WHICH PARTY IS BETTER FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE US POPULATION By: Eli Birzer

Union Membership Membership during the Age of Shared Prosperity: >33% Declined from 25% to 7.5% from 1970s onward Partially due to globalization Unions down in all industries, not just those that outsourced Harmful to immigrants and African American women especially (Rosenfeld, )

Anti-Union Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization 1981 Strike shut down by Ronald Reagan Big defeat for labor unions 2011 Wisconsin Teachers’ Protest Response to Governor Scott Walker’s suggested bill to restrict collective bargaining power

Minimum Wage Failed to keep up with inflation over the past few decades (Gilbert, 65) Minimum wage is important to the working poor Since 1975 the number of full-time, year-round workers with poverty earnings has increased from 7.4% to 13.9% (men only).

Education Importance in Post-industrial era Republicans want to eliminate or lessen Federal loans to students Democrats support Pell grants, Federal students loans, and tax credit for college tuition Federal loans are often a better choice than private loans, especially for lower income students No interest until after graduation No cosigner necessary

Income Taxes Taxes from Taxes on the bottom 2/5ths were raised slightly Taxes for the top fifth decreased modestly from 27.5% to 25.1% Taxes for the top 1% decreased greatly, from 37% to 28.8% Taxes from Taxes decreased for bottom 4/5ths of Americans Taxes increased for top fifth to 28% Taxes increased for top 1% to 33%

Corporate Taxes Business assets are extremely concentrated Stocks Top10%- 90.4% Top 1%- 51.9% Bonds Top 10%- 98.8% Top 1%- 62.8% Business Equity Top 10%- 93.5% Top 1%- 62.7%