I would not like to turn this into a socipolitcal/economic debate, but I would like to comment on that briefly.
It is true that many "impoverished" Americans lead rather comfortable lives, but I also believe that is is dangerous to apply this label to all struggling people. I have done a great deal of pro bono work helping poor people create some type of support base for themselves, and I can say that a large percentage of them are indeed victims of unfortunate of cirumstances, and are in fact good, honest, and motivated people.
Ambition does not allow one unlimited access to success iif they have no means to achieve it, and many people suffer a substandard or unfullfilling life despite their best efforts. Hard times can fall on anybody. I have witnessed the unrwaveling of well-educated professional's lives due to a few strokes of bad luck, taking them from a highly privelaged lifestyle, to working any menial job they can get in order to support their families. The intuition that poverty is always caused by the individuals is perhaps dangerous in that it allows us to write them off entirely without consideration. Hard times can descend upon nearly anybody, and we must hold empathy for those that did not share our foresight, ability, and good fortune. Keep in mind, should the wrong things happen, it could be you.
I do not advocate a government based around attempting to subsidize poverty, but I do strongly advocate a society that embraces empathy and compassion for those that have not been as successful. We grow as a nation by helping others achieve success and hapiness, not by resenting them for lack of capability.
Please don't take this as any kind of argumentative comment penguins fan, I have enjoyed many of your other posts that I have come across, but I feel strongly on this topic (and will generally spout my opinion to anybody I can hold captive for a moment). I am also a huge hockey fan, long live Lemieux! One of the true greats.