lbo-talk-digest V1 #3614

[John Halle]

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2000 09:21:51 -0600
> From: kelley <kwalker2 at gte.net>
> Subject: Re: bill and doug's excellent statistics
> 
> >
> >I respond:
> >
> >The point is that since those incarcerated previously made up a
> >significant fraction of the bottom end of income distribution, removing
> >them from the pool (i.e. throwing them in the slammer) has the effect of
> >making p.c. income increase.  What I'm suggesting as a possibility
> >(guidance on this point by "the pros" greatly appreciated) is that those
> >towards the top and at the middle are doing about the same and those at
> >the bottom are simply treated as if they don't exist for the purpose of
> >statistics. Not my idea of a big improvement, but the sort of
> >"improvement" which Clinton routinely trumpets, hence the remark below.
> >
> >
> 
> i woud guess that the census bureay didn't catch up with a lot of 
> folks.  here in florida, during the last census count, people simply didn't 
> go into the neighborhoods that they were afraid of.  rather, they just made 
> the numbers up based on a guess.
> 
> i forgot to mail mine in.  i filled it out and then it got buried in a 
> pile.  a follow up came.  he filled stuff in about my income!
> 
> 

So maybe even the census numbers are cooked-I wouldn't know, though Doug
certainly seems to think otherwise.

Don't mean to harp on this but it really does matter whether the economic
boom has elevated at least some of those at the bottom or whether this
impression is a statistical fiction perpetuated by establishment
economics. It also matters whether there really is the large differential
between increases in black and white p.c. income-with the latter getting
the short end of the stick.

John