379— Income Inequality and its Dire Consequences

Rising income inequality has been an increasingly issue within the United States since the 20th century and will continue to worsen unless it is addressed. The lower class’s income growth has been very stagnant while the upper class thrives. Improvements in technology have played a large role in the present in separating the upper and lower classes but I want to focus more on the political causes and the consequences that have resulted. Such as the continued trend of the Republican party to increase taxes upon the poor and decrease them upon the rich. This I believe is in part due to the past idea of “trickle down economics”. Minorities have also been affected by the income inequality present in the United States as African American and hispanic citizens income is drastically below that of the majority whites. While there have been policies put into place to help solve this issue it is still very present in the United States. Big businesses have formed that stamp out the competition due to their overwhelming economic power. With the rise of big businesses along with them came an increase in political power through lobbying and other means via their money. As they are able to support candidates through financial means candidates are more likely to enact policies that support them. This act is in my opinion corrupt and goes against the democratic values representing the people who vote for you not the people who paid for your campaign.