obama won with 53% of the vote and you can see these swing states went solidly for the president this time around. where are we specifically with unemployment? nevada and florida have unemployment rates that are above the national average. it's also right about where it was when the president took office. but take a look at this, nevada, 11.7%, when the president took office, it was 9.6%. now the rest of the battle ground states are doing better, they are stronger now than when the president got into office and they're still improving. i mean iowa, virginia, new hampshire, all around 5%, ohio you see the significant drop in its jobless rate over the past year. ohio now 7.4%. again, better than the national average. and better than when the president took office when it was 8.6. candy the trend in these battleground states employment is getting better. can the president win on jobs in these states and will that decide the election. >> yes, it's about jobs, but i think it's about more than that, it's about the feeling of the future. to me this is a consumer confidence race. >> so president obama has -- we checked the record, scouring the record on massachusetts during governor romney. it was a state on the upswing slightly before romney took office in 2003, and during his four years, massachusetts did create more 48,000 jobs. but when it comes to jobs, which candidate is resonating about the future, or are they focusing on the past because nobody knows how to fix this thing? >> they're both resonating with their bases which is an important thing to do. and i think you have the overall idea of which way president obama would go and which way mitt romney would go, but you don't have the nitty gritty details. so you have a sitting president who we know wants to raise tax rates for a certain segment of society, sort of the wealthier part, you have mitt romney who's now campaigning on, this isn't about tax rates, this isn't about raising taxes, this is about cutting spending. so you get the gist of it and they are resonating with their bases. it's that in between part that you will know. >> here's the keeping them honest part of the conversation, candy. because politicians take too much credit and pass too much blame for the economy. there's a lot of different levers at play at any given time. it's taxes, it's growth, it's global business, it's labor conditions, and consumer confidence. and so for somebody going to the voting booth, they really have to decide who they think can give the right outlook for the country. but nothing's going to be changed by december 1. >> right. >> there aren't going to be more jobs on december 1 just because you cast your vote. >> we're looking at increases, but not as big as is needed for the economy. everything is multidetermined. that's why i think that consumer confidence is kind of the aura of the country if you will. like do you think things are getting better? do you think this guy is sort of on the right track in do you trust this guy to do what he says? so many things go into it. but it's under the umbrella of consumer confidence, it's specific numbers from their past and people look at it and go, i don't know what that means, everybody understands that you can take a fact and make it look great or make it look terrible. and voters get that. >> every jobs report, i know what they're going to say -- the job report comes out, i see the numbers and i know how both sides are going to spin it. a republican governor scott walker took on the unions and he survived his election. >> i think the one kind of thing that we know for the states is people really don't like these recall votes unless it's for a very good reason. coming out, an overwhelming majority of folks said, really, he ought to have done something really, really wrong for a recall. so we know that. i think this is a defeat for big labor, they will tell you behind the scenes and some of them up front that this was not a good time for them. it does speak to the waning power of the unions as a political force. it also speaks to the power of money, as the unions are saying, we can do stuff on the ground, but we need to match the air war, and i think they got it 8 to 1. money matters, the union power is significantly waned over time. and think the other thing you have to look at is the obama people are pointing to the exit polls showing that despite the victory for the republican governor, folks going out gave president obama an edge over mitt romney. however he won over john mccain by 14 percentage points so that's been cut in half. so i would be looking at that if i were the re-elect committee going okay, we need to pay attention to these states we thought were safe. coming up next, the gender pay gap divides congress, the paycheck fairness act voted down, politicians on both sides pointing fingers, i'll tell you why it's all political theater. forget the kardashians, there's new political snow that's all about fixing your finances. >> our security guy is going to walk through and he's going to take your credit card for the week. >> i can hear it all week, i'll miss out on the air miles. but let's face it, these people are in trouble. >> we'll tell you how you can create your own million dollar neighborhood next on "your bottom line." the paycheck fairness act was voted down in the senate this week, right along party lines no, surprise there. president obama's democrats have accused republicans of putting partisan politics ahead of win. republicans fired back saying this legislation is just another attempt to increase government legislation. there is a gender pay gap in the u.s., women earn about 82% of what men do. the median income is $44,000, a woman a little more than $36,000. lisa, welcome to the program. >> good morning. >> you were on the hill this week