Closing the Racial Wealth Divide

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Jessie Henry
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Fax: (617) 423-0191 Web: www.faireconomy.

1 Closing the Racial Wealth Divide United for a Fair Economy Phone: (617) Fax: (617) Web: info@faireconomy.org September 2006

2 The Nation at a Crossroads What is the Current Situation? Growing Insecurity Layoffs & job instability Stagnant wages Insecure pensions Roller-coaster stock market Greater Burdens Longer work hours Loss of family time Rising costs of housing, health care, child care, education, utilities Stress, Isolation and Scapegoating Fear of crime Families hunkering down Gated communities; growing prison population Anger at immigrants and welfare recipients WEB: 2

3 Workers in the U. S. are Losing Ground Household Income: Down since 2000 Job Security: Layoffs, part-time, temporary Health Benefits: Paying more for less coverage Pensions: Fewer people covered Cost of Living: Rising for housing, utilities, education, child care Working Conditions: Deteriorating; exploitation of immigrant labor Still waiting for trickle-down... WEB: 3

4 What is Wealth? What is wealth? Wealth = What you own minus what you owe. How is wealth different from income? Income is money that flows in. Wealth is money and assets that remain after the bills are paid. It is possible to have high income and no wealth. For example, if you earn $100,000 a year and spend $110,000, you have no wealth, just debt. At the end of the year, your wealth will be negative ( $10,000). You can have low income and still have some wealth. For example, if you earn $20,000 a year and save $100 a month, at the end of the year your wealth will be over $1,200 (plus the interest you gain on your savings account). What you own is often referred to as your assets. There are four major types of assets: 1) homes; 2) liquid assets, including cash, bank deposits, money market funds, and savings in insurance and pension plans; 3) real estate investments and unincorporated businesses; and 4) corporate stock, financial securities, and personal trusts. What does debt consist of? Debt consists primarily of mortgage debt (unsually on one s home), credit card debt, student loans, auto loans, and consumer loans. WEB: 4

5 Examples of Income SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION CHECK ENCLOSED Wages Gov t Benefits Savings Account Interest Stock Dividends FOR RENT Rental Income Capital Gain WEB: 5

6 Examples of Assets House Car Stocks and Bonds Jewelry Boat Business WEB: 6

7 Per Capita Income by Race/Ethnicity, 2003 $26,774 $25,000 $23,654 $20,000 $15,775 $15,000 $13,492 $10,000 $5,000 $0 White African American Latino Asian Source: US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Historical Data Table P1. WEB: 7

8 Percentage of Families Whose Savings Would Run Out in 3 Months or Less Many families are forced to live on the edge. 80% 70% 79% 73% 60% 50% 40% 38% 30% 20% 10% 0% White Families African- American Families Latino Families Source: Oliver, Melvin and Shapiro, Thomas M., Black Wealth, White Wealth (1995), p. 87. WEB: 8

Ownership of Household Wealth in the United States In

significantly increased their share of the wealth pie!

Sources: For 1976: Edward N. Wolff, Unpublished data.

Kennickel, Currents and Undercurrents: Changes in the

9 Ownership of Household Wealth in the United States In the last 25 years, the top one percent have significantly increased their share of the wealth pie! Top 1% Bottom 99% 1976 Top 1% 33% 2004 Bottom 99% 67% Sources: For 1976: Edward N. Wolff, Unpublished data. For 2004: Arthur B. Kennickel, Currents and Undercurrents: Changes in the Distribution of Wealth, , Survey of Consumer Finances, Federal Reserve Board. WEB: 9

10 Family Median Net Worth by Race, 2004 $140,700 Net Worth is ASSETS minus DEBTS. (What You OWN minus What You OWE) $20,600 $18,600 African American Latino White Source: Survey of Consumer Finances, Federal Reserve Board, WEB: 10

