Running head: WEALTH AND POWER IN THE U.S.

Wealth and Power in the US

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WEALTH AND POWER IN THE U.S.

Wealth and Power in the US
To whom it may concern:
This letter is to inform the public of how health care relates to the distribution and
concentration of wealth in the U.S. and support the need to redistribute wealth in America.
Wealth refers to the value of everything that a individual and family owns minus all its debts.
Most of economists define wealth as marketable assets such as stocks bonds and real estate. In
marketable securities, consumer durables like cars are not included because they are not readily
converted into cash (Domhoff 2011).
Power refers to the ability of controlling the behaviors of others, even against their will.
Groups and individuals who have power are able to use it to increase their own interest. It is not
necessary that individuals take these benefits at the cost of society. In the Unites States, social
class is an arguable issue because there is a disagreement on its models and its existence in the
country. Three class model that includes the rich, the middle class and the poor as believed by
Americans. Among all the major economies, distribution of income in the United States is most
unequal (Domhoff 2010)).
The poverty level in the U.S. was $16,036 in 1997 for a family size of four. As with
earnings difference, the poverty pace vary significantly between cultural groups. Difference in
poverty and earnings has a chief contact on health. African Americans and Hispanics are
probable not to have health coverage as individuals that are white will. One effect of this
difference in health care is that African Americans have a shorter life expectancy than whites.
According to the United States Census Bureau, there is difference in the money income
of household on the basis of race and Hispanic group. There is difference in the income of
households on the basis of race and Hispanic group. Americans feel uneasy while talking about

WEALTH AND POWER IN THE U.S.

the concepts like power elite and upper class. Americans differ on the basis of social and income
levels among which some has more influence over others (Domhoff 2011). At the same time,
there can be no fixed power group where power is lodged among people according to
constitution. It is the reason that most power analysts said that elected officials organized labor
and consumers have enough power to show that in the Unites States economy there is more
pluralistic distribution of power in comparison of one with rich people and corporations at the
top.
Class theories best explain the distributions and concentrations of power wealth class and
influence in the United States. The United States wealth is concentrated in some hands. In the
year 2007 top 1% of upper class households owned 34.6% of total privately held wealth, the next
19% including professional, managerial and middle class business had 50.5 wealth and bottom
80% only 15% of wealth.
Similarly, in the United States distribution of income can also be easily present with the
help of class theories. It is important to understand the difference of distribution and
concentration of power, wealth, class and influence in the United States. Understanding these
difference participants who make different policies can put their effort to reduce such difference.
The policy discussion organizations are the center of policy planning network including
corporate executives experts wealthy individuals and government officials. They discuss on
forums meetings lecture and group discussions related with several issues that varies from the
local to international and from economic to political culture (Bacon 2011). If all these
individuals were aware about the difference in the distribution of power, wealth and income in
the United States they can put their best efforts to generate effective policy. Health care reform
stands before the people of America. Many people remain without proper health care. Some

WEALTH AND POWER IN THE U.S.

state the cost as the reason. President Obama has own plan currently making waves through the
political scene as well as the American public. Some do not desire the government involvement.
The health care industry applauds the decision (Obama 2013).
References:
Bacon, T (2011). Power and influence Leadership Excellence Retrieved October 21 2013
from http://searchproquest.com/docview
Domhoff, G.W. (2011) Power in America; Power, Health and Income Retrieved October
21 2013 from http://www.socialog.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth/html
Donhoff, G.W. (2010) Who Rules America? Challenges to corporate and class
dominance (6thed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Retrieved October 21 2013 from
http://www.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/classdomination.html
Harrison, BC& Dye, TR (2011).Power and Society: An introduction to Social issues
(12thed). Boston, MA: Wadsworth
Obama, Barrack (2013) The White House Retrieved October 21 2013 from
http://www.whitehouse.gov/healthreform/healthcare/overview