The Census Bureau released its annual report on poverty, income, and health insurance in the United States and the news is not good. The number of Americans living in poverty rose for the forth year in a row as 1.1 million more Americans were officially poor in 2004 than the year before. The data shows almost 1 in 5 American children live in poverty. In additon, almost 1 million more Americans lacked health insurance, primarily due to a decrease in employer-provided health care. Unfortunately for working families, total household income remained stagnant and income for men and women employed in full-time jobs decreased significantly. This is the first time ever that household income has failed to increase for five straight years. The Census data give just a glimpse of the reality being faced by more and more working Americans who are being forced to live without health insurance and have less money with which to purchase their own as employers increasingly focus on their profit margins at the expense of their workers. The current economic policies are not working for most Americans - only those already well-off. The decline in indicators of poverty and income for the fourth straight year should be a wake-up call for members of Congress and the administration who are seeking to make those policies permanent. It is time for a change. Read More: > Census Data Full Report> Income Stagnated and Poverty Rose in 2004, Census Shows > Coalition on Human Needs Release on Census Poverty Data > Economic Recovery Failed to Benefit Much of Population in 2004