By David Duhalde
The Great Recession’s poverty is just as hidden from public view among the formerly rich as it is among the poor and working classes. Bob Herbert, the retired New York Times columnist, chronicles the façade of economic security in his latest book, Losing our Way.
Wealthy Hunterdon County in western New Jersey, known primarily for its horse farms and scenic rolling hillsides, had experienced a dramatic increase in families seeking federal food assistance during the recession and its aftermath. The director of a social service agency that found itself offering assistance to an entirely new constituency told Bloomberg News “Sometimes people will come in a Mercedes. Sometimes they come in [wearing] Ralph Lauren. But you never know. That may be all they have.” (page 41)
Source: Review: Losing Our Way by Bob Herbert
