According to Schwartz-Nobel, America will lose up to $130 billion in future productive capacity for every year that 14.5 American children continue to live in poverty (Koppelman and Goodhart, 2007). Unfortunately, the severity of poverty is still often obscured by myths and misunderstandings on the part of society at large. This essay studies the issue of poverty and classism in today's society. Causes of PovertyOne of the main causes of poverty is lack of education. The U.S. education system denies poor students the opportunities and access it offers to most other students. Without a good education, most people would experience difficulty finding an income-generating job, especially when there are few job opportunities during an economic downturn. According to Koppelman and Goodhart, merchants sometimes exploit the poor by implementing or formulating policies that would make them earn more. profits. These practices include blank price tags, bait and switch, rent-to-own, and pawn shops (2007). These types of inequality and exploitation would make it harder for low-income people to escape poverty. Consequences of Poverty As a result, low-income families suffer more health problems due to lack of income. “Despite social welfare programs such as TANF, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), food stamps, and Meals on Wheels, malnutrition exists primarily among the elderly and young people in the United States.” The American healthcare system, based on financial capacity, is not adequate to provide immediate services to the poor. Common health problems associated with poor children include asthma, lead poisoning and vision impairment. (Koppelman and Goodhart, 2007) Furthermore, to solve this problem, it is necessary to fully understand the lack of the poor… of paper… of the poor and the real barriers to their access to adequate services. . Subsidies for women's shelters and child care services are important in alleviating some of their financial burdens. Koppelman and Goodhart also suggested providing tax relief for low-income families (2007). Conclusion Most people in society still blame the poor for their plight. They believe that "if there's a will there's a way." However, they do not think about their government which may have made bad decisions and policies which could actually harm successful development. These causes of poverty and inequality are usually less discussed and often overlooked. We must recognize the effects that poverty could have on society and look for ways to create better understanding and solve the problem before it is too late.