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I will answer the question, though not in the way you expect, but first a question for you.
Who creates the massive wealth in the US economy?
Yes, of course, the workers. Entrepreneurs may form the businesses that employ them, but without the workers, those businesses would supply no products or services. And CEOs and senior managers may get paid crazy amounts to sit in corner offices making “big” decisions, but it’s the workers who make the profits.
Since 1989, the US economy doubled in size in real terms and that increase relied on the 170 million workers. But despite the part they played in boosting the economy, the poorest 50% of Americans saw their share of America’s wealth fall from 3.5% to 2.5%.
No wonder poor Americans get upset when they hear that the money they earned is going to people who didn’t earn it. And I don’t mean the immigrants who many politicians blame for taking money they didn’t earn. Even though immigrants cost every single American about $279 each year.
Since 1989 the wealthiest 1% of Americans captured an additional 9.1% of US wealth, giving them a total share of 31.9%. Almost a third of America’s total wealth has been hoarded by just 1% of the people.
Based on 2025 end figures, if the poorest 50% hadn’t lost 1%, they’d each have $10,308 more today. If that whole 9.1% had gone to them instead of the wealthiest 1%, they’d each have $93,810 more today.
Add both together and that’s $104,118 that Americans workers earned by working to double the US economy. But the $104,118 they earned was given to people who didn’t earn it. The wealthiest 1% of Americans have now hoarded almost $56 trillion. Almost 1.5 times the US national debt. And guess who’s paying the interest on that.
So, how much do you think the poorest 50% of Americans deserve for their work that doubled the US economy? $279 or $104,118?
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