U.S. Air Force Security Forces Training

U.S. Air Force Security Forces TrainingU.S. Air Force Security Forces TrainingThe Air Force Security Forces are the military police of the Air Force and are responsible for safeguarding the lives of the men and women and military property on base around the clock. These Air Force Military police have a difficult and highly responsible task of protecting nuclear or conventional weapons, as well as Air Force One from hostile forces. The Security Forces are trained for off the base scenarios as well, such as securing the transfer of military personnel and equipment through unsafe zones in combat areas. Overview All Security Forces students will attend training at the Air Force Security Forces Academy at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. This is a 65-day course where the students will learn basic military police functions, including missile security, convoy actions, capture and recovery of nuclear weapons, law enforcement and directing traffic. It also briefs students on tactics such as using pepper spray or engaging someones pressure points- both strategies that dont involve lethal force. Though learning how to implement deadly force to react to a situation is required in this training, the Security Forces students must also learn nonlethal tactics, such as using pepper spray, and pressure points on a body to detain people when needed for lesser crimes and instances. The Security Forces are also about safeguarding and saving lives by learning to perform life-saving procedures like CPR when acting as first-responders to an accident or disaster situation. Post-9/11 Role According to Col. Patrick M. (Mike) Kelly, commander of the Headquarters Air Force Security Forces Center, the course was expanded after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to ensure that security forces students received all the training required to perform their duties to the best of their abilities. Within weeks of getting to their first base, security forces Airmen are put out to post by thems elves, said Tech. Sgt. Steven Thompson. We want to try to get them prepared, so they can go from here, do their anfangsbuchstabe in-processing, do some initial training specific to their base and send them to work. The goal is to produce a much mora experienced, much more proficient Airman, Col. Kelly added. Sgt. Thompson said that the Air Force wanted to expose trainees to more subject areas and skill sets, among themmissile security and law enforcement. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks made lengthening the course and expanding the subject areas covered a priority.In addition to missile security and law enforcement, the course also includes instruction oncommunications equipment, patrolling, and use of hand grenades and military operations in cities. Course Design Col. Mary Kay Hertog played a role in developing the course. This was all a result of Colonel Hertog having gone to Iraq and seeing where there were training deficiencies, coming back when she was the Air Combat Command security forces director and telling us we needed to add this stuff to our course, Col. Kelly said.?? Before the course launched, those involved in its development made sure everything was in order- from the course materials to the test questions and training scenarios. Anything that needed to be polished was. Were kind of fleshing things out to make sure weve got everything in order the way it should be, with the right material teaching the right things, Col. Kelly explained. Enrollment and Opportunities Sgt. Thompson said the classes had the same amount of students previously enrolled, but teachers became responsible for more courses. This allowed instructors to teach more students and, thus, more students to train simultaneously.More classes and more students required the addition of roughly 20 instructors and 37 vehicles. New accommodations were also required as a result. Col. Kelly had high hopes for the lengthier and more expansive course. I think its going to be great fo r the career field, he said. I think commanders are going to be happy with the troops they get out of here. Some of the advanced training the Air Force Security Forces receive are working with military dogs as well as providingperimeter security, and reconnaissance missionsand other special operations by becoming members of theClose Precision Engagement Team (CEPT).These Airmen are highly-trained shooter/spotter pairs who also perform sniper and counter-sniper missionsin order to defend U.S. Air Bases at home and around the world.

