I eagerly read through the annual Census report on income and poverty. The poverty rate is down in 2006. Actually it was down in 2005 as well, but by a small increment. So poverty dropped two years in a row. Income rose above the rate of inflation. Immigrants’ income rose faster than average. Single mothers, too. Oh and by the way, the gap between male and female income is the lowest ever recorded. This is the closest we’ve ever been to gender equality.

So, I turned to the New York Times and what did I see (comin’ forth to carry me home)? That’s right - a funeral dirge. The AP wasn’t much better. I’ll grab some highlights for you from the report itself, and from the gloomy coverage.

I’ll probably write a full column about this in the next couple of days – “Poverty Falls, Women and Minorities Hardest Hit.”