The median American earns $40,000 per year. Obama and Romney, who earn $800,000 and $22,000,000 per year respectively, are arguing about which of them has more in common with the typical American wageearner. In reality, of course, neither of them can relate.
Class War is Hell
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication, WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal, a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "The Stringer."
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Yes, and the fact that the average American falls for this ridiculous propaganda shows that Americans aren’t capable of thinking for themselves anymore. It’s disturbing, really, because this is just common sense. Haven’t we known for a long time that most of our politicians are way out of our league? And not just politicians but celebrities like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly. Those guys are millionaires but keep touting themselves as ordinary guys. Ridiculous.
This makes a good point but I’m afraid the sheer magnitude of the current economic dichotomy – and it’s rapid acceleration – are beyond most people’s capacity to really get upset about.
$40,000… I would be happy with that right now and I am getting by.
It’s an average though… but an average of what? and who?
Are homeless people counted?
What ages?
It says per person… generally unemployment rates are calculated only by counting those working and those on unemployment; homeless and those on welfare are NOT a part of general stats.
What if you shaved that infamous 1% off the top and recalculated? Are you able to do that with your sources?
One of your columns – about a year ago – suggested, among other things, that no executive should earn more than 10% more than the lowliest staff member. I may be remembering that incorrectly (in fact I’m sure of it) but, whatever you suggested in that pro-revolutionary speech, was both realistic and shocking (in the magnitude of change suggested).
So, I wish some of that venom was visible in this cartoon. What? Presidents not relating to the common people??? Please, Ted, you can do better.
Yeah, everyone knows better and everyone loves to criticize…
But when you throw stats at us without any clarification or reference, you are no better than they are.
Stats are a cheap ploy. Stats are for chumps and you know it.
Better to light a candle than curse the dark. If you have access to the internet, and can read, so you can look it up if you missed school the day median was explained.
The median income is the income that is less than the top 50% and more than the bottom 50 %. It is not an average. It is the income right in the middle.
Take away Bill Gates and add another income of $50,000 and the median remains the same.
I’ll bet that BHO can identify a doughnut.
Difference is Obama thinks that he’s taxed too little and the lady on the couch pulling in 40k is taxed too much and Romney thinks just the opposite.
So, implying that Obama and Romney are the same on this issue just demonstrates your own cluelessness.
Glenn, I gave Ted the benefit of the doubt on the median/average deal because the “average” American (even those that read newspapers) will assume the meaning to be “average”. You, prove my point with your incorrect definition; a number CANNOT be BOTH less than the top 50% and more than the bottom 50% unless you alter the range differential of the numbers in question. Medians are purely linear and, as such, completely inappropriate for the topic of the cartoon. Unless Ted is taking some elitist, modernist approach to his language in his cartoons (kind of the wrong way to go if you want to make money – can you count the number of opportunities for us to give him money on this site?) he’s just used the wrong word. Only Ted knows why. I doubt it was a mistake but I’m not arguing semantics with his cartoon (just you and your silly definition).
So far, Whimsical has made the best point – putting Obama and Romney in the same boat is just careless ignorance – and a severe blow to Ted’s credibility.