ocean-bearing moon. the spacecraft which has been orbiting saturn since 2004 will pass through a plume of ice and water. and take gas and particle samples as it passes. scientists believe it has an ocean containing a hot water under the icy crush. icy crush. i'm ali velshi "on target", a tale of two americas - the haves and have notes in this together. yet the politicians elected are worlds apart on the inequality. tomorrow night in prime-time the 10 republican candidates will battle in boulder colorado in the party's third debate. the question will focus on job growth, taxes, retirement and

the health of our national economy. well, i'll be in boulder on wednesday, listening closely to what these candidates say or don't say about possibly the biggest problem facing america's economy. income inequality. i hope you tune into a special edition at 10:00p.m. eastern, after the debate. my colleagues and i will dissect the posturing and proposals offered by candidate, selling themselves to middle class americans. it's the middle class americans feeling the pain of an economic recovery that failed to benefit them anywhere near as much as it benefitted the witch. it is painfully familiar to anyone that paid attention. that's what i want to hear, how republicans deal with the fact that annual income for households in the meetal, the

median, was unchanged at $53,654 from the year before, as in no improvement for people relying on investment gains and paychecks. this number is 6.7" lower than 2007. the year before the nation fell into a great depression. americans in the middle lost ground. the question is what to do about income inequality. an obvious step is raising the federal minimum wage from levels of 7 and a quarter an hour to something higher. the democratic presidential candidate wants to boost it to $15. president obama supports $12. hillary clinton backs raising the wage, but has not said how high. on the republican side only carlos santana has expressed raising it.

donald trump said america would lose all jobs. rather than debate that now, i want to remind you that donald trump comes from new york. he is a new york billionaire making a name for himself by creating a brand, designed to appeal to people. there's no shortage of wealth in the city. new york city is a city of poverty. more than 57,000 people are living in homeless shelters. to see the extremes of wealth and poverty, all you need to do is take a trip on the subway. mary snow did that. >> reporter: there's no greater symbol of wealth in america than wall street. the new york stock exchanges has a market value worth tens of trillions, when it rashed in 2008. everyone felt it. now that wall street recovered from the height of the recession, you'd think americans

would feel financially secure. there's a big divide. by 2010, the top 10% controlled 94%. of financial security. at the same time, the bottom 40 saw their net worth shrink. they rely on wages. in short, the rich are getting richer. the poor are getting poorer and nowhere is nic inequality more stream than new york city. >> mhattan is the unequal place in america to live. according to sensis data. the year signs the great recession widened the divide when the haves and have not, and to see where it ends up. all it takes is a few stops on the expressway. >> this is the upper ease side. where wealthy new yorkers live. the average price is above 2 million.

nine out of 10 residents here are wight. the median income is 108,000. that's the cut off point to become a member of the top 10% in new york city. multiply that by five, and you become a 1%er. it's that 1% nationwide that captured 95% of income growth between 2009 and 2012. with all that income growth, residents can afford the search in housing costs. average new york city rents reached record highs in recent months, meaning an increasing number of people are priced out completely. >> this is where we see a stark contrast. we take the subway a stop to harlem. we see the median number fall to understand 17,000. most of the people in harlem are

african-american or hispanic and four out of 10 live blow the poverty line. that has remained high, despite the fact that unemployment is now at a 7-year low. home ownership in harlem is less than 1%, and across the country it's at the lowest level it's been in half a century. >> new york city has a higher level than wealth. >> up at 125th street we meet joe burke from the coalition against hunger. >> reporter: what do you see in neighbourhoods like this one. >> you see long-time residents becoming homeless, forced to live in the bronx or outside new york city. building huge extensive condos inches away from the soup kitchen. all the divides in america, all

the divides in new york. you can see within a few feet of where we are standing. >> the apartments around here, if i found a job, if i went to work, what am i going to do. i can't afford these. >> down the street we found al-williams, a 46-year-old still engineer living in a city future. >> there's a metro card. ward. >> reporter: williams moved here in 2012 for greater opportunities and a better life. unemployment rates for white americans are down to pre recession levels. but job numbers for backs and hispanics are not. >> with so many vying for the same jobs, just like in housing. so many people vowing for the same one-bed room apartment, the studio apart.

it's almost impossible. >> it's not impossible for new york's wealthiest. many people with money come with their second, third, fourth, fifth home. there's great culture, finance. because the prices are high, low income people can't afford to live here. >> we started on wall street, went to the upper east side. came to harlem on the sunday. what does it symbolize to you? >> the trip on the subway from wall street to here is a few miles geographically. emotionally. financially, culturally. it's as if you travel the world. and a few more blocks here we see poverty, homelessness. the trip embodies the tail of two cities. >> that's here in this city. that is it the key to closing the wealth gap.

