In the New York Times today, Charles Blow talked about his experiences with poverty in Opinion | Writing for the Poor – The New York Times (nytimes.com). Poverty in today’s America is experienced in juxtaposition to the extremes wealth. These two conditions are making it nearly impossible to have a successful democracy because the difference in wealth nearly destroys the opportunity for people in poverty to have any kind of equality of voice with those who have such overwhelming power in their wealth. Only when every one’s voice is heard on equal terms can democracy flourish and everyone participate with some sense that their involvement makes a difference.