The U.S. Census Bureau reported that from 2001 - 2005, the poverty rate in the US has been increasing. This is a marked reversal of an annual trend from 1993 to 2000 when poverty was declining. I really need to add here that Bill Clinton was the US President from 1992 - 2000!

The poverty rate rose from 12.5% in 2003 to 12.7 percent in 2004, and the poverty rate for African-Americans rose 24.7%. About 9.4 million African Americans, almost 25%, lived below the poverty level in 2004. Thirty-seven million Americans were living in poverty in 2005!   –> Read More Here

So, Yup, once again it is about the economy. Seems like I have heard that somewhere before! I live in the Southwest the majority of the year; the rest of my time is spent in upstate New York.  Last year, I smugly told my friends in NY that we in the Southwest had not been hit as hard as they had economically. This year’s developments here wiped that smugness off of my face!

Hillary Clinton is a proponent of:

• Lowering taxes for middle class families.
• Providing quality, affordable health care to every American.
• Making college accessible & affordable.
• Confronting housing market problems.
• Bolstering retirement security by promoting savings & investment.
• Returning to fiscal responsibility & moving towards balanced budgets.
• Harnessing innovation to create the high-wage jobs of the 21st century.
• Creating a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund for R&D development of alternative energies.
• Strengthening unions & ensuring our trade laws work for all Americans.

Any major steps, in an economic forward motion, will be gladly appreciated for us in the Southwest.  Thanks Hillary for caring enough to make things economically better for everyone!

Take Care, Sharon

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