How did the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?

B

In America they don't. There is vast movement between income classes, with new grad, low income folks moving up during their careers through promotion and poor performing hign income folks getting laid off or fired.

If you mean wealth, rather than income, that too changes and moves households up and down the wealth ranks. Recently, folks with big stock holdings were rich in 2008, far less rich in 2010, and recovered somewhat in 2011. Folks whose net worth is mostly in a house have seen housing prices drop, but lost no money if they did not sell.

Finally, families with high incomes or net assets can afford sound financial advice, and are less likely to overspend or get scammed than those who buy no advice.