Desmond uses a range of evidence to support his argument about the causes of poverty in America, including government policy, specific practices and policies, and societal attitudes towards poverty, such as excessive regulations on housing construction, segregated public schools, and lack of connection between people of different classes. “Poverty”, he says, “isn’t simply the condition of not having enough money. It’s the condition of not having enough choice and being taken advantage of because of that, and he challenges social service organizations to focus on empowering the poor and expanding their choices, rather than simply providing them with financial assistance.