LOBBYING
Thirty big corporations actually spent more money lobbying the federal government between 2008 and 2010 than they spent in taxes. Altogether, these companies spent $476 million over those three years to lobby Congress (about $400,000 per day, weekends included).
PublicCampaign.org
BANKS
From 1998 through 2008, the financial sector spent over $5 billion in lobbying and campaign contributions to deregulate Wall Street.
Wall Street Watch
Today, the six largest financial institutiions in America have assets equivalent to 65% of the United States’ GDP – $9.4 trillion dollars.
Sen. Bernie Sanders
From 1973 through 1985, American banks never earned more than 16 percent of domestic corporate profits. By the mid-2000s, that figure rose to 41 percent.
Rescuing America from Wall Street, Harold Meyerson
INHERITANCE
Only 1.6% of Americans receive $100,000 or more in inheritance. Many have to worry about a “death tax” (AKA “inheritance tax”). But 92% of Americans don’t have such worries, because they don’t receive any inheritance.
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