Poverty in America Soars

Depressing U.S. census data show that, in 2009, more Americans were living below the poverty line -- $22,000 per year for a family of four -- than at any time since poverty statistics were first kept more than 50 years ago. More than 44 million Americans, or 1 in 7, are living in poverty. To get a more complete picture, read several related stories from the Washington Post.