Income Up – Poverty Down – Do You Believe That?

How suspicious are you about data reports from the federal government.  I haven’t believed much in the past 7 years and that goes for the latest report from the Census Bureau which shows that Americans are seeing real economic gains after the end of the Great Recession, with a big jump in pay and decrease in poverty. Donald Trump’s campaign is in part built on the idea that that isn’t true, that things aren’t nearly as good as they can be and that America needs change.  Millions of Americans agree – but that’s NOT what the census report says.

According to the president’s people, the median U.S. household's income rose 5.2 percent in 2015 after seven years of stagnant wages, the largest one-year gain seen in data back to 1967.  Did you experience a 50 year event in terms of pay increase?

This would be good news if it’s true but is it.  The census says poverty was cut from 14.8 percent to 13.5 percent, also the biggest drop in nearly 50 years. WOW. That’s quite a record of success-IF it’s true.  And how disappointing to not be able to trust a simple statistical pronouncement for concern that it is being used to undercut a presidential candidate and prop up a president’s legacy.

The Census data says that the increase was driven by the poorest Americans, with half of the states having increased their minimum wages since 2014, and lower unemployment leading to pay raises to attract workers for low-wage jobs.

Again I ask, it’s from the U.S, Census bureau – do you believe it’s true?