not all agree how to get more americans back to work. i'll look at programs that work and don't next. wednesday night you can watch "on target", 10 eastern, after the republicans debate. i'll be live. coverage debated. bringing you everything the candidates should be talking about when it comes to the economy. >> bold... >> he took two m-16's, and he crawled... >> brave... >> ...do what you gotta do... >> then betrayed... >> why do you think you didn't get the medal of honor? >> a lifetime without the honor they deserved... >> some say that it was discrimination... >> revealing the long painful fight, to recognize some of america's bravest... >> he say.. be cool...be cool... >> ...proudest moment in my life.. >> honor delayed a soledad o'brien special report only on al jazeera america

politicians and policy makers are coming around to the idea that income inequality could be the defining issue of our time. there's little agreement about what to do to solve the problem. our next guest says helping people find full-time work is where the solutions should start. robert door was commissioner of the new york administration where he submitted programs in the united states. he studies at the american enterprise institute. he joins me now and nose the story we showed you, the income and equality in the city. let me ask you this. the world bank says income inequality is a bigger problem in the united states than it has been before and is in other countries. you pointed out that it may be exaggerated. after you add in the programme,

food stamps, the ebt card, the guy in the storey showed and other social services. people are bringing if more that the numbers account for. someone with an ebt card, getting social assistance - they are not growing their wealth. if the gap is not as big as you say it is. or others say it is, it is trending the wrong way. >> well i agree, it's better for people to earn their own success and make their living. that would be better. i also point out that in the 1970s, they were a lot more equal, thinks were worse, crime was worse. i'm not sure that inequality is the thick we are focussing on. we should focus on poverty and opportunity. in both of those there are problems.

the tale of two cities is a distraction. people need to move up and out of poverty. the gap between them and the rich is a distraction. we had times when things were equal and worse. >> i agree with you. you are not going to get in an argument with me, that poverty is a problem. the inequality, the reason it is problematic. the reason is because decision making resides in the hands of the wealthiest and influential. we are further apart. that is the issue. >> you and i walk around. the world is a good place. we just - very have no relation any more to when she was equal. we don't know any of those people. >> i don't know that i am discouraged about the state of the system. we elected a progressive president. in new york city we have a

progressive mayor. the ability to insert income. the fact of the matters is policies we are choosing is not moving people up, jobs or opportunity. that is the problem. i don't know that the political system is broken. the fact of the matter is we are six years into recovery. growth. >> hillary clinton won't say how much she band. bernie sanders $15, ben carson and rick santorum are in favour of an increase. that goes some direction down the road of increasing people out of poverty. it may not be the right answer, it's an answer. when i hear the republicans talk about it, i hear about growing the economy and it sounds absolutely fantastic, and i have been hearing that story since i had hair. and no one seems to address it. what is the real answer. >> the issue is a lot of people

that get a raise are not in poverty. a lot of people that lose their job. they would not be able to get a job. it's a simplistic answer to a problem that is complicated and hurt the people we are concerned about. guys coming back from prison. employers have a hard time hiring. you mandate a higher minimum wage, and the people they help is poorer than before. >> i don't know that it's fair to say that they are not addressing the problem. none addresses all the problem. we are about to have a debate with presidential candidates. what is a viable solution, what is something i can say i'll vote for them if i believe poverty alleviation is a threat. >> one of the vital solutions is to reform public policies making it hard for employers to hire people.

one is the affordable care out. employers are afraid to give them 40 hours a week. that's a policy allowing them to raise incomes. if you can't make it on a low wage, you can make it if you can't get 40 hours. there's a solution. another solution. >> here is the problem. before there was an affordable care act. there were millions in poverty. i'm not sure understanding how it makes them poorer. let me say something. we had better years. the late '90s, property plummeted down, reaching a low tore african-americans. it was a good time. because of three factors. we had a stronger economy, a we'll tare sting in return to getting assistance, and supports make the the wages go further. public health insurance, food

stamps, and the balance was correct the the balance has been lost since then, and we have gone backwards. i do not want to disassociate myself with some parts of your reporting. poverty is worse in the united states. it's a shame. the most important thing is all the candidates are talking about ideas. >> but they don't. it doesn't come up this much amongst the debates. i'm hoping that it does, because it is that important. this is america. this is a place where when i get on a plane to go to cover this debate in boulder, the baggage handler, a mature woman or man with children. should be able to make a living out of a full-time job, but they scant. that's a societal problem. >> it would be good if wages could rise through a stronger mobile economy, and employers felt comfortable in raising

