The Myth of America:

Everybody has the chance to succeed in America. That's what democracy is all about, right? But the truth is you have a better chance to improve your lot in life in many European countries than in the U. S.

Paul Krugman points out in today's New York Times that since 1969 the rate of poverty in America has been steadily slipping back. Twenty-three percent of American children lived in poverty in 1963. Five years later, after L. B. J. declared war on poverty, that rate had dropped to 14 percent. In 2006 the rate had climbed back up to 17.4 percent. Considering the current state of the economy, that rate is likely to climb even higher. We could easily find ourselves back up to levels where one out of four children is living in poverty, including the greatest poverty of all, poverty of opportunity.

And the great man said, "Home is important. It's important to have a home." — George W. Bush, Crawford, Texas, February 18, 2001.