Monthly Notes:

• In 2005 25% of the largest US corporations paid no taxes
• The top 6 financial institutions in the US have assets equal to more than 60% of our GDP
• 65% of people making 6 figures or more want higher taxes
• 66% of Republicans want higher taxes on millionaires
• More than 1M people have top secret clearances, half of them contractors
• There is little proof that companies or individuals would try and earn less and spend less to avoid taxes
• Income fell 6.7% between June 2009 - June 2011
• Income fell only 3.2% between Dec 2007 - June 2009
• Top 1% have 40% of the wealth
• We are the most unequal now than in any part of our history
• Top 1% take home 24% of national income
• Top 1% have half the countries stocks
• Decrease wealth inequality by expanding unionization & taxing the rich
• Bottom 80% have 7% of the wealth
• In 1976 the top 1% took home 9% of national income, now it’s 24%
• Bottom 50% have half a percent (.5%) of stocks, bonds, mutual funds
• US is forth highest in income inequality, Israel is better
• People making more than $1M pay only 18% personal income tax
• 19% of Americans said they have not been able to feed themselves and their families in the past year… China said only 6% weren’t able to
• Percent of Americans with access to a doctor = 78.3% (was 82.5% in Sept 2008)
• Only 82.3% have health insurance
• 50% of US workers earn less than $26,364 a year
• Number of people making more than $1M up 18+% since 2009
• College tuition has gone up 600% since 1980
• 85% of college grads go back home to live with their parents after college
• Need to make $343,927 to be in the top 1%
• Top 1% on average make $960K a year
• Bigger wealth inequality leads to more child conflicts, homicide, imprisonment, trust issues, drug abuse, infant mortality, life expectancy, mental illness, obesity, HS dropouts, teenage births, social immobility, lower math & literacy scores
• Youth unemployment rate is 17.3%
• Top 1% accounted for 60% of income growth since 1979

1. niles38 posted this