[MichaelCorleone]

“...it’s actually a long term trend and the percent median of the average has been falling at a steady rate for decades.”

And yet for most of that time the average Joe’s investment portfolio and home value has steadily increased. We would attribute that to unchecked monetary and fiscal policy I take it? Or is that simplifying it too much?

[expat_panama]

...percent median of the average has been falling at a steady rate for decades...

...the average Joe’s investment portfolio and home value has steadily increased...

Most people (me included) get turned around when the words 'median' and 'average' are on the table.  

Our always truthful friends at the Census.gov (/sarc) say we're getting increasing income inequality so that means the median incomes (half richer & half poorer) is becoming smaller and smaller relative to the size of the average incomes (total incomes divided by population).  So what we're hearing from the press is that this is some kind of new thing, but reality is that it's been going on for decades.

imho income inequality is a good thing.  Only a Marxist would want everyone to get paid the same amount.