America's 1% Has Taken $50T From the Bottom 90%
I&#x27;m definitely not 1%, and sympathize with&#x2F;understand somewhat some of these claims. Bail-outs and unchecked government spending or borrowing from future generations worry me.  However I&#x27;m also pretty aggressive at investing.  I feel like in general my retirement and taxable investing has benefitted me financially, though I&#x27;m solidly middle class.  I feel (with data to back me up) like I&#x27;m upwardly mobile, though still not &quot;financially independent&quot;.  I have had limited success in &quot;side projects&quot; and feel like it&#x27;s been pretty easy to start a side business.<p>In general, my attitude has been &quot;yes, we should work to better help those in poverty move up, but I don&#x27;t begrudge the Musks, Gates and Bezos of the world as long as I am free to start my own businesses and cheaply invest in index funds to share in the profit.&quot;  In other words, I am not rich, but see a path available to me and don&#x27;t see the barriers as being significant.  The main barriers to me personally are not billionares, but myself and my goals.<p>I understand those below the poverty line may not have the luxury of opening a IRA, stock account, etc. or immediately starting their own online business. Certain people may feel additional barriers based on culture, education, etc. and those situations should be addressed.  But for the majority of middle-class Americans, isn&#x27;t greater access to markets and small&#x2F;online business creation a big factor missing from this conversation?  At no time in history has it been easier or cheaper for an &quot;average joe&quot; to start or invest in a business.  For that matter, while getting a degree is expensive, self-education has never been easier.<p>I guess what I&#x27;m curious from the HN crowd:  Make this article relevant to a middle-class person on track to retire in their 60s, who tinkers on weekends with a few  startup ideas, and generally thinks their kids will be better off if they continue to have the same access to education, business and investing.  Why should that person be personally concerned about income inequality?   I&#x27;m genuinely asking here.  (Again, assume some level of care for poor&#x2F;underprivileged- we can agree some baseline should be assisted more.)