What Every American Could Have Had

A new economic study reveals how much each American could have received if $79 trillion had been fairly distributed.

Trump Pushes for Economic Reform

On April 2—dubbed “Liberation Day”—President Donald Trump announced a sweeping list of global tariffs on foreign goods. His goal? To boost American jobs, the economy, and domestic industries.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said U.S. workers have “suffered gravely” after being “ripped off for more than 50 years.”

Critics Point to Favoritism Toward the Wealthy

However, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders pushed back. He accused Republicans of drafting legislation that favors billionaires while cutting programs essential to working families.

Study Shows $79 Trillion Lost to the Top 1%

A RAND Corporation study backs up Sanders’ concerns. It found that since 1975, $79 trillion in income generated by 90% of American workers has been redirected to the wealthiest 1%.

The main culprits? Wage suppression and inflation. The bottom 90% saw their income share shrink, while the top 1% experienced steady growth.

This imbalance adds up to $1.58 trillion lost per year, on average, over the past five decades.

How Much More Could Workers Have Earned?

The study calculated how much more each worker could have made if income had been distributed fairly:

• 1975 (79.3M workers): +$19,924.38/year

• 1985 (108M workers): +$14,629.93/year

• 1995 (129.7M workers): +$12,181.96/year

• 2005 (154.4M workers): +$10,233.16/year

• 2018 (156.3M workers): +$10,108.77/year

Despite economic growth, working Americans have seen little improvement in take-home pay.

Sanders Calls Out Wealth Inequality

Commenting on the RAND findings, Sanders said:

“Over and over again, my Republican colleagues express concern about wealth redistribution. They’re right—but it’s been going the wrong way.”

He called the current wealth gap not just “morally unjust” but also “damaging to our democracy.”

$3.9 Trillion Lost in 2023 Alone

According to the study’s authors, if the U.S. had maintained its 1975 income distribution, workers would have received an additional $3.9 trillion in 2023 alone. That’s about $32,000 extra per worker among the bottom 90%.

Sanders: “Do the Opposite of What Trump Proposes”

In response to the report, Sanders warned against new tax breaks for the wealthy:

“We cannot hand another $1.1 trillion to the top 1% by slashing healthcare, education, housing, and nutrition assistance.”

Instead, he urged Congress to reverse course and invest in programs that support working families.