"Cohen examines the long-term deterioration in U.S. household finances, characterizes the household financial problems as structural problems in the U.S. capitalist system, and identifies the high cost of healthcare and education as a primary strain on and risk to financial security. The closing chapters compare U.S. policies and household finances with those of other developed countries, and address the fact the Americans' deep faith in neoliberalism keeps U.S. society from adapting solutions that have succeeded in other countries."--Provided by publisher.