11 U.S. Homeownership by Race, 2004 Percentage of Households Owning Homes among Racial/Ethnic Groups 80% 76.0% 70% 60% 50% 49.1% 48.1% 59.8% 55.6% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% White African American Latino Asian/ Pacific Islander Native American Source: Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Current Population Survey (CPS)/Housing Vacancies and Homeownership Survey (HVS), 2004, and CPS, WEB: 11

12 Government Supports the Welfare of All: Housing Housing Subsidies for Middle and Upper Income People Housing Subsidies for Low Income People Home Mortgage Interest Deduction Homeless Assistance Public Housing $1.4 B $6.2 B Section 8 $16.9 B Total: $24.5 billion Total: $70 billion Sources: Joint Committee on Taxation; Department of Housing and Urban Development. All numbers for FY WEB: 12

13 Whites Folks Get a Ride into the Middle Class Taxing Work Not Wealth GI Bill of Rights Federal Housing Administration Social Security Homesteading WEB: 13

14 Racial Barriers on the Ride to the Middle Class Racist Images Taxing Work Not Wealth Redlining Attacks on Affirmative Action GI Bill of Rights Predatory Lending Bracero Program Federal Housing Administration Immigration Quotas Jim Crow Laws New Deal Programs Slavery Loss of Land Homestead Act WEB: 14

15 Barriers to Building Wealth for Native Americans Invasion: bullets and disease Disregard for law lack of enforcement of the Indian Trade & Intercourse Act of 1802 Chocktaw Nation Land loss Cherokee Nation Land loss Dawes Act of 1887 WEB: 15

16 Barriers to Building Wealth for African Americans Slavery Denied enslaved Africans the right to accumulate wealth Denied intergenerational transfer of wealth Jim Crow Laws & Policies Residential Segregation Redlining, Predatory Lending, & Gentrification Mass Incarceration WEB: 16

17 Barriers to Building Wealth for Latinas/os Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo & Mexican-American Land Loss Early taxation policy Violence against Latinas/os Education barriers Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 WEB: 17

18 Barriers to Building Wealth for Asian Americans Naturalization Restrictions Discriminatory Immigration Laws: - Chinese Exclusion Act of Immigration Act of 1917 Alien Land Law Acts Internment of Japanese during WWII WEB: 18

19 The Power Shift Since the 1970s Why has this happened? A power shift led to rule changes. On the Rise Big Campaign Contributors Corporate Lobbyists Corporations Big Asset Owners CEOs Wall Street In Decline Popular Political Movements Voters Labor Unions Wage Earners Employees Main Street Who sets the agenda for economic policies? WEB: 19

20 The Wheel of Shared Prosperity Political Participation Rises Power shifts to ordinary people Meaningful elections Strong unions More time for democracy Cooperation Social cohesion Interdependence Celebration of diversity Broadlyshared prosperity Rule changes that benefit everyone WEB: 20

21 Actions to Close the Racial Wealth Divide Close the Wealth & Income Gaps Support Living Wage campaigns Support asset development to close the racial wealth divide, e.g., housing accounts for racialized people Support a Federal Minimum Wage increase Oppose predatory lending Support anti-discrimination legislation Support co-operative economics such as credit unions, food coops, etc. Make Taxes Fair Play Defense: Prevent repeal of the Estate Tax and prevent passage of regressive sales taxes Play Offense: Support progressive income taxes Support Other Economic Fairness Issues Protect Social Security Adequately fund essential services Advocate for economic rights as human rights Support fair elections get big money out of politics Support the Black Reparations Movement WEB: 21

A Christian Response. to Economic Inequality. A Faith-Based Response to. Growing Economic Insecurity. Participant Packet

A Christian Response. to Economic Inequality. A Faith-Based Response to. Growing Economic Insecurity. Participant Packet A Christian Response A Faith-Based Response to to Economic Inequality Participant Packet Growing Economic Insecurity United for a Fair Economy 37 Temple Place Second Floor Boston, MA 02111 Phone: 617-423-2148