Four Years Later And Hispanics Are Worse Off Than Before

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WHILE CAMPAIGNING FOR PRESIDENT, OBAMA ASKED IF THE COUNTRY WOULD BE BETTER OFF IN FOUR YEARS

Obama Asked, “Will This Country Be Better Off Four Years From Now?” “The question in this election is not ‘Are you better off than you were four years ago?’ We know the answer to that. The real question is, ‘Will this country be better off four years from now?’” (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Sarasota, FL, 10/30/08)

Obama In 2008: “Today, that fundamental American promise is at risk. Our nation is at war and our economy is in turmoil. More Americans are out of work, and have mortgages they can’t pay, and cars they can’t afford to drive, and wonder how they’ll ever afford to retire. And we’ve all seen the statistics - we all know the Hispaniccommunity has been especially hard hit.” (Senator Barack Obama, Remarks To The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala, Washington, D.C., 9/10/08)

FOUR YEARS LATER AND HISPANICS ARE WORSE OFF THAN BEFORE 

Hispanics “Have Been Hit Harder By The Bleak Economy”

Hispanics “Have Been Hit Harder By The Bleak Economy Than Any Other Group.” “The rise in childhood poverty is another signal of distress for the nation’s 50.5 million Hispanics, who have been hit harder by the bleak economy than any other group.” (Carol Morello and Ted Mellnik, “Hispanic Kids The Largest Group Of Children Living In Poverty,” The Washington Post, 9/28/11)

Unemployment, Foreclosures, And Poverty Rates Are Higher Among Hispanics Than The General Population. “The unemployment rate among Latinos is 11.3 percent, more than 2 points higher than the general population. Hispanics have felt the home foreclosure more than non-Hispanic whites, and 2010 census figures revealed that more Latino children are living in poverty — 6.1 million — than children of any other racial or ethnic group.” (Alex Leary, “Florida Hispanics’ Frustration With President Barack Obama Is Jobs,” St. Petersburg Times, 10/14/11)

Between 2008 And 2010, 2.3 Million Hispanic-Americans Fell Into Poverty And The Poverty Rate For Hispanic-Americans Increased From 23.2 Percent To 26.6 Percent. (People With Income Below Specified Ratios Of Their Poverty Thresholds By Selected Characteristics, 2008, US Census Bureau, 9/10/2009; People And Families In Poverty By Selected Characteristics: 2009 And 2010, US Census Bureau, 9/13/11)

• “Hispanics Now Make Up The Largest Group Of Children Living In Poverty.” “Hispanics now make up the largest group of children living in poverty, the first time in U.S. history that poor white kids have been outnumbered by poor children of another race or ethnicity, according to a new study.” (Carol Morello and Ted Mellnik, “Hispanic Kids The Largest Group Of Children Living In Poverty,” The Washington Post, 9/28/11)
• Hispanic Household Wealth Has Declined More Steeply Than Blacks And Whites. “They have one of the highest unemployment rates and saw their household wealth decline more steeply than either blacks or whites, largely because so many lost their houses to foreclosure.” (Carol Morello and Ted Mellnik, “Hispanic Kids The Largest Group Of Children Living In Poverty,” The Washington Post, 9/28/11)

More Hispanics Are Unemployed Under Obama 

Hispanics Are More Likely To Be Jobless. “African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to be left broke, jobless and concerned that they lack the skills needed to shape their economic futures.” (Michael A. Fletcher and Jon Cohen, “Economy Poll: African Americans, Hispanics Were Hit Hardest But Are Most Optimistic,”The Washington Post, 2/20/11)

Since President Obama Took Office, The Unemployment Rate For Hispanics Has Increased From 10.0 Percent To 10.3 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Accessed 4/11/12)

•  “Nearly 6 In 10 Hispanic Households Reported Someone Out Of Work At Some Point In 2011.” “Nearly 6 in 10 Hispanic households reported someone out of work at some point in 2011, and the community as a whole is falling into poverty at a faster rate than any other group, according to the Pew Research Center.” (Mark Pfeifle, “Conditions Are Right For GOP To Make Big Inroads With Hispanics,” The Huffington Post, 4/9/12)

 “A Third Of Working Hispanics – More Than In Any Other Group – Felt Insecure In Their Jobs.” (Michael A. Fletcher and Jon Cohen, “Economy Poll: African Americans, Hispanics Were Hit Hardest But Are Most Optimistic,” The Washington Post, 2/20/11)

“Hispanics Were The Most Likely To Be ‘Underemployed,’ Either Jobless Or Eager To Work More Than They Do.” (Michael A. Fletcher and Jon Cohen, “Economy Poll: African Americans, Hispanics Were Hit Hardest But Are Most Optimistic,” The Washington Post, 2/20/11)

And More Hispanics Lack Health Insurance 

“More Americans Lack Health Care Today Than Did Four Years Ago.” “The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index data reveal that more Americans lack health care today than did four years ago. Groups that were already among the least likely to have coverage — Hispanics, low-income Americans, and blacks — have become even more likely to be uninsured.” (Elizabeth Mendes, “More Americans Uninsured In 2011,” Gallup, 1/24/12)

“Hispanic Americans Continue To Be The Most Likely To Be Uninsured, With More Than 40% Going Without Health Coverage In 2011.” “Hispanic Americans continue to be the most likely to be uninsured, with more than 40% going without health coverage in 2011, the highest Gallup has found for any key group since it began tracking in 2008. More than 30% of low-income Americans were uninsured in 2011 — a figure that has been rising since 2008, when it was 26.4%.” (Elizabeth Mendes, “More Americans Uninsured In 2011,” Gallup, 1/24/12)

• Gallup Has Consistently Found That Hispanics Are Among The Most Likely In The U.S. To Be Uninsured Since It Started Tracking Health Insurance Status In January 2008. (Elizabeth Mendes, “Uninsured Rates Vary From 4% to 50% Across U.S. Metro Areas,” Gallup, 3/27/12)

“An Average Of 49% Of Residents Is Hispanic In The 10 Metro Areas With The Highest Uninsured Rates, Compared With 8.3% In The 10 Areas With The Lowest Rates.” (Elizabeth Mendes, “Uninsured Rates Vary From 4% to 50% Across U.S. Metro Areas,” Gallup, 3/27/12)

FOUR YEARS LATER, OBAMA ANSWERS HIS OWN QUESTION HE ASKED IN 2008 

Obama: Americans Are Not Better Off Than They Were Four Years Ago. OBAMA: “Well I don’t think they are better off than they were four years ago. They’re not better off than they were before Lehman’s collapse, before the financial crisis, before this extraordinary recession that we’re going through.” (ABC News/Yahoo News’ Live Interview, 10/3/11)