Donald Trump’s failures have distracted the American people from the greatest problem facing our nation; a growing divide in income inequality. While the number of men, women, and children living in the poverty level continues to grow, our Republican controlled congress is ignoring the problem.

Trump and his Republican cronies are eager to increase funding for the Pentagon, and are just as eager to reduce funding for social programs which aid millions of Americans. They also refuse to raise the federal minimum wage which would help millions of Americans rise from poverty.

More than 45 million Americans are living in poverty; that’s 14.5 percent of our nation’s people. This is an unforgivable statistic. Our nation has the most billionaires in the world; by a large margin. 585 men and women claim the title of billionaire in America, including your illegitimate president. In addition, our nation has 10.7 million, millionaires. The United States has 4.4 percent of the world’s population, and 25 percent of the world’s wealth. There is no excuse for homelessness or poverty in the richest nation in the world.

Take the case of Fran Marion in Kansas City. She works six days a week in a ‘Popeyes’ fast food establishment for $9.50 and hour, with no breaks, from 9am to 4pm. Until recently, she left her day job to perform janitorial work from 5pm until 1:30am.

Although she worked two jobs, she and her children were unable to save any money, and when tragedy struck, Fran became homeless and her two children are now living with a friend. Her landlord refused to repair faulty wiring in her apartment building and the city condemned the structure.

The source for this article calls such situations “economic slavery,” and that is a fair term.

Sadly, Fran’s situation is far too common in the richest nation in the world. When Trump brags about the stock market’s records, this means nothing to Fran and her children. With 45 million Americans living in poverty, and millions more struggling with low-income jobs, our government is supporting ‘economic slavery.’ Ours is a nation which places ‘profit before people.’ Our government supports the one-percent, while the 99 percent are collateral damage for their lives of privilege and luxury.

I am ashamed of my government. They don’t deserve my vote, and they don’t deserve yours. We must support those who support us. Time for REAL change; right Bernie?

Please re-post; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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