The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.
The American dream is being stolen by those at the top of the economic ladder, not those beneath us. The affordability crisis is driven by income inequality. The rich get richer, and the majority of us get left behind.
The bottom half of our citizens only have a net worth of $13,699. Those making up the middle 40% of our population have a net worth of $316,574.
The individuals making up the top 10% have a net worth of $3,317,206. Ten to twenty-four times the financial worth of the rest of Americans. While those making up the top 1% are worth $15,876,721. Fifty to one hundred fifteen times the financial worth of nearly all Americans.
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America is being run by billionaires who care nothing for the rest of us. Our election system is essentially a bribery auction for the wealthy rather than serving the will of the people. The Supreme Court has declared corporations to be people and their money free speech to buy votes.
Those who are rich donate huge sums to politicians, and the result is those we elect care more about their donors’ agendas than their constituents. Most of us are getting zero representation from those we select to govern us.
Our government is headed in the wrong direction. Income inequality is at record high levels with billionaires and corporations becoming our government, leaving most of us with no chance to afford a home, health care, utilities or even food.
The American dream is being denied to the working and middle class by large donations to candidates from anonymous donors resulting in a government that works for the rich but prices the rest of us out of the market.
Trump and the GOP Congress have given huge tax cuts to the top 10%, increased inflation through tariffs that are passed on to U.S. consumers, and done nothing to lower the costs of housing, groceries and health care.
We can take our government back by voting only for candidates who support campaign disclosure laws and refuse corporate and anonymous donor “dark money.” Your candidate of choice must demand increased taxes on the rich to end those at the top from pulling the levers of government for their own benefit.
Hanson, of Elkhorn, is a memer of the Walworth County Democratic Party.
