"Americans simply do not have equal opportunities. This is more than an ethical or social issue: Underinvestment in human capital leads to lower productivity, which is to say, lower national income. Comparative data show that the U.S. offers less social and economic mobility than do many of its peer countries -- a startling rebuke to the mythology of America as the land of opportunity." This article talks about the reality of income inequality.  It tells that people who work harder earn more money in America, and that is what they think it should be.

This article talks about the income gap between some of the lower income students and the children from higher income places. It goes with question #2 and also talks about some different states' efforts to fix the gap.