CBS anchor Tony Dokoupil shows Americans the wealth divide. (Photo: CBS/YouTube/screenshot)
Watch: News Anchor Shows Americans Real Size of Wealth Gap--Using American Pie
"Give this video four minutes and let's start the revolution."
A four minute video that aired on CBS Friday morning was praised for using slices of real pie to show the huge wealth gap in the U.S.--surprising passers-by who joined anchor Tony Dokoupil at a table set up at a mall in West Nyack, New York.
"Give this video four minutes and let's start the revolution," tweeted actor Matthew Lillard.
In the video, Dokoupil asks passers-by to divvy a pie sliced into ten pieces onto plates for quintiles of the U.S. based on income, top 20%, next 20%, etc.
Even the most cynical participant didn't come close to the real amount--nine pieces for the top 20% of Americans and the bill for the lowest 20%.
"This is a really clever way to make data accessible!" said Washington Post video journalist Sarah Parnass.
Later in the segment, Dokoupil asks people at a yacht fair what they think of policies from 2020 Democratic presidential nomination hopefuls Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that would narrow the wealth gap.
Unsurprisingly, yacht owners were unenthusiastic about the idea of a wealth tax or other redistributive policies.
"It would be a total disaster," private equity manager John Sheffield told Dokoupil.
The video, said journalist Justin Kanew, makes clear the stakes in the 2020 presidential election and beyond.
"You're either with the yacht guys, or the people," said Kanew.
Watch the full report:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
A four minute video that aired on CBS Friday morning was praised for using slices of real pie to show the huge wealth gap in the U.S.--surprising passers-by who joined anchor Tony Dokoupil at a table set up at a mall in West Nyack, New York.
"Give this video four minutes and let's start the revolution," tweeted actor Matthew Lillard.
In the video, Dokoupil asks passers-by to divvy a pie sliced into ten pieces onto plates for quintiles of the U.S. based on income, top 20%, next 20%, etc.
Even the most cynical participant didn't come close to the real amount--nine pieces for the top 20% of Americans and the bill for the lowest 20%.
"This is a really clever way to make data accessible!" said Washington Post video journalist Sarah Parnass.
Later in the segment, Dokoupil asks people at a yacht fair what they think of policies from 2020 Democratic presidential nomination hopefuls Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that would narrow the wealth gap.
Unsurprisingly, yacht owners were unenthusiastic about the idea of a wealth tax or other redistributive policies.
"It would be a total disaster," private equity manager John Sheffield told Dokoupil.
The video, said journalist Justin Kanew, makes clear the stakes in the 2020 presidential election and beyond.
"You're either with the yacht guys, or the people," said Kanew.
Watch the full report:
A four minute video that aired on CBS Friday morning was praised for using slices of real pie to show the huge wealth gap in the U.S.--surprising passers-by who joined anchor Tony Dokoupil at a table set up at a mall in West Nyack, New York.
"Give this video four minutes and let's start the revolution," tweeted actor Matthew Lillard.
In the video, Dokoupil asks passers-by to divvy a pie sliced into ten pieces onto plates for quintiles of the U.S. based on income, top 20%, next 20%, etc.
Even the most cynical participant didn't come close to the real amount--nine pieces for the top 20% of Americans and the bill for the lowest 20%.
"This is a really clever way to make data accessible!" said Washington Post video journalist Sarah Parnass.
Later in the segment, Dokoupil asks people at a yacht fair what they think of policies from 2020 Democratic presidential nomination hopefuls Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that would narrow the wealth gap.
Unsurprisingly, yacht owners were unenthusiastic about the idea of a wealth tax or other redistributive policies.
"It would be a total disaster," private equity manager John Sheffield told Dokoupil.
The video, said journalist Justin Kanew, makes clear the stakes in the 2020 presidential election and beyond.
"You're either with the yacht guys, or the people," said Kanew.
Watch the full report: