72% of Americans Say the Rich 'Have Too Much' as GOP Pursues Another Handout for Billionaires

[Brenda]

The survey, conducted in April with a representative sample of more than 950 registered voters nationwide, shows "broad frustration with how wealth is distributed in America, specifically the extreme concentration of wealth among the superrich," the magazine reported in its write-up of the results, which came just ahead of the latest swing of Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) popular "Fighting Oligarchy" tour.

Few respondents, across party lines, said they believe the richest 0.1% and 1% are paying their fair share of taxes, according to the survey, and 66% said they think the wealthiest Americans are paying "too little" in taxes.

The findings were published as Trump and GOP lawmakers in Congress worked to pass another round of tax breaks that would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans.

Meanwhile, a new analysis from the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP) estimates that what the group describes as the "true rate of unemployment"—which counts "the jobless plus those seeking, but unable to find, full-time employment and those in poverty-wage jobs"—rose to 24.3% last month, just one indicator of workers' growing struggles in the U.S.

"Over the past four months, we've seen a stagnation in job opportunities that pay above poverty wages, particularly for low- and middle-income workers," said LISEP chair Gene Ludwig. "As economic uncertainty grows, more Americans are losing ground. Wages aren't keeping up with the rising cost of living, and the shrinking availability of living-wage jobs is compounding the strain. The consequences for working families are becoming increasingly severe."

Go Bernie and AOC! Get way into the Deep South and show the world how many Americans are NOT INTO MAGA!

https://www.commondreams.org/news/americans-rich