Why is this man laughing?

What percentage of Americans own stocks?

Politifact California Stats:

6.7% are owned by bottom 80 %

9.3% are owned by the next 10%

84% are owned by the top 10%

Reported on NPR: As of 2013, the top 1 percent of households by wealth owned nearly 38 percent of all stock shares, according to research by New York University economist Edward Wolff.

Market Watch confirmed the same data.

According to U.S. News: In the U.S., there are 607 billionaires, up from 586 last year and 404 in 2010, and 14 of the world’s 20 richest are from the U.S. More than 40 percent of U.S. billionaires live in two states – California and New York. Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates don’t.

The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.  States that have not set a higher wage must pay that amount to their employees.  In California the minimum is $12 for employers with 26 or more employees, otherwise $11.

The super wealthy keep telling us how lucky we are by pointing out how the working classes in other countries are poorer than the American working class.

The USA is run by rich old people.  Sadly that is not likely to change despite the campaigns of Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

The picture at the top of this posting is Warren Buffet. His net worth this year is over $84 Billion.