1% of US Americans earn nearly a quarter of the country's income and control an astonishing 40% of its wealth

I believe your stats may be wrong, I am under the impression from reading varioius sources that less than 1% pays 46 % of taxes they also earn over 80% of all earnings. Those earnings would include bonuses, deferred income, stock options, etc... which in 99% of the time only 15% capital gains tax was paid. It should also be noted that those who derive their incomes in the millions where they can they take income as bonuses and capital gains so they do not have to pay income tax rates. Part of our huge tax problem. If I were you I go recheck your statisics. I assure you they are vastly underestimated. As a matter of fact, I know I'm right

Fantastic journalism work. Just added an RSS feed to my toolbar for Al Jazeera (something I should've done a long time ago).

My only counterargument is with Obama's seeking campaign funding. To put it simply, one cannot invoke change without first playing by the rules of the game—especially in the system we've set up for ourselves. It is an unfortunate fact that candidates require more money than intelligence to lead this country. To be an idealist (and not sound like a hypocrite) in this struggle for power means almost certain defeat.

It just makes it that much more difficult for us to separate the liars from those with good intentions.

Problem: American workers have been deserted while third world nations struggle to build safe infrastructures that provide drinking water, sanitation, and energy to homes.

Solution: Increase taxes on wealth. The government needs to put people to work on science and technological research in order to recover a basic industry for America. Pay people what they are worth globally. No more hiring people to work without providing standards of health, safety, and environment in third world nations.

OK, so there are some really wealthy people out there. If they worked hard and made a fortune good for them. I'm not the least bit envious.

Excellent video even though it was hard to watch. Welcome to the second Gilded Age. The disconnect will remain until the reality bites these rich in the ass that all these millions they are making doesn't benefit the rest of the country. Only themselves.

unless the top 1% can take the 40% of wealth and build a bullet proof shelter the 99% of us will take over... and if the 99% of us are fighting the 1% of them, whos left to build the shelter hahahaha

So what do you plan to do about this? Is the solution to take what some people have and spread it around or is the solution to work and have more income for yourself. I understand that everyone cannot be in the top 1%, if they were they would be the top 100% but in reading some posts here I am seeing solutions such as burning mansions, or blaming a group whose chief offense seems to be the desire to return to fiscal responsibility (the Tea Party). Frankly both are solutions that are rather ignorant and in the first case could be more than a little dangerous. Meanwhile our government has created an unConstitutional "Super Congress" to bypass more debate regarding legislation. Where is the outrage?

We'll be a feudal society within 100 years absent some sort of real movement to stop this trend.

i think the more n more this fact is reported the more n more likely it will be that the angry redbloods of this country will finally turn their hate to the ultra rich and leading to a long and drawn-out (and modern) 'Bastille Decade.' Mansions being burned down/bombings etc, could totally see that.

Not to worry folks our glorious leaders are working on a solution to our problems--------America will soon have a horrific terrorist attack-----just guessing.

vote in some more republicans and see how bad it gets...........................we need to fight them where it hurts....dump these teabaggers and right wing nuts so the President doesnt have to beat his head against the wall everytime something needs to be done!!!!!!!!!! We could have already been on the road to better times if the 2010 election had gone differently but NO.....too many people voted Republican cause they lied their way into office and promised everyone jobs........which they have done absolutely nothing about....in fact they have done absolutely nothing period except make things worse with their greed!!!! Greed caused this and we are not going to get out of this mess till people wake up and quit voting these greedy morons into office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think there must be a brain cell deficeit in people who just cant see this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@shengled: Don't ever give up. You did the right thing by furthering your education. You set a great example for your kids. Get out and beat the bushes every day until you find a job, and remember that we Americans have it better than 95% of the rest of the world. Involve yourself in your community and press for positive change that will strengthen the middle class. You are not alone.

This is a great story. Al Jazeera reports like we wish American TV and Journalism did. There is no inflammatory rhetoric..no bi-partisan slants, just the facts. Thanks for doing such a great job. Being one of the lower 90%, I am scared to death of graduating in this economy. My major being Construction Management, it is no wonder why I don't sleep well. I've apologized to my children for not being able to provide, at the very least, what my parents were able to afford me. It is very nerve racking to think that I waited so long to get an education that I wont be able to pay my financial aid back when I graduate. I feel as though I missed out on an opportunity, the last 20 years of my life really, because I had children early in my life and just barely being able to support myself and my children in the best of times. Now I am unemployed but getting good grades. I will not be able to afford Harvard or even UF. I will be getting my degree from a little known but affordable, just turned 4 year degree college. I see that the employed managers all have degrees from prestigious colleges with curriculum's that are much tougher than my own or have many years as top level managers. The name on the paper matters very much as the General Contractors will only be hiring the top students from the best schools. I don't blame them really. When you have your choice of picking from the top down rather than from the general pool of graduates, I don't think in this economy they will be looking for a recent 42 year old graduate with little experience at this level. But I push on...for the possibility of a better life for myself and my children who, unfortunately, will see little of my accomplishments because they will be adults by the time I earn my way up through the ranks and live humbly while paying back my student loans that will top $55,000 by the time I have completed my course work. Having made some bad decisions in my early 20's, I cant work in retail or even McDonald's as they will not hire someone with felonies. It has been a struggle to find work while in school, generally working for myself because, even thought the felonies are 20 years old, they are looked at as if they happened yesterday. I applaud places like California, who only look back 8 years by law. It seems as though I'm stuck in a plebeian class that will take an absolute miracle to emerge from.....and I push on

Keep on concentrating that wealth. Because, you know, history shows that people never ever revolt against the hyper-wealthy.

The poor are screwed, the elderly and disabled are screwed, the average person lucky enough to have a job is screwed and everyone else is eating viagra like candy. Welcome to America, land of the many, owened by the few.

Until we reach our breaking point, it's only going to get worse.
Send the Unemployed to DC all at once. And let them deal with Washington.
At 9% Unemployment, that's est. 28,072,396. (based on population clock).

28 Million are currently without jobs.
I don't think it's because their lazy. I think it's because there's no jobs (outside of McDonalds).

this is so true

lets not forget they don't pay shit in taxes either.

This was produced by Al Jazeera, what a great story. This is what the foriegn media is showing it's viewers overseas. Our media has not picked up on the story yet, I wonder why? Oh I know the revolution will not be televised.

Since it is our stolen income and wealth, it's time to take it back with interest!

That is pretty old news.

p.s. down with "The Money Party".

CLASS WAR NOW