The size of the underclass is stable

Grader A: miss

The underclass was not stable. The US poverty rate rose from 11.3% in 2000 to 14.3% in 2009 and 15.9% in 2011. Concern about a left-behind group did continue, but the stability claim failed.

Test: Numeric stability: poverty rate 11.9% (1999) vs 14.3% (2009), a 20% relative increase; SNAP participation reached an all-time high of 47.6 million in 2013.

• Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty, US (FRED / Census SAIPE) (2026-09-28): 1999 11.9%, 2000 11.3%, 2008 13.2%, 2009 14.3%, 2010 15.3%, 2011 15.9%.

Grader B: miss

The US poor population did not stay stable. The official poverty rate rose from 11.9% (32.8 million people) in 1999 to 14.3% (43.6 million) in 2009 and 15.1% in 2010. It was still 14.8% in 2014. That is an increase of about a third in the number of people in poverty. The 'continuing concern' part is true; the stability claim is false.

Test: Numeric test: size of the underclass stable from 1999 to 2009. US official poverty rate: 11.9% (1999) to 14.3% (2009), +20% relative. Number in poverty: 32.8M to 43.6M, +33%. Both exceed the 25% partial band.

• Historical Poverty Tables, Table 2 (US Census Bureau) (accessed 2026-09): All people in poverty: 1999 11.9% (32.79M); 2006 12.3%; 2009 14.3% (43.57M); 2010 15.1%; 2014 14.8%.
• Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage: 2009 (P60-238) (2010-09): The poverty rate increased between 2008 and 2009.