Everyone from the 99 Percenters [1] to the Have-Plenty [2] knows it: ours is a highly unequal society. And a highly unequal society demands a robust social safety net [3]. Do we have one? Not so much. Take a look:
Wealth has concentrated:
…and though economists tell us the recession is over, you could have fooled us. There’s barely any recovery on unemployment…
[4]
…with Hispanics and African-Americans the hardest hit.
[5]
So the number of Americans on food stamps is climbing…
[6]
…and millions more are getting their health insurance through Medicaid.
[7]
Programs to serve the homeless are dramatically underfunded.
[8]
The fragmented safety net leaves millions of children in poverty:
[9]
…and despite all this, the share of qualifying Americans who are able to access public services has fallen.
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[10]
Want to know more? Check out The Nation’s new special issue [11] on America’s fragmented safety net.
