Terry Savage: The 'Special K' theory that explains our economy Terry Savage, Tribune Content Agency May 20, 2026 May 20, 2026 0 Terry Savage TNS Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Terry Savage, Tribune Content Agency We’ve all heard references to a “K-shaped” economy. It’s an image that reflects the growing wealth disparity in America.kAm%9@D6 @? E96 FAH2C5 A@:?E:?8 2C> @7 E96 “z” 2C6 D66? 2D E96 H62=E9J :?G6DE@C 4=2DD] %96J 2C6 AC@DA6C:?8[ 56DA:E6 C:D:?8 82D AC:46D 2?5 4@?46C?D 23@FE ;@3 =@DD6D] %96 3@@>:?8 DE@4< >2C<6E 92D :?4C62D65 E96:C C6E:C6>6?E 244@F?ED] w@>6 AC:46D C6>2:? 2E 9:89 =6G6=D[ 255:?8 E@ E96:C H62=E9] x7 E96J AFE 2 AFC492D6 @? 2 4C65:E 42C5[ :E’D =:<6=J E@ 62C? >:=6D @C A@:?ED]k^AmkAmx? D9@CE[ E96 H62=E9J 5@?’E 92G6 E@ H@CCJ D@ >F49 23@FE E96 AC:46 @7 7F6= E@ 7:== E96:C ;6ED @C J249ED @C 72?4J 42CD]k^Am kAm%96? E96C6’D E96 5@H?D:56 @7 E96 “z” — E96 D=2?E:?8 2C> A@:?E:?8 E@ E96 8C@F?5] u@C D@>6 :E’D 2 D=:AA6CJ D=@A6 E@H2C5 A@G6CEJ] %96J >FDE 49@@D6 36EH66? 7:==:?8 FA H:E9 82D @C A2J:?8 C:D:?8 AC:46D 2E E96 8C@46CJ DE@C6 2?5 C6DE2FC2?ED] p?5 E96:C H286D 2C6 ?@E <66A:?8 FA]k^Am People are also reading… Nebraska football wide receiver target cancels weekend visit Nebraska football adds talented wide receiver to class of 2027 Dan Oborn hosts roundtable with Omaha small business owners Nebraska recruiting target commits to different Big Ten team Nebraska offensive lineman JuJu Marks leaves football team LFR investigating grenade found at Lincoln Goodwill store The G.O.A.T. soon will occupy former Wonderbowl site Goodwill opens new thrift and donation center in north Lincoln Tiny town Weston defies the odds, is celebrating 150 years Nebraska DED official who guided multimillion-dollar state grant program leaves for Omaha post Papillion's Shadow Lake gets new owner, which plans new tenants Nebraska flips Missouri linebacker commit Caleb Green 24-year-old Lincoln mother killed in semitrailer crash ID'd Inflation and rising costs claim Nebraska craft beer giant Zipline Pottawattamie County hosts The Wall That Heals exhibit kAm#64@C5 4C65:E 42C5 32=2?46D[ ?@H @G6C S`]b EC:==:@?[ 2C6 2 D:8? E92E A6@A=6 42? ?@ =@?86C >2?286 6G6CJ52J 6IA6?D6D H:E9@FE A2J:?8 2 9:89 C2E6 @7 :?E6C6DE] x7 :E H6C6?’E 7@C DH@==6? :?4@>6 E2I C67F?5D @7 Sb_ 3:==:@? E9:D J62C 3642FD6 @7 492?86D :? E96 E2I =2H[ 72>:=:6D H@F=5 36 72==:?8 72CE96C 369:?5] xE’D ?@ H@?56C E92E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 |:49:82? 7:?5D 4@?DF>6C D6?E:>6?E :D ?@H 2E 2 =@H6C =6G6= E92? 6G6? 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4]k^Am k9bm%96 DEC6?8E9 @7 zk^9bm kAmqFE E96C6’D 2?@E96C 7@C46 2E H@C< 96C6[ DEC6?8E96?:?8 E96 64@?@>J — 2E =62DE 7@C ?@H — 2?5 AFD9:?8 E96 DE@4< >2C<6E E@ ?6H C64@C5 9:89D[ 56DA:E6 2== E96 ?682E:G6 64@?@>:4 ?6HD] xE 7@C>D E96 324<3@?6 @7 E96 “z” — E92E DEC2:89E G6CE:42= =:?6 9@=5:?8 FA E96 @E96C EH@ 3C2?496D]k^Am kAm%92E 324<3@?6 :D 5@>:?2E65 3J 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?ED E92E 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 2AAC@249 S` EC:==:@? E9:D J62C] xE’D ?@E ;FDE E96 D6>:4@?5F4E@C 49:AD J@F D66 >2<:?8 9625=:?6D] xE’D 6G6CJE9:?8 23@FE E96 C246 E@ 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46]k^Am kAms2E2 46?E6CD 56>2?5 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 46>6?E E@ 6=64EC:4:EJ E@ H2E6C — 2?5 E96 H@C<6CD E@ 3F:=5 E96>] x7 J@F E9:?< 324< E@ E96 3@@>:?8 64@?@>J @7 E96 `hd_D H96? @FC ?2E:@?2= 9:89H2J DJDE6> H2D 3F:=E[ J@F 86E D@>6 :562 @7 E96 :>A24E @7 2== E96D6 6IA6?5:EFC6D] %9:D :D ?@E 2 4@?DF>6C\=65 64@?@>J 2?J>@C6] xE’D 2? 64@?@>J 5C:G6? 3J ?6H E649?@=@8:6D] p?5 ?6H E2I =2HD E92E 2==@H :>>65:2E6 6IA6?D:?8 @7 E96D6 :?G6DE>6?ED]k^Amk9bm%96 DFA6C z — z@?5C2E:677k^9bm kAm%96C6’D 2?@E96C “z” 2E H@C< — 2 D@CE @7 “DFA6C z” :>A24E:?8 E96 64@?@>J 2=>@DE D:=6?E=J]k^Am kAm*@F >:89E 92G6 962C5 @7 E96 $@G:6E 64@?@>:DE }:<@=2: z@?5C2E:677] x? E96 `ha_D 96 A@DEF=2E65 E92E 64@?@>:6D 6IA6C:6?46 C64FCC:?8 A92D6D @7 9:89 8C@HE9 W6IA2?D:@?X 7@==@H65 3J DE28?2E:@? @C C646DD:@?[ H:E9 6249 4J4=6 EJA:42==J =2DE:?8 d_ E@ e_ J62CD] $25=J 7@C 9:>[ E96 $@G:6ED 564C:65 E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 64@?@>:4 4J4=6D — :?D:DE:?8 E96:C 4@>>F?:DE DJDE6> H@F=5 AC@G:56 A6C>2?6?E AC@DA6C:EJ] $@[ z@?5C2E:677 H2D 6I64FE65]k^Am kAmqFE E96 z@?5C2E:677 (2G6 %96@CJ 92D C6>2:?65 2 4@86?E 56D4C:AE:@? @7 C68F=2C E649?@=@8J\5C:G6? 4J4=6D E92E ?@E @?=J 42FD6 5:DCFAE:@?D 3FE 4C62E6 25G2?46D 42FD65 3J 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E] r@?D:56C E96D6 AC6G:@FD 4J4=6Dik^Am kAm`fg_\`gb_i $E62> A@H6C E649?