U.S. Poverty Rate Drops; John Edwards Scrambles for New Campaign Platform

OK, John Edwards isn't really giving up on the Two Americas, but he might want to after reading about the drop in U.S. poverty.

The nation's poverty rate was 12.3 percent in 2006, down from 12.6 percent a year before, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Median household income increased slightly, to $48,200.

Orrin Judd notes that if a family of four works 80 hours per week for $8.50 an hour, they would earn $35,360 per year, well above the poverty level of $20,444. But don't point that out to Democrats on the campaign trail.