A new study from the US Census Bureau suggests that nearly half of all Americans are either poor or "low income," a group some call the "near poor." Meanwhile, consumers who were saving at the beginning of the great recession, appear once again to be heaping on the debt. On this rebroadcast of today's To the Point, guest host Jim Rainey looks at what's become of the middle class. Without government assistance, would the ranks of the poor be even larger? Also, the Pasadena Rose Parade gets Occupied, and members of Congress keep getting richer, while their constituents lose ground.
Banner image: People wait in line to receive free milk in New York City. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images