19 – The American Millionaire Solution?
Almost any discussion about America’s social challenges will eventually shift to highlighting the obvious: national income and wealth are not acceptably balanced. The common positions state: “The wealthy are getting richer; the poor are getting poorer.” Or. “The middle class is shrinking, and more are becoming poor.”
The nearest the American public comes to agreeing on anything is the belief that gross, economic imbalance is bad for our society and our democracy. But of course, there are opposing liberal and conservative “solutions” to the problem. And again, there are no dialogues involving advocates from the different ideological boxes.
A major problem with the “millionaire solution” is that it looks easy. It is true that, within our present economic structure, few people in number possess, as personal wealth, an inordinate percentage of the national wealth. It is also true that a large percentage of Americans have voiced the believe that transitioning our economy so that more citizens possess a greater share of national wealth would make for a better society.
Unfortunately, most American citizens, including our elected representatives, are ignorant of our society’s history and have little knowledge of how our national economy functions within the world of invention, finance, production, and sales. For example, how many Americans are aware that the undesirable imbalance of wealth was established following the Civil War when our society transitioned from local, handicraft production and sales to creation of national markets through railroads? Although all Americans should watch Ric Burns’ entire New York: A Documentary Film on YouTube, the time of this transition is reported in the third epoxide "Sunshine and Shadow (1865–1898)" at

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How likely is it that the polarized, uninformed American people will be able to enact meaningful legislation and restructure our national economy for the national betterment? Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 wars resulted in some improvements, but the violence we experience today started soon after. And did anyone notice that immediately after the inauguration of Bush, Clinton, and Bush there were periods of compromise involving Republicans and Democrats enacting legislation that restructured economic relations with other nations, particularly China?
Does anyone remember American economic conditions during 2015-2017? Did Trump’s first election have anything to do with economic “improvement” policies enacted by Johnson, Bush, Clinton, Bush? Does anyone remember the American economic conditions during 2022-24? Did the American people elect Trump the second time because of his great wisdom and winning, pleasant personality?
Maybe the American public might focus on:
 Becoming better informed about how our government, society, and economy is supposed to work and being able to detect being led astray.
 Having discussions with people we disagree with.
 Recognizing that our politicians and media have previously highlighted emotional issues based on half-truths or even falsehoods.
Is it possible Americans have voted for conservative and liberal government representatives that promised positive outcomes that did not materialized and avoided candid reviews of actual results?
Read additional messages and consider for yourself.
Joseph L. Bass, EdD 9/30/2025