Wash Post: "How the 1 percent won the recovery, in one table"

The Washington Post has a great table up today, showing the results of a study (PDF) by economists at UC Berkeley, the Paris School of Economics, and Oxford University using Internal Revenue Service statistics. The bottom line: the top 1 percent have captured 95 percent of real growth in average income since the end of the Great Recession. No wonder income disparity is at its highest level since the First World War.

Why is that a problem? There are lots of reasons, but for just one look no further than another new study, this one from Ohio State University - children bear the brunt of economic inequality.

Here in Maryland we know that income inequality exists between different communities, ethnic groups, and education levels. Income for households in the top 1 percent increased 240 percent since 1979, while it grew just 10.8 percent for households in the bottom fifth.

That's why we continue to push for expanded programs to increase educational attainment, job opportunities, and the social safety net. As we begin preparing for the 2014 legislative session we will continue to support raising the minimum wage, providing workers with earned paid sick leave, and increasing the refundable state earned income tax credit.