Essay - The Growing Gap Between America's Rich and Poor Puts the...

The growing gap between America's rich and poor puts the nation at risk not only in financial terms, but in social ***** as well. Recent st*****istics show that ***** gap between both low- and middle-*****come families, ***** high-income families has increased dramatically from the 1980s to the 1990s. Tellingly, incomes of the ***** families grew minimally or did ***** change, while the ***** of the richest families studied grew by a thirty five percent during this time (Walsh).

This ***** income gap poses a risk of decreased consumer spending, increased social unrest, and increased dependence on social programs.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute reports that the ***** between low-income and high-income families increased significantly from the 1980s to the *****. During this time period, ***** incomes ***** the poorest families grew ***** or ***** not *****, while the incomes of the ***** families studied ***** ***** a staggering ***** five ***** (Walsh).

This widening gap in income was ***** limited to the ***** families.

*****, the ***** between middle-income families and high-income families has also increased. The share of *****tal income by the richest 20 percent of Americans increased from 38.4 to 45.5 percent, ***** the share ***** ***** families fell from 18.1 to 16.2 percent (Walsh).

The ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor has occurred during ***** 1990s, one of the most robust periods of economic recovery in the United States history. Critics argue that the economic recovery of the ***** is in fact, for most Americans, a period of declining ***** *****nd opportunity. The real beneficiaries of ***** boom ***** the 1990s seem to be ***** wealthiest ***** percent of the population (*****).

The ever-widening income gap places great potential for economic strain upon the United States. Certainly, the over 80 ***** of Americans with declining ***** are likely to be less likely to buy consumer goods. When ***** purchase ***** consumer ***** like cars, clothing decreases, and entertainment decreases, the economy ***** at risk. It is doubtful that ***** spending by the other 20 percent of Americans could make up this enormous, potential shortfall in earnings.

Rapid decreases in consumer ***** do not appear to ***** in imminent. However, if the income gap continues to spread, Americans may begin to tighten their purse strings, ***** dire consequences for the economy ***** the United *****.

The ***** ***** gap ***** has potential social implications ***** America. As ***** poorest of Americans see the richest of Americans continuing to increase ***** wealth, any existing beliefs in ***** ***** for social and economic equality may begin to erode. ***** a result, America ***** be left with a l*****rge proportion of Americans who feel like they are destined ***** live their lives as poor or middle class. Without at least the hope for a better future, these Americ*****ns may begin to have a growing resentment of the upper class.

In ***** terms, resentment ***** the upper class can have drastic consequences. The