A 2-step, 10-minute exercise creates immediate self-awareness

A 2-step, 10-minute exercise creates immediate self-awarenessA 2-step, 10-minute exercise creates immediate self-awarenessImagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. ?Albert EinsteinSelf-knowledge is important. But self-imagination is far more compelling and powerful. Actually, being highly imaginative is how you become self-aware.You never actually have an objective perspective of yourself. Instead of trying to be objective, you should seek to be imaginative.Even your memory is imagined and elend objective. Yet, as children, we are trained to not be imaginative, which stops us from developing powerful memories and powerful futures. As Tony Buzan said, Children are trained to think linearly instead of imaginatively they are taught to read slowly and carefully and are discouraged from daydreaming. They are trained to reduce the u se and capacity of their brain.The more imaginative you can be about yourself, about what you learn, and about your future, the more creative control you have over ansicht things.Your brain functions best when you use your imagination when you combine both your left and right brains when you engage all of your senses when you exaggerate things and are playful.In his TED talk, Stuart Brown said, Play leads to brain plasticity, adaptability, and creativity Nothing fires up the brain like play. Similarly, Greg McKeown said in Essentialism, Very successful people see play as essential for creativity.The more creative you are, the more successful you can become. The more imaginative you are, the better your brain will operate.When you allow yourself to be more imaginative about yourself, you will be blown away by how much faster you can learn. Youll be blown away by how flexible and your identity and capabilities are. Youll realize that your brain and memory have a seemingly infinite ca pacity and that youre living far beneath your potential.For starters, heres a quick 10-minute exercise that will begin your process of re-creating your life, surroundings, skills, and world.Step 1 Mind-map your yourself (5 minutes)Through using our memory to its fullest we can unlock the vast reservoir of human potential that isnt currently being used. - Tony BuzanMind mapping is a skill used by many of the worlds best learners. Rather than taking notes or jotting down your ideas in a linear fashion using only words, mind mapping taps into all of the senses of both the right and left brains.Basically, with a mind map, you take out a blank piece of paper and draw a circle in the middle and put your name. Then draw lines going out from the circle and write down whatever categories of your life you want to have, such as health, money, relationships, achievements, spirituality.When creating a mind map of yourself, write down all of your dreams, ambitions, and characteristics.Hold nothin g back.Also, rather than simply using words, its far more powerful to use images. Your brain stores colorful and even moving images much easier than static words.The more imaginative you can be, the more powerful and memorable your mind map will be.Your identity is imagined. Your future identity is also imagined. So you might as well take creative control over the imagination-process. You might as well become brilliant at the imagination process. This will make your memory far more flexible and powerful, empowering you to more fully embrace new experiences and transform those experiences into growth.Heres how you can fold time. When you create a mind map of your future self in a highly imaginative and visual way, you create memories of your future self.The more emotional the memory the better, as emotion creates the context and feeling of the memory.Zig Ziglar is famous for saying, You have to Be the right kind of person first, then you must Do the right things before you can expect to Have the things in life that really matter. Dad keeps it pretty simple - Be, Do, Have.When you mind-map your future self in a highly imaginative way, you fold time and bring your future self into the present. This will allow you into a new role and identity that can immediately act congruently with your goals.For example, you may put on your mind map that you will be a millionaire. However, the regular behaviors involved in being a millionaire likely conflict with your current identity and behaviors. Therefore, you need to pull your future self into the present and begin being and acting as that person now.Again, the more imaginative, visual, and emotionally-stimulating this written-process, the more engrained it will be into your memory. And your memory in large part shapes your identity and future.Step 2 Write your own obituary (5 Minutes)While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die. - Leonardo da VinciOnce youve mind mapped your future sel f, the next step is to write your own obituary. You can take 5 minutes or 50 minutes on this.Either way, it is powerful to write out your obituary from the vantage point of you already being dead.What would you like that obituary to say?Again, be very imaginative.The shocking part about life is how much it can bend itself to fit your mind, feelings, and imaginings.A very smart question when considering your own obituary comes from billionaire, Peter Theil, who asked, How can you achieve your 10 year plan in the next 6 months?Why does this question matter? Because it cuts through the noise like a hot knife cuts through butter.You absolutely can achieve most of your wildest dreams in the next 612 months. You simply need to start living to die instead of dying to live. This is what Robin Sharma calls having a death-bed mentality. It means you never take another day for granted again. It means you bring extreme and powerful enthusiasm to everything you do.Enthusiasm is contagious. It gi ves energy and life. When you wake up and bring enthusiasm to what youre doing, your mind begins sparking with creative ideas and insights. Your doubts and fears begin to wash away. Productivity becomes automatic.What will your obituary say?Write it down and then put it on your wall right next to your visually stimulating mind map. This is how you create a transformational trigger that immediately causes a deep sense of remembering. In your day-to-day life, its easy to fall back into cycles. Its easy to forget what you really want and what you stand for.However, if you have a transformational trigger which immediately reminds you of the future you, then it can zap you into that role and identity in the here and now. Thus, not only will your emotionally-charged trigger remind you, but it will also transform and reshape you.A lifetime state of playAccording to Strategic Coach founder, Dan Sullivan, life can and should be organized such that you live in a continual state of play.How do you do this?You never stop learning. Your brain needs all of the information it can get - however, garbage in, garbage out. Your life is a product of your standards and your brain is the product of the quality of information you put in.You deepen your human relationships. Nothing is more important for the human brain than love. You could get all of the nutrition, oxygen, and information you need - but without love, your brain will hardly be able to process anything. However, when you have love, all inputs are amplified and expanded.You always make your future bigger than your past.You remove everything from your life that is keeping you stuck.You allow yourself to imagine something more compelling and exciting.You focus on who instead of how.You allow yourself to want what you really want, and never operate from a state of should or have to again.When you give yourself permission to seek what you truly want, you immediately have far more energy, excitement, and enthusiasm about w hat youre doing.If something doesnt excite you, then youre not being imaginative enough about the game and how its being set up. Your future should be extremely juicy and compelling. It should even potentially scare you a little bit because its so amazing.Charles Haanel, considered to be the father of modern self-improvement said,Remember that no matter what the difficulty is, no matter where it is, no matter who is affected, you have no patient but yourself you have nothing to do but convince yourself of the truth which you desire to see manifest.ConclusionWhere will you be in 6 months from now?How close can you get to achieving your 10-year plan in the next 6 months?How imaginative will you be?Are you willing to be bold?Are you willing to be direct?Are you willing to do what will actually work, rather than being emotionally-attached to the outcome and to your ego?Are you willing to create a life that allows you a continual state of play and awe?How much bigger is your future going to be than your past?What will your obituary say?Will you fold-time and begin living your future today?Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis column first appeared on Medium.

