Millions of Americans to Be Driven Into Poverty, Study Says

The number of Americans living in poverty has grown by 27 percent, or 10 million people, since the beginning of the “Great Recession” in 2006, according to an Indiana University study. And because of continued cuts to welfare programs and an increase in new, poorly paid jobs, those figures will continue to rise. –ARK

The Guardian:

“One of the big surprises is that poverty in the United States is likely to continue to increase even as the economic recovery unfolds,” said Graham. “The unique feature of the great recession is not just the high rate of unemployment, but the long duration of unemployment that millions of Americans have experienced. [For] a lot of these long-term unemployed, the job that they had won’t exist when they go back in to the labour market.”

Graham said that many of those who once held well-paid jobs will be forced to settle for lower paying work, trapping some in a permanent cycle of poverty.

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Note: The study’s executive summary, and a link to its full text, are available on Truthdig here.