We're in the Second Gilded Age just like the first -- when America's wealth was in the hands of a few, conspicuous consumption existed alongside homelessness and hunger, monopolies destroyed competition, big money corrupted politics, unions were busted, and wages were suppressed.

But after the first Gilded Age came the Progressive Era -- when taxes were raised on the rich, regulations created to protect public health and safety, antitrust wielded to break up monopolies, laws enacted to clean up politics and end the corruption, and unions allowed to grow.

So the question is whether we are on the cusp of a new Progressive Era. I believe so, but it's up to us to make it happen.