In 2007 there were 16.million of us below the poverty line. In 2010 that was 19 million. According to the Nation (the source of everything below), quoting the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities that would have been even  9.9 million higher   except for the Stimulus.

One of those stimulants was continuing the food stamp program which alone saved 4 million from poverty. In 2007 on any given day 26 million of us used them. Now  that’s 46 million.

Won’t be for long. By 2013 $11billion-about 20%- of the funding will disappear.

TPM describes the process. Essentially it will dodge the Senate bill by resolution to go to conference. Reid has said he won't  but I think he'll have to swallow his pride. Otherwise the democrats will have the blame on Jan 2 when

- the payroll tax reduction ends

- unemployment compensation is cut

- Medicare is crippled by imposition of a 30% cut in physicians pay—which will cause the docs to withdraw services.

When/if those things happen, it shouldn't be because Reid refused to call some senators back to negotiate.  

This just in..The perfect top marginal  rate is 70%.

 Brad Delong says that  Paul Krugman says that Mark Thoma says that Emmanuel Saez and Nobel laureate Peter Diamond say  that's the sweet spot where the Government achieves the maximum overall good 

Good being defined as the Govt causing as little unhappiness as possible while collecting as much  cash as possible. Or balancing the fiscal requirements of the deficit with  the moral need to do that as painlessly as possible.

Making an omelet without breaking eggs.