Economic Disparities In The United States

Abstract
Strong economies compete on the basis of high value, not solely low cost. Yet in the United States, growing economic disparity hinders the nation’s ability to provide the high-value-added products and services necessary to compete in a global marketplace. The economic problems associated with unequal growth – stagnant wage growth and depressed market demand – in turn exacerbate social problems, such as crime, drug abuse, gangs, reliance on transfer payments, and family break-ups.
The most forward-thinking approach to solving these problems and increasing competitiveness is to equip today’s and tomorrow’s citizens with the skills and attitudes for economic and civic success in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. Yet education funding
If the United States is to achieve a higher and more shared standard of living, U.S. firms must compete on the basis of new, higher-quality service and production approaches that utilize new technologies and a more skilled workforce. Economic developers call this the “high road.” Taking the high road will require that the nation develop a more seamless, well-endowed lifelong learning system; reform wasteful business incentive programs and redirect the resulting savings into education or other state priorities; and create and maintain a modernized, high-quality revenue system.
States and localities must find ways to encourage more of their employment in high-value sectors and workplaces. A high-quality education and training continuum, while not alone sufficient, is a necessary condition for meeting this challenge.
Keywords: Higher Education, new immigrants, High Productivity, high-quality, Revenue