Failing Health

A new book by historian Scott Sandage chronicles how "failure" and "bankrupt" became synonymous in 19th century America, and financial failure meant you were a failure as a person.

In our time we've seen that poverty has become immoral, and millions of Americans hide their difficulties, and don't complain, feeling mostly shame, and all too often redirect their anger to people who aren't responsible for their plight and may be even worse off than they are.

There are increasing numbers of bankruptcies suffered, not on paper by businesspeople who cynically game the system with tax shelters and phony corporations, or just use the law to protect themselves behind incorporation, but by ordinary people who thereby lose everything. It's a low grade fever in America now, but if the dollar sinks and interest rates soar, it could become a raging epidemic.

If that wasn't enough, there is this study that says many Americans are just a serious illness away from bankruptcy, even if they have health insurance. Just what does that say about this society?

Getting Sick in America is Going to Cost You