Who are The One Percent in America?

The number of Americans who are millionaires is about one percent of the population. –NPR Of the 435 members of the House, 244 current members of Congress are millionaires. Here is a list of the 20 wealthiest current members of Congress and their average net worth, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, based on […]

The wealthy 1 percent of Americans

Protesters in the Occupy Wall Street movement, which began in New York City’s financial district and has since spread to hundreds of cities around the country, are directing their protest against the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. You judge the validity: FACT #1: The wealthiest 1 percent of households own 34.6 percent of all privately […]

US Congressmen are in no way representative of the people

Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) appeared on MSNBC to attack President Obama’s new deficit reduction plan, which includes some tax increases on the wealthy. The host of the show asked, “If you have to pay more in taxes, you would get rid of some of [your] employees?” Fleming responded by saying that while his businesses made […]

Wealth and the ideology of self interest

Psychologist and social scientist Dacher Keltner says the life experience of the rich makes them less empathetic, less altruistic, and generally more selfish. In fact, he says, the philosophical battle over economics, taxes, debt ceilings and defaults that are now roiling the stock market is partly rooted in an upper class “ideology of self-interest.” Keltner […]

The rich only think of themselves

Psychologist and social scientist Dacher Keltner says the rich really are different, and not in a good way: Their life experience makes them less empathetic, less altruistic, and generally more selfish. In fact, he says, the philosophical battle over economics, taxes, debt ceilings and defaults that are now roiling the stock market is partly rooted […]

The U.S. Experiencing the Perfect Economic Storm

Robert Reich, former labor secretary during the Clinton administration, writes that the country is being threatened by what he calls a “perfect storm.” The wind is blowing from three directions: The rich keep getting richer, with the top 0.1 percent of income earners making more money than the 120 million people at the bottom of […]

Why Are So Many Christians Conservative? Part 1

Conservatives believe that the rich and powerful got that way because they deserve to be, that society owes its prosperity to the prosperous, and that government’s job when they have to make choices is to side with those businesspeople who are doing well, because all good things trickle down from them. Progressives, on the other […]

Why are there less benefits for the poor?

Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor has an interesting concept. He writes: “During the last few years, politics has worked perversely: taxes on the wealthy have been cut, and so have programs directed at the poor. “The reason isn’t difficult to explain. Many Americans– especially those who have been losing ground have given up […]