There is a discrepancy between the traditional American ideal of hard work equating to economic success and the reality of full-time workers not being able to meet their needs. Working hard can certainly lead to wealth, but in most cases one can work multiple jobs and still barely get by. In other words, equality of opportunity does not equate to equality of outcome. And in many circumstances, those that were born into a lower class household find it increasingly more difficult to rise up in the socioeconomic hierarchy, and thus the cycle continues.

In regards to this issue at large, it remains difficult for the President to create a dialogue about the wealth gap without opponents accusing him/her of starting a “class warfare”. But simply acknowledging the already existent and increasing divide between the rich and poor is not an initiation for different socioeconomic classes to attack one another. There is already enough blame being shifted around, whether the claim is that the rich pay too much in taxes or that the poor don’t pay enough. The significant part of starting this dialogue is to attempt to implement ways to create more middle income jobs to restore the middle class and reduce the extreme divide between those in poverty and those who work on Wall Street. Having a middle class majority, strengthens the U.S. economy. Because we live in a capitalist society run by a consumer economy, more households with financial comfort and expendable incomes are able to further contribute to this economy by buying things. It is more difficult to do this if an individual or household relies on government assistance or lacks any expendable income. In addition, the top 1% currently makes up a significant portion of the country’s total income, a situation that has not resurfaced since the 1920s. This is dangerous because allowing the fate of the country to be controlled by the hands of the few, presents an impractical power dynamic. Furthermore, a middle class majority helps to stabilize the overall economy, presents a greater balance of power, and ensures a more achievable goal of financial and economic comfortability.