Closing the Gap-October

In The Importance of Being Ernest, satirist Oscar Wilde criticizes the luxurious and often frivolous nature of the upper-class in Victorian society. He uses their petty manipulation of others and infatuation with unimportant issues throughout the story. Meanwhile, men and women all over the Great Britain were starving, impoverished, and hopeless. As society advanced into the twentieth century, so did government and legislation. In an attempt to decrease the gap between rich and poor, many politicians and social activists pushed for reform and the twentieth century saw great change.
However, there still exists a substantial economic and income gap in America today. Some sociologists and economists believe the gap is more of a problem now than it has ever been. The New York Times has reported that the Federal Reserve says the economic recession in 2008 has in fact intensified the gap. After a three year survey, the Fed reports the, "Average, or mean, pretax income for the wealthiest 10% of U.S. families rose 10% in 2013, but families in the bottom 40% saw their average inflation-adjusted income decline over that period..." Also, the top 3% of families saw their income rise to 30.5% from 27.7% in three years. The Federal Reserve has also stated, "Wealth inequality has deepened over time. The top 3% held 54.4% of all wealth in 2013, up from 44.8% in 1989. The bottom 90% held 24.7% of wealth last year, down from 33.2% in 1989." Yet, the national median income has fallen by 2% in the recent years and the Times also states the middle and upper middle classes haven't recovered to their pre-recession status.
This issue has become an important and very controversial one for policymakers not only in Washington DC, but in state capitals such as Harrisburg. It has also become a major concern for lower class Americans as they are struggling to find employment and provide an income for their families like the lower class Victorians. Meanwhile, America's economic elitists have not only recovered, but are witnessing their own incomes rise to levels before the recession. Now I must say, I am an avid supporter of the brave and daring entrepreneur and agree that they should be able to do as they please with their income. I am also not a socialist, but I feel that in order to provide incentives for working, legislators and voters must push for a shrinkage in the gap. However, I also believe that voters and policymakers can only do so much. It is up to individuals all the way from company executives to the average American worker to make a difference. The government, by the nature of a capitalistic society, simply cannot and should not regulate the economy nor the workforce. We the people, armed with morality and will power, are tasked (now more than ever) to not lessen the elitist's wealth, but to further ours and raise it to the top. By going to work, going above and beyond our previous limits, and putting are energy into our job performance, we too can prosper economically. In turn, our society, culture, and government will strengthen knowing that we as Americans have gotten back up when the recession knocked us down.