Inequality In America

Paine’s examination of America holds mostly false in today’s society. Although America is considered a country with promise and freedom, there are many restrictions and issues. There is a large gap between rich and poor as well as an increasing issue about immigration, gender, sexual orientation, and race. In the national anthem, America is given the title “land of the free”. While this is true to the extent that Americans enjoy many freedoms others do not; such as freedom of speech, the right to equal justice, and freedom of religion, there are also many inequalities. Statistics show that on average women are paid about 79% of what their male counterparts are paid. Discrimination and racism are prominent issued. Unemployment rates are high and for many people there is a constant struggle to provide for their families.

Many middle and lower class families could not keep up with the tough economy and were forced to make sacrifices. Businesses also had to make cuts which led to a major increase in unemployment. As America recovered from this period, those who were able to maintain a steady income saw their situation improve. In contrast, those who struggled did not reap the same benefits. This greatly increased the gap between rich and poor. Our government offers support for those in need including progressive income tax, food stamps, and public assistance programs. However, these programs don’t necessarily help people out of poverty. They often just help to maintain poverty. More could be done to help overcome this economic gap. The support of those who are better off is needed. Many opportunities that help the poor, such as free healthcare, are opposed by many upper and lower class citizen even though many foreign countries successfully provide this