New Song

[catsittingstill]

A comment on smallship1's recent post in filk prompted me to go looking for some information on income inequality. And that in turn prompted a song. I'm not posting an mp3 with it because I'm not happy with the tune yet. But here's what I've got so far (complete with footnotes.)

Getting Out Of Hand
lyrics by Cat Faber

(chorus)
One percent of the nation is in good financial health
With a fourth of the nation's income1 and a third of the nation's wealth2
Rewarding hard work and study is an urge I understand--
But maybe income inequality is getting out of hand.

A third of them are executives3, those smart financial elves
Increasing the pay and bonuses they're voting for themselves
Making three hundred times on average, the wage of us working slobs4;
If they're really job creators, tell me, where are all the jobs?

We were a land of opportunity, free marketers would preach
Back when finding a job was easier, and owning a house in reach.
Is the market really free if one percent own half the stocks?5
And also run the government, 'cause all that money―talks! 

The poor are out protesting that they cannot pay their rents
They shiver in November while policemen steal their tents6.
Cutting taxes over a decade never made employment perk;
Let us tax the very wealthiest and hire some folks to work! 

¹23.5% of national income according to this source
²35% of national wealth according to this source
³31% are executives according to this source
⁴325 to 1 according to this source
⁵they own half of all financial instruments but only 40% of the stocks according to this source. I could not make 40% scan; sorry. This source also has a great graphic of share of income versus share of tax (real tax--in other words, all taxes, not just Federal Income Tax--paid by income quintile.) Actually, this looks like a generally great resource on this subject, but I haven't had time to read it in full.
⁶Policemen throwing Occupy Boston tents in the garbage at this source