Why is it important to examine wealth along with income? Be sure to discuss how the measure of wealth differs from income as well as trends.
Why is it important to consider the ethnic make-up of surgeons, lawyers, news reporters, or government officials?
How is wealth distributed? What groups of people have wealth in the U.S. (is it evenly distributed or do some people hold the majority of the wealth, if so who are they)?
What impact does race have on an individual's ability to access certain jobs, or the types of jobs that offer upward mobility for the many rather than the few?
Americans often claim that individuals should be willing to accept any job, but what part do cultural beliefs play in the motivation to accept and keep a low-income job? What are the social costs of this? Do these outweigh the potentially meager income benefits?