supporting this bill, i want to take the politics out of it for a second. what are the economic implications of this gender pay gap. i want to be clear for everyone watching that a lot of this is election year politics. why is there this gap? >> well, the core issue is hugely important, you're right and the gap is there because in many instances, women are in different job fields, there's stereotypes about what kind of employees we'll be because we're going to be moms or we're moms right now. and also unfortunately, there's also just blatant discrimination and that's what we were trying to get to with this particular legislation. it's updating a gap that's almost 50 years old. we need to make sure that we close those loopholes because people are driving mack trucks through them. >> when i talk to people who have gone up the business ladder, it's negotiating, i have a better education, i have a nanny, or i don't choose to take time out to have a child, there still is this gap. you say that gap starts as soon as she throws her graduation cap in the air? >> aew has done some great research using government census data. and we're able to compare apples to apples. when you take a first-year graduate, one year out of college, same field, there's always a gap. that's a time when they should be pretty level. but not so much. one of the things we know about the pay gap is that it is alive and well, we have made some progress, but the current law is not enough to get it done. >> if you're a young woman in your career, you're talking about a half a million dollars in pay difference, if you ask for a raise at 25, most women don't ask for a raise at 25, most men do. >> negotiation can be a double-edged sword. we need to teach women to negotiate so that we can ask for what we deserve. at the same time we don't want it to backfire on women. >> let's take a -- in some occupations, the gap is wider, in legal positions, equipment take a little more than half of what men make, in sales, 65%. women in health care make 60 cents on the dollar. in social services, women make almost as much as men do, installation repairs and construction the gap is a little smaller to. in construction, 88%. what's a lesson here for a young woman in college thinking about a career, is there a lesson? >> i think looking at -- and it's not just for women, it's for men too, looking at the hot sectors right now, a lot of it comes from the stem fields, the science, technology, engineering and math. that's where the gender gap is smaller. it still exists but it's smaller. in the fields where women make up less than 25% or so of the actual population in that group. that could be a good field in terms of earning a little bit more money. >> we hope this is not just people trying to score political points, but solve the problem. election year politics always make it so icky. coming up next, ten weeks, 100 families, a million dollars, we'll look at a new reality show that's all about fixing your finances. plus addicted to drugs at 11, an eighth grade dropout, homeless at age 18. but that wasn't what scared harold barrow. >> drugs and guns were such a part of my environment, i became adapted to those things, the idea of going to college was terrifying. >> more afraid of college than bullets, education became his ticket out of poverty. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. [ male announcer ] dosing and application sites between these products differ. women and children should avoid contact with application sites. discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of early puberty in a child, or, signs in a woman which may include changes in body hair or a large increase in acne, possibly due to accidental exposure. men with breast cancer or who have or might have prostate cancer, and women who are, or may become pregnant or are breast feeding should not use androgel. serious side effects include worsening of an enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, lower sperm count, swelling of ankles, feet, or body, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing during sleep, and blood clots in the legs. tell your doctor about your medical conditions and medications, especially insulin, corticosteroids, or medicines to decrease blood clotting. talk to your doctor today about androgel 1.62% so you can use less gel. log on now to androgeloffer.com and you could pay as little as ten dollars a month for androgel 1.62%. what are you waiting for? this is big news. our security guy is going to walk through and he's going to take your credit card for the week. >> i can hear it all week, i'll miss out on the air miles, but lths face it, these people are in trouble. >> let's face it, the government isn't coming to safe you, the only person who can fix your finances is you. a new show wants to empower kmaunt communities to help themselves. bruce spent ten weeks in alder grove with a population of 13,000 people. during the course of the season, he worked with 100 families to increase their collective net worth by a million dollars. where do you find that kind of money? >> i'm exhausted just thinking about that challenge. >> the only way these communities can be successful, these 100 families work together to be successful. they got to vote for a family that was the biggest contributor. leading to the finale, if they become the million dollar neighborhood, someone wins 100 grand. you want that, i can help you with that. >> it's also the antithesis of the north american dream. it's me, i want more right now. >> we money to get it. >> we're better as a collective. this is not russia in the 1940s or communism here. but in neighborhoods we realize we do so much for neighbors who have a kid but we don't do anything to help them get a handle on their family. >> when it comes to