Samar’s Reviews > The Working Poor: Invisible in America > Status Update

But “repression is a seamless garment,” as Salman Rushdie wrote. This is repression of a kind, and it lacks the clear boundaries that would define the beginning and the end of accountability.

The proportion of America’s workers in labor unions has gradually declined, from 35 to 12.1 percent nationwide between 1950 and 2007; in government, 36 percent are unionized, but in the private sector the figure is only 7.5 percent.

The lower the income, the lower the rate of voter turnout. In the 2000 presidential election, 60 percent of all American citizens over eighteen went to the polls. Three-quarters of those with family incomes over $ 75,000 voted, 69 percent of those earning $ 50,000 to $ 75,000, and so on down to a mere 38 percent of those whose households took in less than $ 10,000 a year.

As long as society picks and chooses which problem to resolve in crisis— usually the one that has propelled the family to a particular agency for help— another crisis is likely to follow, and another.

Incompetent, insensitive teachers can be found in wealthy school districts, just as inspired teaching also occurs in classrooms of impoverished children. But youngsters from affluent, highly educated familieshave a safety net. If they don’t understand, they can get help at home. If they have learning disabilities, their parents can hire tutors and consultants and even lawyers

Poverty leads to health and housing problems. Poor health and housing lead to cognitive deficiencies and school problems. Educational failure leads to poverty.

Such a dynamic has been observed in adopted children, many of whose IQs end up closer to those of their adoptive parents than to those of their biological parents.

“Children from highly stressed environments are at increased risk for a variety of developmental and behavioral problems, including poorer performance on developmental tests at eight months, lower IQ scores and impaired language development at four years.”

A child who is sexually abused is invaded by a sense of helplessness. If that feeling continues into adulthood, as many victims testify it does, it may break the belief that life can be controlled. Lost is the very notion that real choice exists, that decisions taken now can make a difference later.