400 Richest Own More Than The Poorest 150,000,000?

"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality..."   - Paul,       II Corinthians 8:13-14


"Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."  - Wendell Berry
 
According to a December, 2011, report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, income inequality is on the rise in the United States and in most other developed countries. The report found that the U.S. ranks the fourth-highest in the level of inequality, coming after Chile, Mexico and Turkey. Overall, the report stated, inequality among U.S. workers has risen by 25 percent since 1980.

According to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, in a press release, “This study dispels the assumptions that the benefits of economic growth will automatically trickle down to the disadvantaged and that greater inequality fosters greater social mobility. Without a comprehensive strategy for inclusive growth, inequality will continue to rise.”

When it comes to accumulated wealth, the top richest people in the U.S. now control more of it than the combined 150,000,000 poorest, according to politifact.com.

Meanwhile, Tennesee congressman Stephen Fincher quotes 2 Thess. 3:10 to defend his desire to cut billions from the federal food stamps program: "For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat."

But is anyone who collected a total of $3.5 million in farm subsidies since 1999, as did Fincher, really "working" for all that federal windfall? And are all of the jobless really “unwilling?”

According to a Tom Airey blog, a couple of years ago McDonald’s reported that 1 million people applied for jobs at their U.S. restaurants. They were able to hire only 62,000.

So there's certainly a bigger problem here than just people's work ethic.

But lest we favored middle class folks in this country look at the super-rich around us with self-righteous disdain, we must remind ourselves that we are all filthy rich in comparison to the vast majority of our world neighbors.

Which calls for radical repentance on the part of all of us.

Here's a link to more of my posts on wealth.