Separate but unequal: Charts show growing rich-poor gap

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Great Recession and the slump that followed have triggered a jobs crisis that's been making headlines since before President Obama was in office, and that will likely be with us for years. But the American economy is also plagued by a less-noted, but just as serious, problem: Simply put, over the last 30 years, the gap between rich and poor has widened into a chasm.

Gradual developments like this don't typically lend themselves to news coverage. But Mother Jones magazine has crunched the data on inequality, and put together a group of stunning new charts. Taken together, they offer a dramatic visual illustration of who's doing well and who's doing badly in modern America.

Here are three samples:

• This chart shows that the poorest 90 percent of Americans make an average of $31,244 a year, while the top 1 percent make over $1.1 million:

• According to this chart, most income groups have barely grown richer since 1979. But the top 1 percent has seen its income nearly quadruple:

• And this chart suggests most Americans have little idea of just how unequal income distribution is. And that they'd like things to be divvied up a lot more equitably:

To see the rest of these fascinating charts, click on over to Mother Jones.

[^_^ 5,021]

The reason for this is simple. As the communist-sponsored librul nanny state has progressed, more and more Americans have seen their drive to work hard and produce disappear. As their drive to work diminishes, the gap between them and those who have been relatively untouched by left-wing propaganda will (of course) increase. This so-called income inequality is merely a reflection of the fact that we have turned into a nation of drifters and hippies with a very small percentage of us actually doing real work.

Edited February 24, 2011 by \

[Zero Sum 305]

Its clear unions are a front for communist organizations. Having more wealth always translates to more employment and better employment for regular America. The evidence is out there: the more profitable an industry is, the more jobs they produce. Obvious.

+1 to the previous poster.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The reason for this is simple. As the communist-sponsored librul nanny state has progressed, more and more Americans have seen their drive to work hard and produce disappear. As their drive to work diminishes, the gap between them and those who have been relatively untouched by left-wing propaganda will (of course) increase. This so-called income inequality is merely a reflection of the fact that we have turned into a nation of drifters and hippies with a very small percentage of us actually doing real work.

while you are being sarcastic AJ, you aren't that far off...

Americans by-in-large don't work anymore. We have pretty lazy jobs that don't do a damn thing for the world.

Outside of agriculture, there's not a whole lot that we do anymore that we can contribute to the rest of the world. About the only thing we produce en masse is the US Dollar. We have no problem making that for the world.. The funny part being is that one big thing we produce is part of the reason why industry has been pushed overseas and why we are simply a consumer driven economy more than anything else.

What we really need to recover from the economic crisis/disparities is deflation. I know, so evil an idea to want prices to come down and for our currency to be worth something...

Until that happens though (and until the tax structure is fixed better for small businesses on Federal and STATE levels) then we can expect a lot of the same.

I posted that video last night for a reason. Everything said in that video is pretty accurate and we are in for a rude awakening in the coming years.

[^_^ 5,021]

I posted that video last night for a reason. Everything said in that video is pretty accurate and we are in for a rude awakening in the coming years.

Quantify how many years and leave your personal email address on this thread so someone can email you then and remind you how silly you were during your youth.

Outside of agriculture, there's not a whole lot that we do anymore that we can contribute to the rest of the world.

Yeah, those R&D guys in big pharma are such a waste.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Quantify how many years and leave your personal email address on this thread so someone can email you then and remind you how silly you were during your youth.

Yeah, those R&D guys in big pharma are such a waste.

Silly? You have no clue do you?

Look up the value of the US Dollar and it's trend over the past 10 years alone.

Also look up all the industries and things we once produced here that we either don't anymore of only produce a fraction of.

The 'wealthy' get wealthier because they have initial capital to invest into things that will make them money. The lower classes don't have said capital nor the investment sense either.

[^_^ 5,021]

Silly? You have no clue do you?

leave a contact email on this thread with a date by which you expect your doomsday prophecies to come true. a google spider is bound to find it and you will hear from someone one day telling you how wrong you were.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

leave a contact email on this thread with a date by which you expect your doomsday prophecies to come true. a google spider is bound to find it and you will hear from someone one day telling you how wrong you were.

Just how Brooksley Born and her agency was 'wrong' about the economic collapse that just happened?

Just how we didn't have $4 gasoline a couple of years ago?

Just how the 'true' unemployment rate is closer to 20% right now?

Yup, all is rose petals and fairies right now.

Wake up. Look at the price of Brent crude right now and how much it has risen in the past month alone. Sure the 'unrest' in the middle east is 'part' of it. However, the value of the Dollar plays an even bigger role.

[^_^ 5,021]

I notice you are yet to quantify 'coming years'

Tell us how many, O Wise One.

[mawilson 2,133]

the poorest 90 percent of Americans make an average of $31,244 a year

That's not bad at all and more than what people in other countries make (except Australia, of course!)

[^_^ 5,021]

That's not bad at all and more than what people in other countries make (except Australia, of course!)

In fact, it's more than what they should make! The only reason they make even that much is because of socialism.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

In fact, it's more than what they should make! The only reason they make even that much is because of socialism.

Right clearly our socialist ways make us unable to compete globally. We should strive to push that figure down to at least 15,000 to show the world our competitive greatness.

[^_^ 5,021]

Right clearly our socialist ways make us unable to compete globally. We should strive to push that figure down to at least 15,000 to show the world our competitive greatness.

I feel differently. In this day and age, I believe the concept of a salary or wage is obsolete. All employees should be compensated through shares in corporate profits. A senior manager would have a larger share of company profits (commensurate with his/her larger contribution towards those profits) than a file clerk would. But both would get paid nothing if the company didn't make money.

If we do that, America will be #1 again (until the rest of the world follows our lead).

[mawilson 2,133]

I feel differently. In this day and age, I believe the concept of a salary or wage is obsolete. All employees should be compensated through shares in corporate profits. A senior manager would have a larger share of company profits (commensurate with his/her larger contribution towards those profits) than a file clerk would. But both would get paid nothing if the company didn't make money.

What if it takes a company 4-5 years to start making money and they use loans

to stay afloat in the meantime?

[^_^ 5,021]

What if it takes a company 4-5 years to start making money and they use loans

to stay afloat in the meantime?

Then they should be considered employees of the lending institution* and the same logic then applies.

* When there is more than one, pick the largest.

Edited February 24, 2011 by \