numbers and employees. that's what we need. >> really, requestedally, it can't be things like the affordable care act. we haven't had that kind of - we've not had stronger job growth than we had during the period that the affordable care act has been in place. >> that's not true. in the wake of this reessential, it's been the lowest job growth. we have had better. in the late '90s, we had better. lower regulation, trade policies encouraging growth, taxes on the corporate level so businesses can hire and grow business and welfare policies that encourage and help people get to work, not replace work... >> tell me what you mean. you have been closer to the ground than most people running

for president, you see it. you sigh programs at work. is there something that sheets policies at work -- differentiates policies and programs that don't work. >> a policy says to people that can't get assistance. let me give you a job. not i'll give you an etb card. >> we studied germany, where we did this with great success, it's not in the united states. is this the ain that we mandate the fact that we train people that are short-term unemployed. solution. >> i believe in mandates on state agencies providing government-funded assistance to provide people on the way to employment. we need more of that. the message from washington has been put them on the assistance

as fast as you can, and don't worry about jobs. that's a mistake. >> thank you for joining us. >> robert door is a fellow at the american public institute. i talk to a man that warnings of a jobless future.

america's workforce is changing. nearly one-third of all workers, 32 million are considered independent according to the freelancers union. and the transformation to sell employment threatens to undermine the foundation upon which middle class america was built. not my words. that is what venture capitalist and labour union leader says.

michael, founder of reputation.com says something different, saying it's future. >> there's a lot to be said for the new gig economy. what is clearly to be said against it is there's something not as reliable. something about the benefits packages. the middle class argument that more or less left. is that the unions created the middle class of the united states. whether it's above my pay grade. let's consider it's truly. in the 1980s, they created a labour mechanism and rules to e thdiercontractor. they created a w 2, and have between four and 20 criteria. a reasonableness. as to which one you are. now, those rules have not had as

major upgrade. our economy has. what did you do. >> former employee of mine. was a c.e.o. of a great company. serving the health insurance products. an interest in the game because it comes from the right place. >> he offers an insight. that may be there's a third way between a contractor and an employee, someone who is on demand with the right or privilege to buy benefits that are portable from gig to gig. >> what about the loyalty, the idea that you go out of your way to recruit great people. you are in the basic skills, against very big companies that may pay more or less. you want to nurture some environment. where people want to work for michael not necessarily. in a gig economy, they are

endless i competing for talent. good or bad. >> it's a fact. in silicon valley, it's about a fight. it will be mobile. indifferent parts of the future. it's a way employers can say we san train you and intest. and stay for a few months to earn out the training bonus. and torchies can say yes or no. so many ways that they can adapt. they are gaining leverage. so is the workforce. >> let's put to this way. i like you, i have the skill sets. you live in a place more expensive than new york.

say i can work for you. i getthat part. i worry that this might be an excuse for companies to say it's a better economy. it gives them flexibility. i don't have to pay benefits. >> i believe what i believe. i'm glad you worry about this. that banders worries about this. and it -- bernie sanders worries about this, it keeps people honest. i'm less worried about what you are worried about now. i'm worried about the future and wrote an article in "the washington post." future. others have done so as well. when i go to an uber and sake uber x, which i do, the guys or the girls driving more or less - they plugged in the destination into the iphone, or the ipad on the dashboard.

they follow the instructions from the woman's voice on the phone. turn left, turn right. they have no sense of where they are going. of the place. none. knowledge, mastery that london black cabies have. basically they are just driving. that job will be replaced by a computer, a robot. it'll be replaced by a driverless car in the next 2, 3, 4, five years. i predict that. it's not clear it should be replaced by a rob olt. if you follow instructions of a robot, and the driver is safer than you are statistic lip, there's no reason it will be defensible. uber is planning for that, apple is planning for that. tesla is producing driverless cars. these are the things we know will change the environment. whether or not you're a contractor or an employee under californian law is irrelevant as

compared to the fact that you are not going do have a job or contract in three, four or five years. that will change the way labour distributes. that's a debate we need to have. a discussion we have. what do we do about those jobs. people that are in the middle of their careers, how do we prepare for that. that is frightening. not the gig economy in the fourth term. >> ontart at a special time on wednesday. 10:00p.m. eastern. i'll be live in boulder before the debate. >> i'm ali velshi. >> ali velshi, lifting the lid... >> cameras in place for money and not safety. >> on the red light controversy. >> they don't give two cent about your safety. >> there's an increase in rear end accidents. >> ali velshi on target: hitting the breaks.

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