Down and out, the rich and super-rich
America as a nation is very prosperous, belongs to the 10 richest countries.But no everybody makes the American Dream.The unemployment and differences between rich and poor are increasing.That´s why Reagan establish the lower income tax for bad off people.Today there is 30% black, 30% Hispanic and 11% of white population under the official poverty level.Another growing problem are drugs.Drugs are in school all over the country.The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that more than 20% of high school students try cocain or crack.But most widespread drug is alcohol which is legal from the age of 21 in all states.In the past most people hide their addiction but since Betty Ford(the wife of Gerald Ford) have admitted that she was an alcoholic people have talked openly about addictions.The first self-help group for alcoholic was Alcoholic Anonymous(founded 1935).Members knews each other only by first names.Next problem is missing persons. Every year 50 000 children missed.A lot of them are runaways.They go to big cities(New York) and they beg, steal or prostitute.They often live on the streets and benches.Some children are abducted by one of divorced parents or madman.
On the other side there is a lot of super-rich.Every year financial magazine Forbes lists the 400 richest people in the US.There is information where are they from, where they get their money, where they live, how much money they have or some interesting facts such as that 10 of the richest people were drop out from high school or there are 54 women among rich but only Estée Lauder is self-made millionaire.The other inherited their wealth or married rich man.Movie stars, musicians and sportpeople aren´t among the richest 400, but they are also well-off.Basketball star Michael Jordan earns $4 millions just for advertising.