2010 Poverty Rate Highest In Years

The poverty rate in 2010 was the highest since 1993, according to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

15.1 percent of Americans were found to be in poverty last year, a .8 percent increase from 2009. The percentage reflects 46.2 million Americans, the largest segment of the population to qualify as impoverished in the 52 years that the Census Bureau has been charting the rate.

The percentage of families in poverty also rose, going from 11.1 percent and 8 million people in 2009 to 11.7 percent and 9.2 million just one year later.

Median household income was shown to have declined by 2.3 percent from the previous year.

The data was charted in the first full calendar year following the December 2007-June 2009 recession.

Four U.S. Soldiers Now In Libya

The U.S. now has boots on the ground in Libya, albeit not many.

Four members of the U.S. military are accompanying State Department personnel as part of an effort to determine when the American embassy in the country should be re-opened, according to the Defense Department.

The four arrived over the weekend and are reportedly armed for their personal protection. The team includes two explosive ordnance specialists who are on hand due to concerns over hazards posed by remaining munitions in the area.

The Defense Department maintains that this is the only on-ground involvement from the U.S. military currently in the pipeline and emphasized that their entry into the country does not signal any significant change in U.S. policy.

Poll: Obama In Dead Heat With GOP Frontrunners

In hypothetical 2012 matchups, President Barack Obama appears to be in a dead heat with the Republican party’s two frontrunners.

According to a poll from Quinnipiac University, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney ties the President while Texas Governor Rick Perry trails Obama by just three points.

The poll also found that if given a generic 2012 Presidential ballot, Republicans and Democrats tie 38-38 percent.

The survey was conducted among 2,730 registered voters between August 16th and 27th. 

Full data can be found here.

MLK Memorial Dedication Postponed

Sunday’s dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the latest addition to the National Mall, has been postponed due to concerns over Hurricane Irene.

According to the MLK Memorial Foundation, the ceremony will likely be pushed back until September or October.

President Barack Obama and the First Family were initially scheduled to attend the dedication, along with a slate of celebrities, including music artists Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

The National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning for the D.C. region Friday morning, warning that the storm could hit as soon as Saturday evening.

Boehner: McConnell Plan "May Be Worthy At Some Point"

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Thursday that a controversial plan laid out by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) should remain on the table as debt negotiations continue.

“What may look like something less than optimal today … might look pretty good a couple of weeks from now,” Boehner said. “I think it’s an option that may be worthy at some point.”

The McConnell proposal would allow lawmakers to raise the debt limit three times before the 2012 election. Republicans have widely blasted the plan for giving the President too much power.

When asked Thursday if he believed the deal would pass in the House, Boehner said that he was unsure.

On Wednesday, the White House said that the plan was not the preferred option since the President has refused to endorse any temporary extensions for the debt limit.