2020 could not have gone better for the country’s elites. Wall Street, Washington, D.C., and Silicon Valley are swimming in cash and prosperity.
The vast majority of Americans, on the other hand, have been forced into financial, physical, and emotional ruin. 2020 served as the year that government dictates — purposed with fighting a disease with a 99.98 percent recovery rate — manifested unprecedented wealth inequality, and created health issues far more dangerous than COVID-19. The unintended consequences of “fighting a virus” with the power of government are now on display for the world to see.
A stunning survey just released by Morning Consult has revealed part of the extent of the devastation caused by COVID-19 lockdowns and other wealth- and health-destroying restrictions.
The remote work economy is functioning perfectly well for people who have already established robust income streams. For those still struggling to obtain the American dream, not so much.
Americans who were already earning six-figure salaries have reported an increase in income for 2020, while those making between $50,000 and $100,000 reported a drop in income. Tragically, respondents earning less than $50,000 have been absolutely hammered by destructive pandemic policies, reporting by far the largest income drop among their peers.
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The survey also shows that the less fortunate faced a variety of health consequences in 2020, registering a decline in both physical and mental health, in addition to a declining job security and overall personal life satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the world’s billionaires have been swimming in cash. Several of the world’s richest men saw their net worth increase multiple times over in 2020. The COVID-19 policy response has created a windfall for these titans of American and global industries.
The tremendous wealth gap shows that the stock market is far from a good indicator of overall prosperity in America.
Only about 9 percent of Americans earn six-figure salaries. They are able to make their money work in the stock market and invest it in other profitable avenues, while those struggling need to keep their depreciating, zero-interest savings on hand to pay bills and other expenses.
While the Zoom and Netflix “work-from-home until the scary virus disappears” crowd continues to demand further restrictions in the name of “stopping the spread,” more than 9 in 10 Americans continue to suffer under the destructive COVID-19 lockdown regime.
This article is reprinted, with permission, from the author’s Substack. Subscribe here.
