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midnight

(26,624 posts)
Tue Jun 21, 2016, 05:57 PM Jun 2016

How can so many Americans be having such a rough time when the nation's overall wealth is soaring? [View all]

"This chill-out-about-the-rich message now has some powerful new wind behind it. Koch Industries, the money-making engine of the billionaire Koch-brother empire, has just begun a nationwide TV ad campaign that more or less urges us to "end the divide" by giving billionaires everything they want.

The new Koch "end the divide" ads feature swelling music and fetching images of hard-working average Americans of all races and creeds. About the only thing noble missing from these incredibly slick and polished ad spots: the truth.

For that truth, for an explanation of what's really gone wrong with the American economy, we need to turn to an another new contribution to America's political discourse, a just-published study from the Washington, DC-based Economic Policy Institute."


"If we want to ensure that the living standards of the vast majority rise in the next decade," the EPI analyst concludes, "we need to embrace policies explicitly aimed at progressively redistributing income."

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36503-the-koch-brothers-cue-the-music

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Median wealth is not soaring but that is seldom, if ever, reported. LonePirate Jun 2016 #1
Pew research lists the median income of upper-income as 174,625. midnight Jun 2016 #17
Well that sucks GummyBearz Jun 2016 #21
1970 middle income house was Single Earner One_Life_To_Give Jun 2016 #23
Because 1% got 99% of the gains and the 99% get to share the 1% left over. hobbit709 Jun 2016 #2
Clearly depends on definition of 'overall wealth.' elleng Jun 2016 #3
They have been concerned about a middle class revolt Gman Jun 2016 #4
my victimizing the working class and the poor. hopemountain Jun 2016 #27
The real people Old Codger Jun 2016 #5
Because economic justice is *not* an issue you secretly elitist, or left-wing, or right-wing person, villager Jun 2016 #6
Must be due to inflation. I don't have more of anything Downwinder Jun 2016 #7
there are long lines at the theaters in Manhattan! and after all isn't that what's really important? KG Jun 2016 #8
Too much wealth concentrated into too few hands. Rex Jun 2016 #9
From what I see and hear….I agree. midnight Jun 2016 #18
Capitalism working exactly as it's intended. Concentrates wealth in the hands of an OnlyTheGood Jun 2016 #10
The Progressives are trying to fight the growing wealth gap that will kill many Americans. rhett o rick Jun 2016 #15
The statistics are irrefutable. The most recent crisis in post-industrial capitalism has OnlyTheGood Jun 2016 #31
Mean vs Median MowCowWhoHow III Jun 2016 #11
I guess my boat don't float. trof Jun 2016 #12
Rising tides lift all yachts and swamps the dinghy's of the 99%. rhett o rick Jun 2016 #16
Some more information: bvar22 Jun 2016 #13
.Thanks for this. 840high Jun 2016 #29
It's not rough if you're among the 1%. Vinca Jun 2016 #14
Those politicians that campaign on "growing the economy" as a fix for the 99%'s financial rhett o rick Jun 2016 #19
Wealth soared in the 1920's. The 99% did not benefit. FDR fixed that with progressive policies. pampango Jun 2016 #20
Sadly enough GummyBearz Jun 2016 #22
I don't care about a candidate's wealth so much. FDR had it. Obama, not so much. Policies pampango Jun 2016 #24
when's the last time a non rich republican ran for president? Gabi Hayes Jun 2016 #25
I don't believe Jimmy Carter has become RICH after leaving office. bvar22 Jun 2016 #30
US Low-Skill Males Drop Out Of Jobs Market. elleng Jun 2016 #26
it's precisely because overall wealth has risen so much for decades that resentment is rising. unblock Jun 2016 #28
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