Why 4 out of 5 Americans are struggling to make ends meet

Nearly 80 percent reportedly face joblessness, poverty, or welfare at some point in their lives

Americans facing poverty
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

President Obama's recent "pivot" back to the economy, kicked off by a speech at last week at Knox College in Illinois, comes at a time when many Americans are still struggling financially.

How bad is it? About 80 percent of Americans deal with joblessness, near poverty, or reliance on welfare at some point in their lives, according to a new report by the Associated Press.

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Keith Wagstaff is a staff writer at TheWeek.com covering politics and current events. He has previously written for such publications as TIME, Details, VICE, and the Village Voice.