Wealth Inequality in America/The Duty of Hope: Articles for the next 2 class periods

For each of the following articles/videos you will answer the questions below using the RACE strategy (for the video paraphrasing may be necessary, but take some notes on the video). Then, you will complete a claim sheet for each (2).

“WEALTH INEQUALITY IN AMERICA” (Monday)
Author: NA; Source/Publisher: YouTube.com; Date: November 20, 2012
Text Notes: This video illustrates in various graphic demonstrations the reality of America’s wealth distribution. The content dispels myths and delineates between the ideal, perceived, and real wealth of Americans. Note: this video highlights wealth distribution and not income distribution.

Text-Dependent Questions 
1. In what ways is the reality of wealth distribution in American different from what we think it is?
2. How does the total wealth, respective of our economic system (capitalism vs. socialism) of the United States influence how we think it should be distributed?
3. What evidence does this video provide that influences your understanding of the issue of poverty, and how or whether society should work to address the problem? In what ways?


“THE DUTY OF HOPE” (Tuesday)
Author: President George W. Bush; Source/Publisher: Houston Chronicle, Texas on the Potomac blog;
Date: July, 22 1999
Text Notes: This speech was delivered by then Governor Bush of Texas to an audience of inner-city clergy in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the first campaign speech of his successful campaign for US President. He introduces “Compassionate Conservatism” as his platform, proposing federal funding initiatives to increase the sustainability and scale of faith-based and community based organizations as social catalysts for change

Text-Dependent Questions 
1. What reasons does President Bush give for turning to faith-based initiatives to solve social problems?
2. In what ways does America’s prosperity influence its social responsibility?
3. What evidence does this text provide that influences your understanding of the issue of poverty, and how or whether society should work to address the problem? In what ways?