Public Thinks Distribution Of Wealth & Income Should Be More Equal

Recent statistics have shown that the current gap between the rich and the rest of America is the biggest it's been since the 1920's (just before the Great Depression). And it has had the same effect it had back then. In the late 1920's the vast inequality resulted in the Great Depression, while today's inequality has brought on our current Great Recession (which may itself actually be a Depression).

In the early 1930's, the voters brought on change by putting Democrats in power. Those Democrats, led by President Franklin Roosevelt, instituted many changes which resulted in evening out the wealth and income inequality -- and resulted in a healthy and booming American economy during the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Unfortunately, the Great Recession has, so far, not resulted in the changes necessary to fix the economy and make wealth and income distribution fairer for the entire population.

The Republicans (with the help of blue dog Democrats) have been able to retain enough power to block any efforts to create jobs, fix the economy, or make the changes needed to more evenly distribute the nation's wealth and income (which would properly be done through progressive taxation and strong and effective social programs). These Republicans and blue dogs defend their policies to help make the rich even richer (and cut all social programs to finance that) by calling efforts to change a "class warfare".

This silly "class warfare" argument may fool a few people, but the majority of Americans are just not buying it. Main Street is hurting and they know what is responsible -- the vast wealth and income gap between Wall Street and Main Street. This is clearly shown by a new poll that was recently released.


That survey is the Washington Post/ABC News Poll (completed between October 31st and November 3rd, when they surveyed 1,004 random nationwide adults -- with a margin of error of 3.5 points). The poll showed that most people believe the wealth and income gap in this country is too large, and that it is proper for the government to take action to correct it. Here are the responses of the public:

IS THE WEALTH GAP IN THIS COUNTRY LARGER, SMALLER, OR ABOUT THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY?
Larger...............61%
Smaller...............5%
The Same...............31%
No opinion...............3%

IF LARGER, IS IT MUCH LARGER OR SOMEWHAT LARGER?
Much larger...............61%
Somewhat larger...............37%
No opinion...............2%

DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PURSUE POLICIES TO REDUCE THAT GAP?
Yes...............60%
No...............35%
No opinion...............5%

Those are some pretty significant percentages, and they show the public is just not buying the tired old "class warfare" argument. They want a fairer economy. The Republicans (and blue dogs) can continue pushing their failed "trickle-down" economic policy, which just gives an even larger share of wealth and income to the rich, but they will do so at their own peril. The people have spoken, and they'll speak even louder in November 2012.

(NOTE -- Cartoon above is by David Horsey in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.)