Why is poverty in the United States so commonplace? It’s true that poverty exists in every nation, but among developed, western nations, the United States ranks among the very worst. The causes and cures of this illness are examined in the pages of Poverty, by America.According to official data, poverty inflicts about one- eight of the U.S. population. There is plenty of wealth to go around, but it tends to not make its way to the people at the bottom of the income scale, who need it most. This book takes the position that our systems, our tax laws, our racism, and our affluent are all to blame. The way our economy works and the way our government laws are written, the fact of poverty is almost a certainty.I like that this book attacks specific problems that keep the poor in poverty, like payday loans, lack of affordable housing, etc. Even the way banks charge fees hits the poor hardest because they are more likely to get hit with an overdraft fee- often out of necessity because a bill is due and they are forced to write a check- and the fee is going to be more difficult for them to absorb. These are problems, yes, and our current system does, in many ways, play a role in keeping the poor in their place.How do we eliminate the menace of poverty once and for all? Well, the book suggests raising all incomes of the impoverished to a point that would get them at or above the current poverty line. It doesn’t say how this would be best accomplished, but it does mention many avenues to consider, like eliminating the mortgage interest deduction, since it primarily benefits upper class individuals. Other tax loopholes for the rich need to be closed and then, we could use universal basic income or something like that to pull people out of poverty.Would this be sufficient? Well, the book only mentions this as a starting point. Chances are, more reforms would be needed because reaching just the poverty line is still inadequate for a family to squeeze out a living and take care of basics. The book doesn’t specify what other measures to take but if I were going to suggest some, they might include raising the upper marginal tax rate, raising corporate tax rates, etc.It's admirable to want to take on the problem of poverty, but this book is too short and too brief to serve as the complete blueprint for change I was looking for. It does get you thinking about the problem and how best to solve, but it leaves many questions unanswered. It gives you a taste of the problem and its causes, but it doesn’t directly address how to get from point a to point b. Still, I like the book’s passion and I agree that the richest country on earth needs to do more to ensure that its poorest citizens have an opportunity for a better tomorrow.