U.S. Republican and Democratic politicians have one thing in common: They hardly mention the poor. For all practical purposes, they are a neglected minority.
President Barack Obama speaks about his push to secure "a better bargain for the middle class," and House Speaker John Boehner states, "We cannot grow the middle class and foster job creation by growing government and raising taxes." The poor have become a "dirty word" in American politics.
Poverty in America shows no preference for race — anybody can be affected. Although racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to live in poverty, race disparities among the poor have narrowed significantly since the 1970s. Still, by race, nonwhites have a higher risk, estimated at 90 percent, of being economically insecure.