HVAC and Refrigeration Resume Template 2018s Top Format

HVAC and Refrigeration Resume Template 2018s Top FormatHVAC and Refrigeration Resume Template - 2018s Top FormatYour resume is one of the key documents to have ready when youre looking for a new job in the heating and cooling or building maintenance fields. HVAC recruiters go over resumes to see if applicants have the qualifications to repair cooling systems in homes or business facilities.Be sure to include information on your training, safety record, and work experience with heating and cooling systems. Also note details about certifications and experience working in befolgung with government regulatory agencies, like OSHA and the EPA.Start the hunt for your next job by filling out the HVAC and refrigeration resume template below. Create ResumePeyton Woods100 Main Street, Cityplace, CA, 91019Cell (555) 322-7337 example-emailexample.comSummaryHVAC Service Technician with 10 years experience in heating, air conditioning, and refrigerant systems, as well as electrical and mechanical controls.I also have 2 years experience in Safety Management,dealing with EPA and OSHA regulations.HighlightsInstallation expertSelf-motivatedExcellent problem solverCustomer relationsFlexible scheduleDedicated team playerAccomplishmentsEPA Universal CertificationRegistered ACR TechnicianFire Fighting Incipient CertificationConfined Space Safety CertificationRespiratory Safety CertificationFall Protection Safety CertificationSupported Scaffolding Safety CertificationAdvance Offshore Water Survival CertificationSafe Gulf CertificationExperienceSafety Supervisor MAD LTD RIG REPAIR Beaumont, TXProvide safety orientation to employees and contractors.Enforce all safety regulations set by OSHA,EPA,and ABS.Give daily safety meeting.Document records of all employee training and certifications.Inspect all safety related equipment.Service / Installation Tech Williamson A/C Ft Worth, TXService,repair,install and replace residential and commercial HVAC equipment.Split system and rooftop packag e systems.Install and service walk in refrig/freezer.Commercial Service Tech Howell Services Arlington, TXService and repair commercial HVAC equipment.Keep up to date records of preventative maintenance and service of each account.Installer / Service Tech BB Repair Ft Worth, TXService,repair,install and replace residential and commercial HVAC equipment.Split system and rooftop package unit.Service and install walk in refrig/freezer and ice machines.Personal InformationAt this time I am living in Graford Tx (Possum Kingdom Lake) However I am in the process of returning to DFW area.So please dont take the long commute as a problem when reviewing this resume.Customize ResumeMore Installation and Maintenance ResumesEntry Level HVAC and Refrigeration Resume Templates

Career Excellence Model for TR Pros Launched by WorldatWork

Career Excellence Model for TR Pros Launched by WorldatWork Career Excellence Model for TR Pros Launched by WorldatWork As the global, nonprofit association for total rewards professionals, WorldatWorks mission is to advance the knowledge and careers of total rewards professionals, said Bonnie Kabin, CCP, vice president of professional development for WorldatWork. The Career Excellence Model will serve as an umbrella over current and future offerings, resurces and content, ensuring rewards professionals have the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their roles.The key differentiators discovered in the survey, and depicted in the Career Excellence Model, include Technical mastery Strategic business understanding Analytical skills and attention to detail Communication and connection Adaptability and flexibility Passion and proactivity Continuous learning Development support systemThe data has spawned the development of programming within the model that merges technical skills e ducation and the above characteristics. Kabin went on to say, Initiatives such as the new Career Excellence Model, Total Rewards Professionals Week and regular member surveys all signify our strategic intent to serve and engage the whole professional for his or her entire total rewards career by addressing the need for continuous learning at different professional levels.

