What can any of you tell me about the urban, white, working-poor, of the American Rust Belt?

Question

Down and out white city dwellers in places like Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Flint, Youngstown, Toledo, Gary, Akron, etc. What literature or film is out there documenting their plight?

Answer 1

Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck

Answer 2

Its growing right along with the amount of jobs we send overseas and the number of illegal immigrants coming in to this country everyday.

Answer 3

Michael Moore'S Roger and Me is exactly what your looking for.  He's from Flint Michigan and documents the fall of the city when GM closed their plant.  His other films and books will be helpful as well.