According to the US Census, poverty and uninsurance rates are at all-time highs.

The Census Bureau reports the number of Americans in poverty jumped to 15.1 percent in 2010, a 27-year high.

About 46.2 million people, or nearly 1 in 6, were in poverty. That’s up from 43.6 million, or 14.3 percent, in 2009. It was the highest level since 1993.

The number of people lacking health insurance increased to 49.9 million, a new high after revisions were made to 2009 figures. Losses were due mostly to working-age Americans who lost employer-provided insurance in the weak economy. Main provisions of the health overhaul don’t take effect until 2014.

It’s time for political elites to start paying attention to how much pain has already been inflicted on the poor, working, and middle classes of America in this economy. Stop with the deficit hawking, stop pushing austerity and the help American people now. People have felt more than enough pain for one economic downturn.

Alternatively, we can just embrace more austerity!