Ten Thousand Tentacles: Archive

The 400 wealthiest families in the U.S. aren’t just filthy rich, they are downright dirty. Collectively, these households own $1.37 trillion dollars; a number so high that it’s nearly impossible to comprehend. Here are 11 shocking things $1.37 trillion can buy that you can’t.

The richest 400 households can pay off every student loan for every single student in the entire United States. No more paying for an education, so that you can get a good job so that you can… well, pay off your education.

The richest 400 could pay your rent, and the rent of every single renter in the entire United States for three years.

The richest 400 could pay the mortgages of every house in the whole country for 14 full months.

The richest 400 households can buy every single house that was foreclosed on in 2007 and 2008.

The richest 400 households could pay the annual salaries of 19 million families for one year. So go ahead, take that year-long, family vacation around the world you’ve always dreamed of.

The richest 400 can pay off all credit card debt for every single person in the entire United States. Imagine that! No more credit card debt looming over your shoulders!

The richest 400 households can afford to give a $10,000 bonus to every single worker in the entire country. What would a hardworking person like you do with that extra money?

The richest 400 can afford to buy a new car for every family in the United States. Meanwhile, many of us must ignore the flashing check engine light.

The richest 400 can pay for 3 ½ years worth of gas for every driver in the country.

The richest 400 households can afford to triple the number of teachers in the United States, then give every single one a $30,000 raise. Teachers are being laid off everywhere, their salaries are being cut, and they are suffering. Teacher-to-student ratios in schools are abysmal. But what can we do about it when so much wealth is in the pockets of so few families?

The richest 400 families alone could replace 70% of all money lost in the Great Recession, for everyone! How much money did you, your parents, or grandparents lose in the Great Recession of 2008? 30%, 50% of your portfolio? Not only do the rich still have enough money to fund their wildest dreams, but they can also fund your retirements.

The old “well, they earned it so they deserve it” capitalistic adage no longer really applies to much of the extraordinarily wealthy in this country (not that many of them personally did earn their money - most likely their long dead relatives did). It’s especially no longer true when you take into consideration the fact that most of them have people that are exceptionally talented at hiding their money from domestic taxation.

I believe capitalism is the best system out there, but it needs to be restrained and have limitations. This sort of concentration of wealth isn’t healthy for a country or its people. It’s appalling.