The Haves and the Have-Mores

John Edwards says there are two Americas. He's right. If by that, he means the Haves and the Have Mores.

According to Robert Rector at the Heritage Foundation:

"Overall, the typical American defined as poor by the government has a car, air conditioning, a refrig erator, a stove, a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own report, his family is not hungry and he had sufficient funds in the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists, and politicians."

This is not to say they're aren't people in this country who have it really tough. But it is to say that when you define someone as poor who has all the stuff mentioned above, you're living in a pretty extraordinary country.