standard of living in the usa is sinking ...., page-23

"With due respect, Robert Rector's report is dated 5 January 2004."

According to the most recent US Census data the poverty line for a family of four is $22,314. In 2004 when the report was published the number was $18,392.

"Minimal research would have shown the content of your post to be the work of a "think tank" paid by the Republican Party to build the case against welfare (among other things).

It's biased, deeply political and out of date."

Minimal research on your behalf would have shown the figures are referenced from US Energy Consumption survey and the US Urban Developments surveys of the same year. As for being out of data, here are the figures from the 2009 & 2011 reports. % poor families with:

Microwave: 92.3%
Aircon: 81.6%
Car: 74.1%
Cable TV: 63.7%
Internet: 42.6%
Dishwasher: 39.7%

Anyways, $22k per annum for a family of four is hardly a glowing bias point of view. How does anyone live on that?

What it shows is that the standard of the poor in the United
States has risen along with the rest of the nation, albeit with a greater divide.