“The top 1 percent made almost thirteen times the average of the 90 percent in 1973, but by 2012 the ratio was 41 to 1.” — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
“Economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings. —Franklin D. Roosevelt” — David Cay Johnston Economics Copy Share Image
“Today the United States is by far the most unequal rich democracy in the world.” — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
“Social Security runs seamlessly and efficiently—less than 1 percent of its expenditures are for administration.” — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“Millions of Americans instinctively associate “poverty” with “black.” — David Cay Johnston Poverty Copy Share Image
“it shouldn’t be the case that the only route out of poverty is to get married to someone who also has a… — David Cay Johnston Marriage Copy Share Image
“a massive, malign indifference to people of color is at work.” — David Cay Johnston Indifference Copy Share Image
“The worst of these are laws in nineteen states that let companies pocket the state income taxes withheld from their workers’ paychecks… — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
“Equality works. Extreme inequality does not. Out of the grotesque opportunism that we’ve seen among owners of great wealth in the past… — David Cay Johnston Equality Copy Share Image
I dislike paying taxes as much as anyone, but yes, taxes are the price of civilization. There is no America without taxes.… — David Cay Johnston Burden Copy Share Image
“You will even read about an insurance company owned by one of America’s most admired billionaires that asked a paralyzed man to… — David Cay Johnston Billionaires Copy Share Image
“Today, the United States has the highest rate of imprisonment of any nation in the world—possibly the highest rate in the history… — David Cay Johnston Imprisonment Copy Share Image
“In 2008, one in a hundred American adults was behind bars. Just what manner of people does our prison policy reveal us… — David Cay Johnston Adults Copy Share Image
“Corporations have grown so powerful that they have inverted the Roman equation: rather than corporations existing to serve the state, the state… — David Cay Johnston Corporations Copy Share Image
“the weakness of the middle class is holding back tax receipts, especially because those at the top are so adroit in avoiding… — David Cay Johnston Middle class Copy Share Image
“The disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons… — David Cay Johnston Character Copy Share Image
“Having described the unprecedented scale of imprisonment in America, we may still ask: is America’s use of imprisonment really a justifiable (and… — David Cay Johnston Crime Copy Share Image
“Longer sentences also build incarceration rates and create a chronic condition of social incapacitation for those imprisoned, as they face severe restrictions… — David Cay Johnston Crime Copy Share Image
“Before Ms. magazine was a gleam in Gloria Steinem’s eye, men had quite a deal. Married middle-class men often controlled the purse… — David Cay Johnston Money Copy Share Image
Senior executives can, after a fashion, get a portion of their pay tax-free. You defer part of your income and not have… — David Cay Johnston Business Copy Share Image
“Pope Francis I, denouncing “an economy of exclusion,” has made inequality a centerpiece of his reign: Just as the commandment “Thou shalt… — David Cay Johnston Economics Copy Share Image
“No other modern country gives corporations the unfettered power found in America to gouge customers, shortchange workers and erect barriers to fair… — David Cay Johnston Fair play Copy Share Image
“The worst proposals are to radically transform Social Security by privatizing, which would put people at the mercy of the stock and… — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“No natural forces determine income, wealth, and the quality of human life. We make the decisions about who will prosper and who… — David Cay Johnston Economics Copy Share Image
“Social Security gives concrete expression to widely held and time-honored American commitments. Grounded in values of shared responsibility and concern for all… — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“1969 a Republican president proposed a Family Assistance Plan that would have guaranteed a basic income for all American families. Editorial opinion… — David Cay Johnston American families Copy Share Image
The British use a system where the profits a corporation reports to shareholders is what they pay taxes on. Whereas in America… — David Cay Johnston Book Copy Share Image
Donald Trump ran for office complaining that at $19 trillion, the US debt was completely out of control, and yet what he's… — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
Politicians like to talk about the income tax when they talk about overtaxing the rich, but the income tax is just one… — David Cay Johnston Cybersecurity Copy Share Image
What the Trump tax plan is a plan to give tiny little tax cuts to most Americans, raise taxes on perhaps one… — David Cay Johnston Children Copy Share Image
When you say the tax system benefits the rich, there are a lot of people who respond, "That can't be true, look… — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
“Wage insurance works best when all workers are covered under the same plan and the coverage starts at the beginning of their… — David Cay Johnston Federal government Copy Share Image
“Although Social Security’s benefits are modest, they are extremely important for the vast majority of beneficiaries, especially those with low and moderate… — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“the rapid growth of a larger prison system creates an expanded and more powerful system of “correctional” administration, which tends to have… — David Cay Johnston Crime Copy Share Image
“More than a fifth of our children live in poverty—the second worst of all the advanced economies, putting us behind countries like… — David Cay Johnston Children Copy Share Image
“The reality is that Social Security is not a government handout. It is a benefit that is earned and paid for through… — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“By 2012 the average income of the vast majority had shrunk to the equivalent of 45 weeks of 1973 income—a 13 percent… — David Cay Johnston Copy Share Image
“The real income reported on federal tax returns by the vast majority of Americans, the 90 percent, doubled between the end of… — David Cay Johnston Taxes Copy Share Image
“One change we believe should be made is increasing the maximum amount of wages on which Social Security’s contributions are assessed. Contributions… — David Cay Johnston Health Copy Share Image
“The most immediate is that our middle class is too weak to support the consumer spending that has historically driven our economic… — David Cay Johnston Economic growth Copy Share Image