This is what credit invisibility is and how it works

This is what leistungspunkt invisibility is and how it worksThis is what credit invisibility is and how it worksYouve probably heard of bad credit or good credit, credit scores and credit reports. But have you ever heard of the term credit invisible? Probably not Credit invisibility is when a person has no credit history whatsoever. This means that they have nothing in their history to say that they have good credit or bad credit. Theres just no credit at all. In 2015, theConsumer Finance Protection Bureaufound that 26 million Americans are actually credit invisible.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy Does It Matter?Your credit history and credit score determine what you will or wont be approved for. This can affect your ability to get a home loan, a car loan, a student loan, a credit card, etc. I can also influence whether or not someone can get a job or an apartment, since man y employers and landlords now check peoples credit before accepting them. All of ansicht limitations can have a huge negative impact on peoples lives. Becoming credit visible is an important way to open up a world of possibilities.How to Become Credit VisibleGetting approved for credit is a lot like getting a job. You need experience in order to get hired, but you cant get experience without hired chosen first Creditors want you to have a history of credit, but you cant build a history of credit without having been approved for credit first. However, there are ways to prove yourself as a responsible customer even if you dont have the credit history that creditors prefer.Get a Secured Credit CardWhen I first graduated from college, I had never had a credit card, but I knew that I wanted to get one. My parents recommended that I get a secured credit card through their credit union. The card had a very low limit of $500 so that I wouldnt be able to overspend too much. I had to put $500 (lets be honest, my parents gave me the money) in a CD as collateral. This meant that if I maxed out my credit card but wasnt able to pay it back, the bank had the CD to pay themselves with.A secured credit card is helpful for you and your creditor. Youre able to build your credit while also not putting yourself at risk over going way into debt. Your creditor isnt putting itself at too much risk because your limit is low and there is usually collateral for them to pull from.Talk to your bank and see if they offer a secured credit card optionGet Added As An Authorized UserA very easy way to build or improve your credit is to be added as an authorized anwender on someones credit card. This is when someone already has a credit card and they add you as an authorized user on it. In this scenario, you dont even have to have access to the card itself, just the history of that account. That card starts to be reported to credit bureaus under your name, so that you have the benefit of the (h opefully) positive credit history.(TipIf you do get access to the card to spend on it, make sure you only spend what you are able to pay back. You dont want to hurt your relationship with the account holder if you are unable to pay off your portion of the credit card balance.)Of course, you should make sure that you trust the person who is adding you as an authorized user. If you get added and then the account holder misses payments, your credit history will be harmed. Youll want to make sure that the main account holder will make their payments on time and keep their debt to credit ratio low. Otherwise, their negative credit history will become your negative credit history.Have Someone Co-Sign a LoanIf you need to get a loan but you have no credit, you can get someone to co-sign it for you. This tells the creditor that even if you default on a loan, there is someone else who will be responsible for paying it. And really, creditors really just want to make sure that someone will pay them back.Getting a co-signer can also give you better rates on a loan. When the lender sees that there is someone with good credit also responsible for the loan, they are more willing to give lower interest rates. For example, my little sister is exploring refinancing her student loans. The person she spoke to at the bank suggested that my parents co-sign the consolidation loan so that she could get a lower interest rate. Thats not the route she will probably take, but she was surprised that it was an option for her.(NoteThis is a huge commitment for someone to make for you. Youll want to come to an agreement up front with the co-signer. It could even be a written agreement that you come back to later if anything goes wrong. You dont want to put your relationship with the co-signer, or their financial stability, at risk, so make sure that you are able to pay back the loan on your own.)Get Credit for the Rent You PayUnfortunately, if youre being a responsible adult and paying your rent every month, the credit bureaus dont always know it. However, you can sign up for rent-reporting services, such asRental KharmaandRentTrack, that take bills youre already paying and report them to the credit bureaus. This can show lenders and creditors that you have a history of responsibly paying your bills. Its a great way to show that what youre already doing matters and have it show up on your credit report.Of course, there is a fee that is associated with these services. And unfortunately, not all credit bureaus take this into account. But if you want to start building credit, and are unable to do the above options, this is one route to take.If you take one or more of these steps, youll be on your way to credit visibility. Over time, youll even have good creditThis article originally appeared on Maggie Germano.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lesso ns from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Professional Summary Resume Sample Tips & Guide

