GOP contenders who would simply say that 46 million Americans haven't pulled on their bootstraps hard enough. Ron Paul would yawn. We live in that kind of country now.
Amid a still struggling economy, more Americans fell below the poverty line last year, according to new census data released Tuesday.
The nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent in 2010, its highest level since 1993. About 46.2 million people are considered in need.
The government defines the poverty line as income of $22,314 a year for a family of four and $11,139 for an individual. The Office of Management and Budget updates the poverty line each year to account for inflation. Chicago Trib
