The current rhetoric from conservatives about the deficit is used in a precise way. Talk about deficit reduction deflects from a real discussion about the economy, unemployment, and the increase in income inequality. While the emphasis on deficit reduction has been used to blame the economic crisis on the working class and the poor, the reality is that corporations and large banks caused this crisis. The logical conclusion is that income inequality must be addressed first and foremost. Here is a series of graphs illustrating the structural problems that the nation faces.