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And they're spreading. >> we don't want handouts. we don't want pity. we just want everyone to understand our reality. >> reporter: the average fast food worker makes just under $19,000 a year. the government's poverty threshold for a family of four, $23,000. the national restaurant association these jobs teach invaluable skills and a strong work ethic that are useful for workers throughout their professional careers. we welcome a debate on fair w e wages that the majority of workers who earn the minimum wage in the united states are not employed in the restaurant industry. as for -- >> fast f...

Four americans goes to work. retail supply jobs to 42 million americans. but according to the bureau of labor statistics, the typical retail salesperson earned $20,990 last year. that's below the official government poverty threshold of $22,113 for a family of four. it has been that way for some time. during the five years through october 2011, average weekly earnings for private sector workers have increased by a mere 12 cents. although american consumers have been the engine of the u.s., not to mention global economy for decades, when 25% of american wage earners are making a pittance, confi...

13,000 gay troops were kicked out after their secrets leaked out and the taxpayers spent more than $100 million replacing them. today don't ask, don't tell is no more. repeal took effect at 12:01 a.m., nine months after signing the measure from the waining days of a lame duck congress. gays can now serve openly in every branch of service and all of those discharged service members can try to reenlist. key word, try. turns out repeal is one thing but reality is much different. more on that in our next segment moments from now. more than 22 years after former army ranger and offduty ...

in spending that we've already cut from the budget, our plan makes additional spending cuts that need to happen if we're to solve this problem. we reform agriculture subsidies. subsidies that a lot of times pay large farms for crops that they don't grow. we make modest adjustments to federal retirement programs. we reduce by tens of billions of dollars the tax money that goes to fannie mae and freddie mac. we also ask the largest financial firms, companies saved by tax dollars during financial crisis, to repay the american people for every dime that we've spent. and we save an additi...

Reverend william barber. >> this policy as you noted earlier was around for the last ten years. it is not something born out of desegregation. it was an experimental policy they tried a few years ago and was noble. it had noble intents. >> why get rid of it -- >> it didn't work. >> it didn't work? >> it didn't serve our community. >> what was it supposed to do and where do you think it failed? >> certainly. it failed on a couple of levels. it was suppose to take the schools in wake county to ensure no schools would exceed a high poverty threshold. they set in place a goal of 40% high poverty a...