Homeless people are sleeping on public property. What shall we do?

The working poor need more money. “But retail stores can’t raise wages very much—their profit margins are too small,” say conservatives. Aha—but there is a solution!

Political arguments over the impact of racism in America can often devolve into a stalemate of feelings. Here is one very concrete way to measure what racism has done—and is doing—to our country.

So you want to live in New York City.

The Middle Class, a popular figure in American folklore, died this week after a long battle with capitalism. Its passing has been expected since the recent death of its partner, The American Dream.

The city of Albuquerque is trying the radical approach of giving homeless people jobs. Perhaps not as satisfying a solution as just outlawing homelessness, but it has the advantage of working.

Thomas Piketty calculates that the Middle East is the most economically unequal region on earth. Could this have anything to do with terrorism?? What a controversial thought!

For the poorest people in the country, a huge portion of their income is being consumed by shit.

Attention, American voters: make the right choice in 2016. Elect the candidate from the party the firmly vows not to raise your wages. Uhhhhhh.

People who are so poor that they’re selling their own blood plasma are being paid with prepaid debit cards that include exorbitant fees that go to big banks. That just seems like a very mean thing to do, frankly.

Amid all of the loud political arguments about taxes, inequality, and the size of government, it is important to keep in mind this overarching fact: having our government push wealth from the rich to the poor is a very good idea.

A new report says America’s affordable housing crisis will soon grow worse, with an 11% rise in households spending more than half their income on rent over the next decade. So: any bright ideas?

Puerto Rico is facing an unsustainable level of debt. Its lenders, guardians of financial probity that they are, have come up with a solution: close schools.http://gawker.com/moral-hazard-a…

For the past few months, we have been bringing you true stories of Americans who receive welfare, food stamps, and other public benefits. Today we bring you our tenth and final installment of what it’s really like surviving on public generosity. These are worth reading.

Yesterday, the Oklahoma Republican Party posted a message on Facebook comparing America’s food stamp receipts—almost half of whom are children—to wild animals dependent on handouts.

In 2013, one in five American children officially lived in poverty. Black children have the worst luck of all.

From time to time, New York City’s reactionary elements decide to villainize the homeless by casting them as menaces to the quality of life of decent folks. Our parks—our precious public parks—are full of homeless people, you see. Well? Good.

Last night, Barack Obama announced a big increase in the overtime threshold. For millions of Americans, this could mean a significant earnings increase, and/ or better working conditions. A rare sign of progress in the class war.

State politicians across America are trying to restrict access to welfare and other anti-poverty benefits. To put this in perspective, we’re bringing you true stories from people who receive these benefits. A taste of society’s parsimonious generosity, below.

One plausible estimate finds that America’s lowest-income households may spend more money playing (losing) the lottery than on any other form of tax. The lottery functions as a tax on those who can least afford to pay it.