Professional Summary Resume Sample Tips & Guide Sharding is utilized to scale databases. OurA Sample ResumesA for skilled summary come with each available examples from other job categories that could find any user covered. So resume template should you wish to get the magnificent pictures regarding qualified summary resume sample, click on save link to conserve the pics to your private computer. Offered in various dimensions and other customized designs, the templates are commonly demanded for unique capabilities. Youre going to compose a resume summary which gets many mora interviews. On occasion, you may have to list related and unrelated experience below the exact same heading to steer clear of confusion. Generally, you always need to concentrate on putting your most powerful information first. Your resume will supply the specifics of your professional experience. Once you comprehend the essentials of effective resume composition, you can set them to work for you when you produce your own document. Your professional aspirations directly speak to the value youre able to bring to an employer, and not only immediately, but additionally in the long term. At this time you dont wish to have into a lengthy dissertation describing every position youve ever held, but you do have to at least briefly note the kind and quantity of experience which you have in the particular region of expertise applicable to the job that youre seeking. Professional background representation is imperative to give a fantastic influence on the employers. The Chronicles of Professional Summary Resume Sample You may want to look at a qualifications summary which we outlined in last weeks postbut if only you need to have a summaryhere are a number of examples to help you begin. When it has to do with writing a resume, you might be knowledgeable about the resume objective as the preferred section to start with. 1 A resume summary is a brief, snappy introduction paragraph that delivers a summary of your very best work. Its certainly recommended to include as many of the subsequent examples of information as possible. Using Professional Summary Resume Sample Show profil employers how your specific professional objectives and aspiration can benefit them later on and theyll be much more prepared to supply you with an opportunity to get there. The absolute most efficient summaries target one career objective. To compose a very first class resume you want to make it predominantly results oriented and concentrate on your achievements and contributions during your career. The Ultimate Professional Summary Resume Sample Trick Make certain that you have a great elevator speech before you arrive. Which means you have to find out the way to create the ideal letter that it is possible to deliver to the organization and provide good first effect about yourself. When writing your statement, its important to take into consideration where youre in your pro fessional progression.Nonetheless, there are 3 primary elements that each thriving personal resume statement should incorporate. Furthermore, have a look at the subsequent additional blurbs you may want to improve the conclusion of your professional overview to further clarify your intent and value. Knowing the appropriate format is a significant portion of understanding how to compose a finance resume summary statement. Youre in a position to gain from your value proposition thats distinctive to win. If searching for work appears to be a full-time job, youre probably on the correct track. Without such a section, the prospective hiring manager may be left wondering why he or shes reading your resume in any respect. Locate the ones the business uses (or would like to use). After that, go on to construct your own warehouse associate resume so youre able to find the job and begin working Additionally, its simple to find experience fast for nearly every job. Whether you get the work largely depends on in the veranstaltung that you satisfy all the required set by the employer and the state you reside in. Irrespective of whether youre on the lookout for an entry level job or larger career advancement, you most likely already understand how important your resume can be in your search to discover the ideal job. Scan the work description. The point is to organize all of the info in a manner that immediately captures the readers attention, to make sure that the whole summary becomes reviewed. A career objective is a huge way to begin a resume for some individuals, but might not qualify as the best means for you. The very first thing that you want to do is go back and take a look at the job that youre applying for and determine your intended audience. If youre attempting to create an outstanding bartending resume, have a look at the sample bartender resume below to provide you with some ideas about what to write in addition to how to compose your own. Whe n you first graduated from school or started searching for work, it is likely that someone advised you to incorporate an objective statement near the top of your resume. The right resume summary can let you avoid that fate and boost your probability of getting that job you desire A resume summary is a fast method of obtaining a recruiters interest. Writing a strong and compelling resume summary can dramatically increase your odds of being called in for in interview, so its vitally important you know how to make yours stand out from the crowd. A Secret Weapon for Professional Summary Resume Sample On the flip side, the moment the work applicant has strong experience, there isnt any need to require the academic training any longer and it doesnt need to get mentioned. Despite no experience, you leise ought to show experience. There are methods to work around a deficiency of experience, just because there are means to work around a scarcity of relevant education. Demonstrating yo u have work experience is essential, even supposing it isnt directly linked to your objectives. The Good, the Bad and Professional Summary Resume Sample Perhaps you wont utilize words like gain a competitive edge or boost revenue in your statement. Each has great examples so that you can write the ideal bullet points. Based on who you ask and the way youre using it, summary statements can be an entire waste of space or an overall game changer. Before sending, dont forget to review your document in the new format to make certain it appears the direction you would like it to.

Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening

Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The eu-agrarpolitik between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income eu-agrarpolitik belastung week, we heard yur requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into ur daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technolog y now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermora, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled mora U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With mora workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the saatkorn time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of ansicht workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax satz structure, according to a sepatarif, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax tarif for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep mora of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate welches 28 percent before that). At the saatkorn time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their inco me from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Ca re? If behauptung factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do elend answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com vorwort staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers ur Future End This wirtschaftskrise Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Wideni ng Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like imp roved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep m ore of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlie r. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more work ers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, ma y also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household w ould increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich an d the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax poli cy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy Th e Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wag es of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of inc ome at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soa ring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Cri sis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts w ill. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separa te, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrote chnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-pict ure effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income scale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has be en falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their income from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Care? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends W hy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is WideningWhy the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Search Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening Share this articleTwitterLinkedinFacebookemailAn Inside Look at Why the Rich Get Richer the Poor Stay PutWhy the Rich Get Richer the Poor Struggle Numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this month confirm what many have known for a long time The gap between the rich and the poor in this country is growing ever wider. And while we examined the numbers behind the income gap last week, we heard your requests for an actual explanation of why it exists loud and clear. So while the numbers dont tell us why income inequality continues to climb, the experts will. Technology The Double-Edged Sword Just as technology has worked its way into our daily work lives, it has also had a significant big-picture effect on employment, according to a March 2012 report from thenonpartisan Congressional Research Service. On the bottom end of the income s cale, technology now performs some of the functions that once went to low-skill workers. Furthermore, technological changes like improved computer and telecommunications systems have enabled more U.S. companies to send jobs to countries with lower labor costs. With more workers competing for fewer jobs, wages for low-skill occupations dropped. At the same time, technology has been a boon for some higher earners. In fields such as engineering and law, technology serves as a complement to high-skilled workers, which has raised demand for and the relative wages of these workers, the report concludes. Current Tax Rates Favor the Rich Then theres the current tax rate structure, according to a separate, recently releasedanalysis by the Congressional Research Service. The average federal income tax rate for the highest-income taxpayers has been falling steadily for the past 60 years, according to the report. Most recently, the so-called Bush tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 lowered the top marginal tax rate from 36.9 percent to 35 percent. The natural effect of lower tax rates is that the wealthiest get to keep more of their income, which tends to widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the CRS analysis. Lower tax rates, the report suggests, may also act as an incentive for top earners to negotiate even higher compensation the lower the tax rate, the more of each additional dollar the worker gets to keep. Indeed, the report concludes, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.Capital Gains The Bush tax cuts also lowered taxes on capital gains the profits realized when assets, such as stocks or real estate, are sold. At least until the end of 2012, the top capital gains rate is 15 percent, down from 20 percent in the 1990s (the rate was 28 percent before that). At the same time, those at the very top of the scale are making a higher percentage of their incom e from capital gains in 2006, the top 1 percent made 38 percent if their money from capital gains, up from 31 percent 10 years earlier. And when higher capital gains incomes combine with lower tax rates on that money, it makes mathematical sense that the richest household would increase their earnings faster than those lower down the scale.Shifting Social Norms Though harder to quantify than technology and tax policy, shifting social norms may also play a role in the growing income gap, say some economists. Society, as a whole, is simply less aghast at soaring salaries than it once was. Outlining this theory in a 2002 New York Times column, Paul Krugman explained that after the New Deal and World War II, the national mindset tended towards equality of pay and more humble, community-oriented executives. Somewhere around the 1970s, however, those norms simply began to unravel, creating greater social acceptance for the sky-high executive compensation we see today. But Why Do We Car e? If these factors help explain how the income gap got where it is today, they do not answer a perhaps even more important question Why does it matter? Register your own thoughts below, and come back next week for answers from readers and experts alike. Recommended Reading Thank you for reading. As an added bonus, the Salary.com editorial staff has compiled a recommended reading list regarding this topic. Enjoy The Price of InequalityHow Todays Divided Society Endangers Our Future End This Depression Now The Great DivergenceAmericas Growing Inequality Crisis What We Can Do About It The Betrayal of the American Dream Related Salary.com Content Cracking the Dress Code Dilemma Dream Job Pyrotechnician 7 Signs Your Employees Hate You From our trusted Partners From our trusted Partners Home Articles Trends Why the Gap Between Rich Poor Is Widening