Income Inequality in the U.S.: Data, Polls, and Party Views
This paper examines the scope and significance of income inequality in the United States by drawing on statistical evidence, national polling data, and political discourse. Using figures from peer-reviewed research, Gallup surveys, and journalism, it documents how wealth is concentrated among a small fraction of Americans while median incomes have stagnated. The paper then analyzes how both major political parties have approached the issue: Democrats have championed minimum wage legislation and positioned themselves as advocates for working Americans, while Republicans — historically less focused on inequality — have increasingly adopted the issue as a campaign talking point, largely in response to public opinion and the political landscape of the Obama era.
- Introduction: The Stakes of Income Inequality: Frames the paper's focus on U.S. inequality
- The Statistical Picture of Wealth Disparity: Key data on wealth concentration and stagnation
- Gallup Polling: What Americans Think About Wealth Distribution: Public opinion on fairness of wealth distribution
- Republicans' Views on Income Inequality: GOP political motivations for addressing inequality
- Democrats' Views on Income Inequality: Democratic legislation and messaging on inequality
- Conclusion: Open question on voters and party positioning
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What makes this paper effective
- It grounds its argument in concrete, quantifiable data before pivoting to political analysis, giving readers a factual foundation for evaluating partisan claims.
- It balances coverage of both political parties fairly, presenting each side's motivations and legislative actions with supporting evidence.
- It uses direct quotations strategically — from polls, politicians, and journalists — to let primary voices carry the argument forward without over-editorializing.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of triangulation: it combines peer-reviewed data (American Journal of Public Health), nationally recognized polling (Gallup), and political journalism (The New York Times, The Hill, Politico) to build a multi-source argument. By corroborating the same theme — that inequality is real and politically salient — across different source types, the paper strengthens its credibility without relying on any single authority.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief framing introduction, then moves into two evidentiary sections establishing the statistical reality of inequality and public opinion. It then devotes parallel sections to Republican and Democratic political responses, maintaining structural symmetry. A short conclusion raises an open question about voter reception, inviting further reflection rather than overclaiming a resolution. This funnel structure — facts first, politics second — is well-suited to a policy-adjacent topic.
Introduction: The Stakes of Income Inequality
How serious is the issue of income inequality in the United States? This paper examines the factual data surrounding this issue, including polling numbers gathered by Gallup and the positions taken by Democrats and Republicans.
The Statistical Picture of Wealth Disparity
Journalist Larry Schwartz has compiled relevant data, and his article in Salon reveals a striking portrait of American wealth distribution: in 81% of U.S. counties, the median income is $52,000 — less than it was 15 years ago; the poorest half of Americans own just 2.5% of the country's wealth, while the top 1% own 35%; the cash paid out in Wall Street bonuses in 2014 was twice the total amount earned by all minimum-wage workers in the country combined; citizens of Italy, Belgium, and Japan are, on average, wealthier than ordinary Americans; and 400 Americans hold more wealth — $2 trillion — than the bottom half of all Americans combined (Schwartz, 2015).
In the peer-reviewed American Journal of Public Health, the authors note that in 1980 the top 5% of households accounted for 16.5% of all income while the bottom 20% accounted for 4.2%. By 2013, however, the top 5% of households accounted for 22.2% of all income, while the bottom 20% accounted for only 3.2% (Williams et al., 2015). These figures underscore a decades-long trend toward greater wealth concentration at the top of the income distribution.
Gallup Polling: What Americans Think About Wealth Distribution
Sixty-three percent of Americans polled by Gallup in May 2015 said that money and wealth distribution in the United States is unfair, and a small majority (52%) favored heavy taxes on the rich as a remedy (Newport, 2015). Breaking the results down by party: 12% of Democrats in the Gallup poll said income distribution is fair, 86% said income should be more evenly distributed, and 2% either did not know or declined to answer (Newport, p. 2). Among Republican respondents, 56% said distribution is fair, 34% indicated that wealth should be more evenly divided, and 9% did not know or declined to answer (Newport, 2015).
These polling results are not substantially different from surveys taken in 2009, 2011, and 2013. In fact, the average across the last 13 Gallup polls on this issue shows that 62% of Americans consistently agree that distribution is unfair (Newport, p. 1).
Conclusion
The fact that Republican candidates for the White House embraced the issue of income inequality comes as no surprise given the literature reviewed in this paper. The larger question remains: will voters be impressed by this apparent shift in position by the G.O.P., or will Democrats continue to hold the upper hand on this issue?
Works Cited
Devaney, T. (2015). GOP struggles on income equality. The Hill. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
Everett, B. (2014). Dems seize on income inequality. Politico. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
Jamieson, D. (2015). Obama pushes 'the right thing' for workers: Paid leave, minimum wage, pay equity. Huffington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com.
Lowery, W. (2014). Senate Republicans block minimum wage increase bill. The Washington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
Newport, F. (2015). Americans continue to say U.S. wealth distribution is unfair. Gallup. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.gallup.com.
Nyhan, B. (2015). Why Republicans are suddenly talking about economic inequality. The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com.
Schwartz, L. (2015). 35 soul-crushing facts about American income inequality. Salon. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from http://www.salon.com.
Williams, J.A.P., and Rosenstock, L. (2015). American Journal of Public Health, 105(4), 616–619.
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