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Back to To the Point

To the Point

American Inequality: A Children's Story

The widening gap between America’s haves and have-nots is usually expressed with hard data on the declining wages and incomes of working adults. Sociologist Robert Putnam takes a different approach — using personal stories to show how poor children lose the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.

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By Warren Olney • Mar 18, 2015 • 1 min read

The widening gap between America’s haves and have-nots is usually expressed with hard data on the declining wages and incomes of working adults. Sociologist Robert Putnam takes a different approach — using personal stories to show how poor children lose the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Family and community life that used to help poor kids prepare for the future are on the decline. Is the Internet making things better or worse? Is inequality becoming an issue in next year’s presidential campaign — for both political parties?

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Andrea Brody

    Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

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    Benjamin Gottlieb

    Reporter, Fill-in Host

  • KCRW placeholder

    Claire Martin

    Producer, To the Point/Which Way LA?

  • KCRW placeholder

    Robert Putnam

    Harvard University

  • KCRW placeholder

    Duncan Campbell

    Friends of the Children

  • KCRW placeholder

    Andrew Keen

    tech-industry commentator

    NewsNationalPolitics
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