POVERTY NUMBERS DIP BUT STILL WAY TOO HIGH

According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans living in poverty dipped in 1999 to the lowest level in 21 years. Even so, there still were 32.2 million Americans living in poverty. Keep in mind that the government sets the threshold for poverty at $17,029 for a family of four last year.

Income levels alone are good for statistics, but they don't tell the whole story. In some parts of the country, $17,029 for a family four would provide adequate food, clothing and shelter. But in other areas it would be far too little to live on.

What is most distressing about these figures is the knowledge that individuals and families who live below federal poverty levels are often those least likely to make wise decisions about the money they have. Fast food, cigarettes, cable-TV service and telephones too often are priorities for poverty-level families, which makes job-related items such as transportation clothes to wear to work unaffordable.

Both President Clinton and Republicans in Congress cite the reduced poverty numbers as signals of success. Who could possibly call 32.2 million Americans living in poverty a "success"?