Study Says Rising Gasoline Prices Threaten Low-Income Americans More Strongly

EL PAÍS frames U.S. inequality as a political and social crisis, arguing that “un sistema regresivo en el que los más ricos contribuyen menos que los demás” helps perpetuate widening gaps.

“No existe ninguna justificación para un sistema regresivo en el que los más ricos contribuyen menos que el resto Hoy existen más desigualdades de rentas y riqueza que nunca”

EL PAÍS

The outlet says that in New York the “renta media por hogar es de131.000 dólares,” and adds that “Casi la quinta parte de los multimillonarios de Estados Unidos viven en Nueva York,” describing the city as a concentration of wealth.

EL PAÍS

EL PAÍS also cites a shift in tax burdens, saying that in the 1960s “los 400 estadounidenses más ricos dedicaban aproximadamente el 50% de sus ingresos a pagar impuestos,” while today they “paganalrededor del 24%.”

The article links the problem to the inability to tax the wealthy, noting that “Los datos públicos no registran las contribuciones fiscales de los ultrarricos,” and calls for reform to avoid a system where the rich pay less than others.

It further says the G-20, under Brazil’s presidency, put the issue on its priorities in 2024 and committed to “un impuesto mínimo sobre el patrimonio del 2%” for the richest.

The study highlighted by Al Youm Al Sabea says sharp fuel-price increases after the outbreak of the Iranian war worsened economic gaps in the United States, with low-income households cutting gasoline consumption while facing higher costs.

It reports that households with annual incomes below $40,000 reduced their fuel consumption by 7% in March, yet “gastaron 12% más en gasolina” due to price surges.

The Intercept

In contrast, the outlet says higher-income households with income over $125,000 a year saw fuel spending rise by 19% with consumption decreasing by no more than 1%.

The study also warns that the gap is deeper than during the 2022 fuel-price shock following Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, attributing the difference to government aid in 2022 and to growth in wealth among wealthy households in the current period.

Al Youm Al Sabea adds that fuel prices had risen by 25% by the end of March and continued to climb, reaching a 50% increase since February 28, placing pressure on the budgets of the most needy households.

The Intercept reports that a New Jersey law enforcement intelligence hub, the New Jersey Regional Operations and Intelligence Center, warned corporate bodyguards about a heightened threat environment for corporate executives amid a growing class divide.

“Global billionaires gather this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in a context of widespread economic, social, and geopolitical crisis”

World Socialist Web Site

The bulletin cited the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024 and framed it as anti-fat-cat rhetoric, warning that “Following the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the current political climate, there is a heightened threat environment surrounding corporate executives.”

The Intercept quotes Michael German, a former FBI agent specializing in domestic terrorism, saying fusion-center writing appears to treat inequality-related anger as an extremist viewpoint rather than a state responsibility to correct.

German told The Intercept, “All the resources of the national network of fusion centers, which includes federal resources along with state and local resources, are devoted toward providing security information to private entities.”

The Intercept also says the bulletin instructed corporate security outfits to switch up daily routines, limit information on public engagements, and remove bosses’ personal information from the web.