[originaltext]If you are born into an American family ranking in the top 10 of

If you are born into an American family ranking in the top 10 of income, chances are 1 in 3 that you’ll stay there. If you’re born into a family in the bottom 10, however, chances are much rarer that you’ll ever reach the top. So much for equality of opportunity. In America, as elsewhere in the world, the rich always get richer, and the poor can hardly get by. The widening gap between the rich and the poor is everyone’s problem and everyone’s responsibility.

The credit card industry is only about 50 years old. Some credit cards have offered real convenience. Those accepting credit cards include hospitals for open-heart surgery and the federal government for income taxes. Instead of saving for a washing machine or computer, some people merely charge them. They do not realize that it may cost them more to charge than to pay cash, Because of the easy access to credit, many Americans today are over their heads in debt.