1/6 of Americans now live in poverty

This is shameful: Here in the USA, often touted as the richest nation in the world, almost 1/6 of us live in poverty.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. poverty level jumped to 15.1 percent last year. This is a 17-year high, attributed at least in part to the ongoing unemployment crisis.

And it gets worse: 22 percent of our children under 18 are living in poverty.

To add insult to injury, the number of people without health insurance increased to 49.9 million -- a new high.

So we can all just starve or die of untreated illnesses.

Meanwhile, the richest of the rich continue to grow richer, enabled by their paid servants on Capitol Hill.

And, unlike the rich, we must still pay our taxes as we starve and die.