Poverty and inequality are serious problems in the United States / Holly Sklar -- Homelessness is a serious problem / Silja J.A. Talvi -- Life for the working poor is exceptionally difficult / Barbara Ehrenreich, interviewed by Multinational Monitor -- Child poverty has decreased / Robert E. Rector -- The difficulties of the working poor are overstated / Larry Schweikart -- Broken families and single parenthood contribute to poverty / Patrick F. Fagan -- Single mothers are unfairly blamed for poverty / Lori Holyfield -- Personal irresponsibility causes poverty / Blake Hurst -- Unjust government policies contribute to poverty / Colette Jay -- American immigration policy contributes to poverty / Samuel Francis -- A variety of social factors causes homelessness / National Coalition for the Homeless -- Deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill contributes to homelessness / Ed Marciniak -- Welfare reform benefits single mothers / Christopher Jencks -- Welfare reform is a success / George W. Bush -- The media downplay the benefits of welfare reform / Richard Noyes -- Welfare reform has not helped the poor / Evelyn Z. Brodkin -- Welfare reform has not reduced poverty / Angie O'Gorman -- Welfare reform will add to the ranks of the homeless / Paul Freese Jr., Sacha Klein-Martin -- Promoting marriage would reduce poverty / Robert E. Rector et al. -- Promoting marriage would not reduce poverty / Paul Street -- The affluent should give a large portion of their income to the poor / Peter Singer -- The affluent should not give money to the poor / Walter Williams -- Increased access to shelters would help the homeless / Ralph da Costa Nunez and Laura M. Caruso -- Handouts often harm the homeless / Amy L. Sherman -- Charity means you don't pick and choose / Patricia O'Hara.