sticking with the subway handout theme
So J got me digging around trying to figure out exactly how "poverty" is defined.
As far as I can tell, the answer is: in 1963, a Social Security statistician (Mollie Orshanky) took the Agriculture Department's estimate of the amount of money needed to feed a family on a very economical dietary plan, and multiplied by three. This number was the definition of the poverty line in 1963 (technically it's apparently called a "threshold" and, of course, depends on the size of your family). To get the poverty threshold for a later year, take the 1963 number and adjust for inflation according to the consumer price index.
The multiplication by three comes from a study (1955!) showing that food accounts for about one third of an average family's spending.
Is this the answer, for real? Anyone know? If so, WTF?
This summary suggests that this is basically right. I'm pretty mystified at such a baroque measure being the standard. It even says that (multiple) people have suggested at least using updated guidelines on food consumption, but nothing like that has happened.
As far as I can tell, the answer is: in 1963, a Social Security statistician (Mollie Orshanky) took the Agriculture Department's estimate of the amount of money needed to feed a family on a very economical dietary plan, and multiplied by three. This number was the definition of the poverty line in 1963 (technically it's apparently called a "threshold" and, of course, depends on the size of your family). To get the poverty threshold for a later year, take the 1963 number and adjust for inflation according to the consumer price index.
The multiplication by three comes from a study (1955!) showing that food accounts for about one third of an average family's spending.
Is this the answer, for real? Anyone know? If so, WTF?
This summary suggests that this is basically right. I'm pretty mystified at such a baroque measure being the standard. It even says that (multiple) people have suggested at least using updated guidelines on food consumption, but nothing like that has happened.