rhetoric/hstourn/505student0info.htm

Follow this link if you are going to Whitman. Do the certification in order to qualify.

Agenda for week of 10/12

Hi All,

We finally have our first tournament of the year under our belt, but we can't rest on our laurels just yet. We have a competitive tournament coming up, the Whitman tournament November 5-7th. Please let me know by Wednesday of this week if you intend to attend the Whitman tournament. I have to make van/hotel accommodations based on our numbers ASAP.

Please also note that our potluck will be hosted this Sunday, October 18th at 5pm. The Hobart/Sheedy household will be our gracious host. Their address is: 30 Sunflower Circle in Sudden Valley. If you get lost, like I often do in Sudden Valley- 738-0666.
They are about 20 minutes away from I5 at Lakeway Drive (Exit 253).

For the potluck, we highly encourage new debaters and their guardians to attend. We always have a good time, and this is open to everyone. Please bring a dish to share according to your last name: A-H = a salad type dish, I-M = drinks or appetizers, N-Z = dessert type dish.

For this week, we will be doing the following at practices:

Tuesday 10/13- Review tournament, rebuttal speeches (for LD/CX)
Wednesday 10/14- Whitman sign-ups, Election speeches, Counterplans (CX), case draft I finished (LD)