Although his father was the first candidate to release their tax returns, the impetus for Massachussetts governor Mitt Romney making his financial life public – and the rallying cry of Gingrich-boosting Super PACs – is the assertion that Romney is too rich and therefore too out of touch to be president. Throughout the decades, Americans have elected very wealthy men to the White House without any fanfare. Yet with record rates of unemployment that many are experiencing over a period of years, the issue of class in the U.S. has gained a new significance. William Barrett is senior editor at Forbes and has written extensively about the bank accounts of the American presidents.
Pamela Haag went from being middle class to extremely wealthy six years ago after her husband struck it big in commodities, and has very distinct opinions about class in America.
Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!