(no subject)
What was noteworthy on NPR today:
1) From 1950-1970, for every additional $1 earned by the bottom 90% of the American economy, the top .01% earned an additional $152.
From 1990 to 2002, for every additional $1 earned by the bottom 90% of the American economy, the top .01% earned an additional $18,000.
The increase in median real wages has been almost non-existant in the last decade, while the mean has increased dramatically. Alan Greenspan, Warren Buffet, and other knowledgable people are warning that this kind of disparity represents a significant threat to the economy.
The top 10% of households hold 56% of our nation's annual income. In the past 70 years, only 1999 and 2000 showed more income in that 10%, and that was due to stock market booms, and the median was increasing as well because of that boom. Just six years later, we're not experiencing the growth we were then, but we're seeing the upper portion of households still increasing its income share. Our economy is approaching the point that it was at in the early 20th century, where business empires (And those leading them) had huge control over both the economy and the government.
"Inequalities in political voice augment economic inequality, where campaign contribution equates to access, and access equates to advocacy."
2) Before the United States invaded Iraq, many Israeli military officers attempted to dissuade the US from starting a war, but were hushed by the leadership of the Israeli military. Those officers realized then that the war would destabilize the middle east, and result in increased aggression towards their nation. Regardless of your views of the legitimacy of the state of Israel, it's hard not to empathize with those Israelis who simply want to live in peace, but are represented by a warmongering government.