The basic items included are wages and salaries, but we also count Social Security benefits and dividends and interest income. We also include earnings from the self-employed, health care benefits and contributions to retirement accounts.

Areas with a larger personal income can support more stores. A higher level of per capita income can support luxury-type stores.

One of the reasons that Social Security is in so much trouble is that the only funding stream comes from people who get a wage. The people who get wages is declining dramatically. Most of the income in this country is made by people at the top who get dividends and - and capital gains.

Under the current pay-as-you-go Social Security system, not one person is actually guaranteed benefits.

After his Social Security plan crashed, there isn't much of a legislative program left.

We can preserve Social Security benefits for generations of Americans without privatizing this important program.