Wake-up Call

So, I'm still fuming about this asshat and his "forgotten American". Today we're going to talk about this section of his essay which has been lauded across the right wing blogosphere (emphasis added):

The forgotten American listens to Hillary and Barack and thinks all these promises are nice and well and good, but figures that they expect someone like herself to pay for all those programs for all those who chose to live life differently than she did—for whom in most cases there was as much or more chances than she had. She wants to pay taxes and help, but shrugs that those who receive think it’s never enough—resentment, not gratitude is their more appropriate response for government help. And she assumes that Hillary and Barak, given what they make, don’t much care whether they pay a few thousand dollars more in their own taxes, and that they, like a John Edwards or John Kerry or Al Gore or Ted Kennedy, are rich enough to feel everyone else’s pain but her own.

Let's have a little reality check for those assholes who insist that being born white in this country doesn't mean anything, shall we?  These stats are taken from a Kiplinger's article on bNet. You can read the full article here. The stats are from 2001 and if you think the income discrepancy has gotten better under Bush, well, then your head is so far up your own ass that there's probably nothing I can say to help you pull it out.

Are you Above Average?

AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $53,100

White: $58,800

Nonwhite or Hispanic: $33,500 [A $20k discrepancy, but I suppose that is just due to poor work ethic right, Hanson? It couldn't have anything to do with the institutional racism that is still prevalent in this country that people like Hanson refuse to acknowledge.]

MEDIAN NET WORTH

all U.S. households: $71,600

top 10% of households: $900,000

top 1% of households: $5.9 million

households age 65-74: $146,500

White: $94,900

Nonwhite or Hispanic: $16,400

AVERAGE AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS IN ...

mutual funds: $25,000

individual stocks: $17,500

bank accounts: $18,100

retirement accounts: $24,000

Average 401(k) balance: $39,970

Americans without any retirement savings at all: 51.2% [That means the average, "forgotten" American is not putting away $200 - $400 a month in a 401(k) like Hanson claims.]

Median financial assets of households ages 55 to 64: $45,600

PAYING WITH PLASTIC

Households carrying a credit card balance: 44%

Median balance: $1,700

53% pay off the balance in full each month.

28% say they hardly ever pay off the balance.

AVERAGE CHARITABLE DEDUCTIONS

for all itemizers: $3,125

for those with adjustable gross income under $15,000: $1,175

for those with AGI of $100,000 to $200,000: $3,620

Special bonus! For those misguided, privileged jerks who think an annual income of $150,000 a year is "middle class".

IF YOUR FAMILY INCOME   THEN YOU'RE AMONG
IS AT LEAST ...            THE TOP ...

      $355,000                  1%
       130,600                  5
        93,800                 10
        60,800                 25
        33,400                 50