The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and by certain fiscal parameters, the wealthiest. It's richest citizens own roughly 40 percent of the world's wealth. Yet, about 40 million Americans are living in poverty, and about 20 million are mired in extreme poverty, scraping by on less than $2 a day. At the same time that the top 1 percent are increasing their vast fortunes, the income inequality gap is ever-widening, and the middle class is dissolving. For tens of millions of Americans, the rose-colored portrait of a booming U.S. economy is pure fiction. Instead, they're spending every waking moment simply trying to survive.

News Beat is a Morey Creative Studios production: www.MoreyCreative.com

News Beat is produced, engineered and hosted by Michael “Manny Faces” Conforti: www.MannyFaces.com

News Beat Executive Producer is Jed Morey
Editor in Chief: Christopher Twarowski
Managing Editor: Rashed Mian
Cover Art Design: Jeff Main