Sen. Paul Ryan's assertion that the percentage of Americans in deep poverty has hit a record over the past three years has been verified by Politifact. But ideas on how to deal with poverty in the United States are sharply divided between conservatives and liberals. On the heels of Ryan's controversial (and some say misleading) report on poverty, where does the answer lie?

From the Right:
Ryan and other Republicans argue that taxpayers are paying for too many overlapping and ineffective programs that haven't done anything to alleviate poverty.
http://time.com/11941/paul-ryan-critiques-war-on-poverty-in-new-report/ 

From the Left:
Liberals and others worry that conservatives are chipping away at the safety net that keeps even more people out of deep poverty.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/03/why-paul-ryan-attacking-poverty-programs-he-needs-tell-us-loud-and-clear 

How the nation copes with its record poverty rate and income inequality will be a defining moment. But which way will the wind blow?

Photo courtesy of Paul Ryan