Sarah Solon

DMI Injustice Index: The United Estates of America

Fresh off the press, we present to you the latest installment of the DMI INJUSTICE INDEX.

This time we take a look at the estate tax, at ever more expensive college educations, at minute-by-minute spending on the war in Iraq, at the hefty bankrolls of some elected officials, at the sad state of gas prices, and - of course - at American Idol. There's more, too.

Savor, discuss, and offer up some statistics of your own.

-People who, according to the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, pay the estate tax: "the thrifty middle class and entrepreneurs"

-Actual percentage of all U.S. Estates that will be affected by the federal estate tax in 2006: 0.27

-Amount that repealing the estate tax will cost the United States in the first decade: nearly $1 trillion

-Amount the U.S. national debt increased in fiscal year 2005: $553.7 billion

-Minimum amount the tax reconciliation bill approved by Congress in May will cost the public over five years: $70 billion

-Percentage of the capital gains and dividend tax cuts in the bill that will go to households with incomes over $1 million a year: 45

-Average tax cut for middle-class households in the bill: $20

-Average tax cut for households with incomes over $1 million: $43,000

-Number of U.S. Congress members who are millionaires: 170

-Minimum amount incoming Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. will save on his taxes if he puts assets in a blind trust and uses this opportunity to diversify his holdings, as he is expected to: $48 million

-Percentage increase in taxes on their college savings some teenagers will see under the new tax bill: 250

-Percentage increase in four-year public university tuition and fees during President Bush's tenure: 57

-Percentage of high school seniors that performed at or above the basic level in science in 2005: 54

-Percentage of eligible youth population (18-30) that cast votes in the 2004 presidential election: 48.75

-Approximate number of votes received by President Bush in the 2004 presidential election: 62 million

-Votes cast for American Idol in this season's finale: 63.4 million

-In Alabama, home of the latest American Idol winner, percentage of income paid by middle-class taxpayers compared to percentage of income paid by upper-class taxpayers: 9.8 vs. 3.8

-Amount increasing gas prices has added to the cost of average commute in the last five years: $247.50/year

-Amount the price of commuting in Air Force One for one hour rose from 2004 to 2006: $25,018 (up ~44%)

-Percentage increase in gas prices over the last five years (5/29/01-5/29/06): 77.0

-Amount awarded by Congress in federal tax breaks and giveaways to oil companies as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and prior legislation: $14 billion

-Current U.S. spending on the war in Iraq: $100,000 per minute

-Proportion of United States veterans under the age of 25 that are not covered by health insurance: 1 in 3

-Percentage increase in workers' earnings in 2005: 2.7

-Percentage increase in health insurance premiums in 2005: 9.2

-Percentage decrease in the number of young workers (aged 18-24) covered by employer-based insurance between 2000 and 2004: 8.4 percentage points

-Number of bills given to the president in 2006 that affect health insurance: 2 (State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2006 and Deficit Reduction Act of 2005)

-Number of documents containing the words "health insurance" on the White House website: 950

-Number of documents containing the word "marriage" on the White House website: 1106

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Posted at 5:43 PM, Jun 08, 2006 in
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