The total household income of the upper 1% in 2005 was almost five times greater than that of all households in the bottom 20%, which is the area underneath that bottom green line in the chart above. In 1979, it was only 1.6 times greater.
Click image for more detail.
Blog Action Day, 15 October 2008, is an annual nonprofit event designed to unite the world's bloggers, podcasters and videocasters to discuss the same issue on the same day. Think of it as something like an intellectual flash mob. You don't have to sign up to participate, but right now there are 2,305 sites registered.
This year, the
topic is poverty. In 2007, it was
the environment. (
tip)
Watch the promo clip on
Vimeo. Learn more about poverty:
Politico reports that
John McCain will name his
vice presidential running mate on his 72nd birthday: Friday 29 August. That's also the day after the Democratic National Convention ends.
Speculation about Barack Obama's running mate remains rife. The faithful wait for a text message or email notice.
Zogby International reports that 55% of "likely voters" think Libertarian Presidential nominee Bob Barr should be part of the
2008 Presidential debates. Almost half -- 46% -- also think Ralph Nader should be in the debate party.
A key group in any election, political independents overwhelmingly (69%) want Barr on the stage. And 59% give the nod to Nader, as well. Poll margin of error: +/- 1.7 percentage points
The "Presidential debates" are sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates; it was established by the two major political parties when the League of Women Voters bowed out due to pressures by the parties on format. Today, the Commission requires that a candidate must have the support of 15% of the public to be included in a debate. Catch-22: third party candidates need the national platform to get voter attention, but they must have voter attention to get on the stage.
