Robert Reich, secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, and director Jacob Kornbluth discuss economic inequality in America in their Sundance film "Inequality for All"

((unfolds the red tie and lays out the Brooks Brothers suit))

This is the more conservative side of me speaking..............

 

I'm beginning to understand that inequality isn't necessarily a "bad" thing.

As long as there is relatively EQUAL OPPORTUNITY (education, healthcare, application of the law) for all then that's a pretty decent society.  It may not be the nicest thing in the world to say but the truth is some people are to various degrees - stupid, lazy, and just plain no damn good and that's what causes a lot of inequality.
Usually the same people who are always broke and begging/borrowing money are people who have substance abuse problems.
I don't know anyone who doesn't smoke or drink who is poor.

Pioneer you will, uncharacteristically, no get an argument from me on the issue of personal responsibility.

 

We are however FAR from a place of equal opportunity.  The outcomes we are observing should made that obvious, but like so many hungry, unemployed, uneducated and poor white people in America -- it is just not something we are presented with everyday -- so we assume it does not exist. 

 

The point of the documentary is to show how specific policy is creating increased wealth disparity.  Once the film is made available to the general public I hope it will help chance policy or at the very minimum make more people aware of what is going on.