The Gap between the Rich & the Poor

Were you aware of the growing gap between the rich and the poor?
Yes, I feel like it's so much more evident now more than ever. The rich continue to maintain their budget while the poor are, well, just getting even more poor. It's only logical to think that gap is going to grow because neither class wants to be associated with each other. I think the recession widens the gap even further. In an article posted on the NYNewsdaily last October, the associated press discusses the impact of the recession specifically on the middle-income and poor families. The wealthiest percent of Americans earned 11.4 times made by those roughly living near or below the poverty line in 2008  and poverty has jumped to 13.2 percent, an 11 year high. This obviously shows, in numbers, the growing gap because poverty levels have only been increasing and I think it's only going to get worse.
While I was aware of the growing gap between the rich and the poor in America, I wasn't really aware of the world income inequality and the growing gap between the rich and the poor throughout nations. It's a tough concept to wrap my mind around. America is big enough as it is and i don't even think about trying to resolve the poverty here, let alone other nations. I think that's the problem though; people don't want to face another person's reality so how can the issue of poverty ever advance?


Why do you think the U.S. has some of the highest poverty rates among industrialized countries? 
I'd assume that the U.S. has some of the highest poverty rates among industrialized countries for a number of reasons, obviously. Our country has been advancing so fast over the years that it doesn't have time to stop and do something "life-changing" for the people in poverty, let alone even think about all the people who are living in poverty. I also think because of our recent issues with our economy, the recession definitely played a part in increasing the poverty rates.