taking control of your finances, you say there are four things you can do. >> find hidden money. it's out there. spare change in your couch, but there's also things like going cash only. you played that little clip there. credit cards have anext thetised the pains. we brought in h&r block and they found buckets of money. people who had incorrect filing status, job relocation expenses they had mtd use, sandwich generation, care for their parents, stuff like that. third thing i'd say is talk about money. >> don't fight about it. talk about it. >> talk about it. what do you want, how can i help you. >> you say that individuals succeed when the whole community comes together. that's the whole point of the show. how do people at dhoem it? >> they can watch the show. >> subtle plug. >> they'll see the challenges. but online we have weekly challenges. we'll say here's what families did. here's what you can do. we did job support groups where we had members of the community go out and get jobs. you can do that. >> it's called "million dollar neighborhood." it's a peers in the u.s. on the oprah winfrey network tonight at 9:00. bruce sellers, great to see you. >> i know where you'll be at. >> at my television with no credit cards. not even has equal access. that's where former basketball star marcus allen and his organization step in. >> we believe that, you know, once that first person goes to college and gets that education, that can break that generational cycle of poverty. >> next we're going to meet him and some of the people he's helped succeed. utrition. like the dual-defense antioxidants in our food that work around the clock... supporting your dog's immune system on the inside... while helping to keep his skin and coat healthy on the outside. with this kind of thinking going into our food... imagine all the goodness that can come out of it. just one way we're making the world a better place... one pet at a time. purina one smartblend. 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[ male announcer ] to get the flights you want, sign up for a venture card at capitalone.com. what's in your wallet? uh, it's ok. i've played a pilot before. since ameriprise financial was founded back in 1894, they've been committed to putting clients first. helping generations through tough times. good times. never taking a bailout. there when you need them. helping millions of americans over the centuries. the strength of a global financial leader. the heart of a one-to-one relationship. together for your future. ♪ in this country live below the poverty line so, when the largest economy in the world, dwlou fix it? one word. education. >> this is about tomorrow. this is about future generations. >> marcus allen used to play professional basketball. today he's with a team that invests in poor and homeless families. it's called achievability. the program provides housing through a combination of federal tax credits and other public funding and it opens the door to an education with student loans, grants, and incentives. >> many of our families are the first in their families to graduate from college. we believe that once the first one goes to college, that can break that generational cycle of poverty. >> mark was is a walking role model. >> i came from a homeless family. one of the things that set me apart friday my family is i was the only person to go to college. from there things take off for me. that's what we see with a lot of families in our program. twhoes are able to look fear in the face and do it anyway. >> harold barrow knows that fear. >> i was terrified. >> you ought to be. >> barrow grew up on the streets of philadelphia, addicted to drugs at 11, an eighth grade dropout, homeless at 14. >> i kind of got headlong into street life and that obviously came, you know, with issues with the police, then, you know, inevitably my incarceration. >> at 31, it seemed his choices were grim. someone at a homeless facility told him about achievability. he's a self-sufficiency coach for the program that saved him. >> it's such a rewarding experience, you know, to watch somebody walk down the aisle who thought to get a degree thought it was never possible. >> reporter: elena howard pauses when she looks back at her life five years ago. >> hold on. >> dropping out a semester before graduating community college, living in a shelter with three children to now a master's degree in social work. >> i'm speechless. i'm grateful. i'm appreciative. you know, it was a long journey. i thinkank achievability for be that vehicle. >> many of us are only one check away from living in poverty. possib poverty is only a circumstance of today but it can't give you any indication of what it is tomorrow. >> here's the thing. it's about an education for the parent. what marcus and his team are trying to do is get education for the family, break the cycle of poverty and securing a future. getting the building blocks there and concentrating on ed kachlgs kudos to marcus allen and his team for everything they're trying to do and for the wonderful team trying to work so hard and get education and move forward. i love that story. for more information you can head to the website on achievability.org. we like to keep this conversation going online. i read every comment you share. a lot of you felt strongly about class size last week and about the role parents play in it. michael smith wrote i'm afternoon educator. the one thing we overlook is the student's behavior. in theory you can have a class of 30 but if you have two or three children that choose not to achieve and be disruptions, others suffer. >> you heard me say this a lot with tuition sky rocketing, students conditioned find themselves in college. they need to choose their futures. >> please. don't be daft. i'm glad you knew what you