These are some amazing charts. They give you a real insight into stuff that's happening in the USA these days.
Please view the charts and maps below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/24/25-maps-and-charts-that-explain-america-today/?wpisrc=nl_icymi
Vocabulary to help you understand and enjoy the charts:
a think tank - a group of 'scholars' or experts who meet to discuss political and social issues
peel back - to peel something back means to remove some type of covering to see what's really underneath
charting the nation's course - planning the direction in which the country should go
most well off - who has the most money
the top one percent - the top one percent in regard to income
gobbled up - eaten, or, in this case 'taken'
marginally - a little bit
liquid assets - you can get cash from this stuff easily
soared - rose
a permit - a license to do something
conservatives and liberals - in America a conservative believes that the government should leave businesses alone and drop taxes; liberals like to raise taxes and offer free social programs
politically toxic - politically harmful - politicians who openly call themselves liberal usually lose their elections
partisan - if a politician is partisan, he votes the way his political party wants him to vote.
dipped - dropped
disparate - different
Protestants vs. Catholics - what's tthe BIG difference between these religions? Believe it or not the big difference is in the 'eucharist.' This is the piece of bread given during a Christian religious service. The Catholic Church says it is really the body of Jesus and by eating it you will be changed. The Protestants don't believe that. The Catholics also have a Pope.
booze - alcoholic drinks
promoting homosexuality - encouraging homosexuality
felon voting - a felon is someone who has been convicted of a serious crime; in many states felons can't vote, and since many felons are African American, this hurts black people in general because it limits their voting numbers (according to the article)
disenfranchisement - not being able to vote
abortion - this is when a woman gets pregnant and ends the pregnancy using a medical procedure
a legislature - a place where laws are made
lag behind - they are behind and cannot catch up
peers - people who surround you, usually who live as you do and sometimes who are around the same age as you
drought - when it does not rain for a long time
a pizza joint - a place to eat pizza
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