27 Shocking Numbers That Reveal the True State of the Union

[MindMover]

Source: Rolling Stone

In tonight's State of the Union speech, we're likely to hear a lot about the nation's continuing recovery from the Great Recession, and about President Obama's determination to run an executive end-run around obstructionist Republicans in order to kick the economy into a higher gear.

But as the nation pauses for this annual moment of reflection on our fiscal and social health, too many leading indicators get short shrift. Here are 27 statistics – on unemployment, inequality, the drug war, defense spending, climate change and more – that underscore the troubled reality of America in 2014:

1. New income generated since 2009 that has gone to the top 1 percent: 95 percent

2. Financial wealth controlled by the bottom 60 percent of all Americans: 2.3 percent

3. Record combined wealth of the top 400 richest Americans: $2,000,000,000,000

4. Real decline in median middle-class incomes since 1999: $5,000


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/27-shocking-numbers-that-reveal-the-true-state-of-the-union-20140128?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

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and 23 more .... more than sad .... it is pathetic ....

[Steerpike]

1. What can be done about this?

Last edited Tue Jan 28, 2014, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Many Christian believe accumulation of wealth is a sign that you have found favor in God's eyes. Capitalists believe accumulation of massive wealth is the highest virtue. And many people truly believe only stupid people (people who deserve it...) are poor, and for the most part it is their own fault.

Pushing against all these to create real change may be impossible under the current paradigm.

[MindMover]

2. The current political paradigm is showing signs of defensive behaviors that were just ...

glimmers in the eyes of true reformers just a few years ago ...

and the neo-capitalistic economic dragon is seeing many challengers ...

so it is not impossible ...

there just has to be enough arrows shot at the dragon to effect current reality ... and

[Le Taz Hot]

22. I LOVE that song!

I'm a big Sam Cook fan anyway. He was taken from us way too soon. Thank you for posting it.

[Demeter]

3. Those are Calvinists...they only CALL themselves Christians

Don't be confused by the branding...accept only the real thing!

[Steerpike]

5. Hi Demeter!

Unfortunately I know many, Catholics, Baptists and Potter House Style Christians who accept this too. They may be Calvinists...but the number of Christians who accept this Dogma is impressive.

[Demeter]

7. I cannot accept calling anyone who believes in that a Christian

because it is direct contradiction to the teachings of Christ.

Call me a purist. but I believe that words that are twisted get broken.

[Steerpike]

8. unfortunately

The number of these so called christians number in the thousands in my town alone. And perhaps number in the millions in the United States. And I suppose regardless of their true identity, they are a force to be reckoned with.

[Demeter]

9. No argument there!

But calling something by its real name gives you the power. The power to cut through the bullshit and the lies to the core.

[Steerpike]

10. well said...

[Demeter]

12. Thank you!

I just got out of a board meeting, where everyone is jumping down my throat. It's nice to be appreciated somewhere (not that either one gets me a dime).

[tclambert]

28. But you can buy a stairway to Heaven. It says so in that song . . .

Are you saying that song wasn't meant as a how-to manual?

[Demeter]

29. get thee behind me, Satan!

Hi Lambert!

[Pterodactyl]

13. Maybe elect a real Democrat instead someone like whats-his-name.

[rhett o rick]

32. Problem is The Powers To Be control our election system. They will give us H. Clinton-Sachs.

Well, Goldman-Sachs got their payment in early. Not to say someone else wont out bid them.

[Pterodactyl]

33. You're right. We're stuck with Clinton. Maybe I'll vote third party or something.

[loudsue]

4. Someone on our side needs to do a SOTU response, and add those figures.

Where is the media on that part of it?? .....*******crickets********.....

[Octafish]

6. These numbers are why I vote Democratic.

Oh. Wait a minute.

[tabasco]

15. Yes! Because Democrats have been in complete control of the government for the last 15 years.

Good point!

[Octafish]

16. You mean, apart from 2009-2010...

...and the President had an historic electoral mandate for change? That time.

[noiretextatique]

17. which he did not use

Something the BOG likes to ignore. He was too busy seeking "bipartanship" and it was a fatal mistake.

[Octafish]

19. First 100 Days is the Time to Act

Mandate. Press Honeymoon. Sea Change. Etc.

Not six years later.

