New census numbers show the American Dream is threatened in Maryland

The Great Recession has stalled the American dream. The wrong decisions about future budgets could make it a total wreck. A newly released census report shows the effect of the national recession and the weak recovery on Maryland.

Maryland remains a prosperous state. Maryland’s income, at over $64,000, ranks third in the nation (measured as median household income, half of Maryland households earn more and half earn less).  It’s almost 15k above the national average.

Marylanders share American values about a strong middle class and access to opportunities. We have come to expect that the average family in each generation will live better than the last. But, the growth has stalled in last decades. Adjusted for inflation, the median income is $5000 below its 2006 level.  The median household’s buying power is now back to 1988 levels. The middle class has lost the gains it made over the last 22 years.

Marylanders share the American value that everyone deserves a chance at a decent living. The poverty level is about $22,000 for a family of four, and $11,000 for an individual. In 2010, 620,000 Marylanders lived in poverty. That is an increase of 129,000 since the onset of the recession in 2007. Maryland’s poverty rate is now 10.8 percent: our highest rate since 1992.

Marylanders, like most Americans, believe that everyone deserves access to healthcare when they need it. But, the census data shows that 747,000 Marylanders have no health insurance coverage. That’s more than one of every eight of us. This number is essentially unchanged from last year, and it’s a near record. And without government coverage, such as Medicare and Medicaid, it would be much worse. 1.4 million Marylanders are insured through government plans.

The recession hurt families in Maryland and across the country. Government programs like food stamps and the earned income tax credit are keeping thousands of us afloat, and preventing more of us from falling into poverty. Medicare and Medicaid are providing critical access to medical care, especially for children, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Our representatives are getting down to the tough work of balancing the federal and state budgets and promoting new jobs. We need to make sure they protect the programs that help keep us in good health and out of poverty when we are hit by economic setbacks.