The federal poverty rate was more than 11% in 2021, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, and has been roughly flat since 1970. That's 50 years of nearly 1 in 9 Americans living in poverty, with 1 in 8 children living in poverty in the U.S.
Experts believe the poverty rate could be higher due to official statistics excluding the more than 1 million people in jails across this country.
So why does the richest nation in the world still have so many people living in poverty? According to a new book, "Poverty, by America," by sociologist Matthew Desmond, it's because many of America's richest citizens benefit from keeping people in poverty.
The Pulitzer Prize winning-author takes a hard look at not just the structural changes that would need to happen to eliminate poverty, but also the change in behavior many Americans need embrace in order to fix a broken system.
On Monday's “Sound of Ideas”, host Rick Jackson speaks with Matthew Desmond about his new book, ahead of his appearance at the Parma-Snow Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library.
Later in the hour, a conversation about soil health, as we head towards Earth Day.
Rick Jackson speaks with two experts focused on soil health to discuss why not farmers, but home gardeners have a crucial role to play in fostering healthy soil - which impacts overall climate.
GUESTS:
- Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize winning sociologist and author, "Poverty, by America"
- Tory Erpenbeck, landscape consultant and regenerative soil scientist
- Jim Hoorman, soil health specialist; Ohio State University Extension educator