[JoePhilly]

20. Didn't have 60 Senate votes in those first 100 days.

And he had a 60 vote Senate majority for about 2 months, total.

Still ... why couldn't he change 30 years of economic history in 2 months!!

[Octafish]

23. Absolutely.

And why not continue trickle down for six more? Congress! And Wall Street!

For details, ask Larry Summers and Tim Geithner who obviously understand the roles of public service and private wealth in a democracy. The crew working feverishly to, eh, strengthen the nation, despite the limitations put on them by Congress, today include: Jacob Lew and Penny Pritzker.

[JoePhilly]

24. Clearly, Obama hates America.

He should have nationalized the auto industry and the banking industry and the oil industry.

Opps and health care too.

One big giant executive order.

All better.

[noiretextatique]

25. he does not...he is just who he is

And I accept that reality. He really wanted bipartanship...with a pack of rabid racists and assorted loons. He knows better now.

[Octafish]

26. That's what you say.

As for bailing out GM and Chrysler, great! We need more union employers, not less.

As for Banking and Energy, yes. Nationalize.

That way, every citizen gets a piece of the action. Not just the CEO and his cronies, which may or may not include the shareholders.

Remember the Real Housewives of Wall Street are NOT desperate.

Almost forgot: I'd also nationalize Defense. That way, we'd have a more rational nation going forward.

[1000words]

11. Pretty speeches make it all better

[JoePhilly]

21. "Bully Pulpit", "Pretty Speech", "Bully Pulpit", "Pretty Speech" !!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

14. Life in corporate America

the land of guns and greed. Nobody is able to take on Wall Street.

[fasttense]

18. How can anyone say we are in a recovery when we still have less jobs then we did in 2008?

"26. Number of jobs the United States is still down from 2008 employment peak: 1.69 million".

Add to that we have had a population increase of over 13 million and we seem to be falling further behind instead of catching up. What is so down right wrong with our economic system that it can NOT provide enough jobs for everyone? Shouldn't a good economic system be able to at least do that much?

[truedelphi]

30. The Geithner policy of Too Big To Fail, along with the

Slippage of some 16 trillions of dollars as loans from the Federal Reserve to the Financial Giants, this is an explanation of how the "nation" recovered.

Especially if it doesn't bother you that by using the term "nation" you really mean "One Percent."

Apologists for the Geithner/Wells Fargo/BOA/Chase recovery manage to point out that there is always a lot of loans made to banks, but the real experts say that some 4.7 trillions of dollars will not ever be repaid.

What this ends up meaning is that right now, every time a dollar of profit is generated in this nation, 49 cents out of it goes directly to the coffers of one of the Big Financial Firms. (Back in the Reagan era, only 8 cents out of every dollar of profit went to the coffers of the banks.) What does this mean? It means the end of a decent sized middle class, and no nation has ever had a democracy without having a middle class.

Even worse, Geithner refused to push for the re-instatement of Glass Steagal, so the Big Bailouts might need to re-occur again, and that situation could be next month, next year, or ten years from now.

The fact that the Chinese seem to be facing a financial meltdown right now, indicates the new round of Bailouts for the Big Banks will probably be sooner rather than later. And the middle class is further eliminated by a certain percent, every time there will be a new economic collapse and a new round of Bailouts.

[Jimbo S]

27. Analyzing some of this

#1. The 1% have the most gains since 2009, but also took the biggest hit in '08-'09. I would like to see the number for post-1981.

#4. A legit statistic. Eight of years of Bush led to a lost decade.

#7. Should be higher. Debatable what the level should be.

#8. Irrelevant. Technology allows for workers to be more efficient, so one would expect productivity to increase.

#10. This is issue is finally getting into the conversation. Good.

#13-14. Not a climate scientist. Can't tell if it's a true-but-misleading statement.

#15. Too much defense $$. I believe I once heard an appropriate level would be 2% of GDP(?)

#24-25. Both the U-3 and U-6 have steadily fallen the last four years.

#26. Given the Great Rec cession, it wouldn't surprise me that it would take ten years (Dec 2017) for all the lost jobs to come back, no matter if the President was Obama or McCain.

[Doctor_J]

31. Aww, you're pissing on a big victory parade

no truth is allowed today unless it conforms to the daily meme that Obama was sent by God Himself to rescue the nation from, er, something

[warrant46]

34. +1