U.S. Poverty Laser Talk: Wealth Inequality and the Racial Wealth Gap
Engage: Wealth inequality is a huge problem – and it must be front and center of tax reform.
Problem: In 2013, the top one percent owned 40 percent of the nation’s wealth and the bottom 40 percent owned almost nothing. Pending tax proposals would make it worse
Illustrate or Inform: We must reduce wealth inequality and, in particular, the racial wealth gap. Right now, African American households have 6 cents for every dollar of wealth white households have (for Latinos, its 7 cents). Tax reform must focus on fairness. However, recent proposals simply give more tax breaks to the wealthy and ignore those who are struggling.
Call to Action: Will you urge key tax leaders to make reducing wealth inequality and the racial wealth gap a top priority, and oppose tax breaks for the wealthy that increase wealth inequality worse while ignoring needed investments in human needs?
What Is a Laser Talk?
A laser talk serves as a useful starting point for your advocacy work, whether as a talking points during a town hall meeting or as a primer for face-to-face meetings with candidates and elected officials. Follow up with more information and evidence supporting your points. And of course, adapt a laser talk to reflect your own experiences and why you care about the issue! For more on how to create your own laser talk, see the RESULTS Activist Toolkit: Create and Deliver Your EPIC Laser Talk.