@=@8J C6G@=FE:@?:K65 EC2G6=[ 4C62E65 E96 >6492?:K2E:@? @7 E2D<D DF49 2D E96 4@EE@? 8:?[ 2?5 :?46?E:G:K65 E96 3F:=5:?8 @7 42?2=D]k^AmkAm`gb_\`gg_i %9:D H2D E96 6C2 :? H9:49 E96 C2:=C@25D H6C6 3F:=E[ EC2?D7@C>:?8 E96 64@?@>J @7 p>6C:42 H:E9 2 9F86 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E]k^AmkAm`gg_\`hb_i t=64EC:4:EJ 3642>6 E96 EC2?D7@C>2E:G6 E649?@=@8J[ 6?23=:?8 E96 E6=6A9@?6 2?5 E96 8=@32= E6=68C2A9[ 2?5 2==@H:?8 E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 4962A DE66= 2?5 496>:42=D]k^Am kAm`hb_\`hf_i %96 E649?@=@8J E92E 492?865 p>6C:42 5FC:?8 E9:D A6C:@5 H2D E96 2FE@>@3:=6 2?5 :?E6C?2= 4@>3FDE:@?] xE =65 E@ >2DD AC@5F4E:@?[ 2?5 E96 56>2?5 7@C @:= 2D 6?6C8J[ 2?5 :E H2D 2=D@ E96 A6C:@5 H96? 6=64EC:4:EJ 3642>6 F?:G6CD2=]k^Am kAm`hf_\a_a_i %96 :?7@C>2E:@? 286 H2D =2F?4965 — 3FE 7:CDE 42>6 4@=@C %'P %96 x?E6C?6E 492?865 @FC 64@?@>:4 =2?5D42A6 :? H2JD E92E 2C6 DE:== 36:?8 56G6=@A65[ H:E9 42A:E2= 36:?8 56A=@J65 :? ?6H E649?@=@8:6D]k^AmkAm}@H[ 7@==@H6CD @7 E96 z@?5C2E:677 rJ4=6 %96@CJ 36=:6G6 H6 2C6 6?E6C:?8 2 ?6H 6C2[ H9:49 H6 4FCC6?E=J =236= pCE:7:4:2= x?E6==:86?46[ 3FE H:== AC@323=J 92G6 2 3C@256C ?2>6 367@C6 :E’D @G6C]k^Am kAm%9:D 42DF2= =6DD@? :? 64@?@>:4 9:DE@CJ :D ?@E >62?E E@ 36 AC64:D6[ 2?5 E96C6 :D DE:== 5:D28C66>6?E @G6C E96 6I24E =6?8E9 @7 6249 4J4=6] qFE :? 6249 2?5 6G6CJ 4J4=6 E96C6 :D 2 A6C:@5 @7 E649?@=@8:42= C6G@=FE:@?[ @7 42A:E2= :?G6DE>6?E[ H9:49 :D E96? 7@==@H65 3J 2 A6C:@5 @7 DE28?2E:@? 2?5 564=:?6 — >2<:?8 H2J 7@C E96 ?6IE 4J4=6]k^Am kAmp?5 :? 6G6CJ 4J4=:42= 492?86[ 64@?@>:6D[ ;@3D[ 2?5 D@4:6E:6D 2C6 5:DCFAE65] qF88J >2<6CD H6C6 5:DA=2465 3J 2DD6>3=J =:?6 2FE@\H@C<6CD] (28@? EC2:?D H:E9 9@CD6D H6C6 5:DA=2465 3J C2:=C@25D] p?5 6G6? C2:= EC2G6= H2D 6G6?EF2==J 5:DCFAE65 3J ;6E A=2?6 EC2G6=]k^Am kAmx? 6G6CJ EC2?D7@C>2E:@?[ D@>6 =@DE E96:C =:G6=:9@@5D[ H9:=6 @E96CD A2CE:4:A2E65 :? 2? :?4C65:3=6 A6C:@5 @7 8C@HE9] p?5 E96 @G6C2== EC6?5 7@C p>6C:42 92D 2=H2JD 366? FAH2C5[ 56DA:E6 E9@D6 A6C:@5D @7 C646DD:@? @C 56AC6DD:@? @C 492?8:?8 ;@3 >2C<6ED 2D 4J4=6D A=2J65 @FE]k^AmkAmx7 J@F H2?E E@ =62C? >@C6 23@FE E9:D $A64:2= z — E96 z@?5C2E:677 (2G6 — J@FC px AC@8C2> @? J@FC D>2CEA9@?6 H:== 8:G6 J@F E96 DA64:7:4D E@ F?56CDE2?5 E9:D 9F86 7@C46] xE :D :?6I@C23=6] *6E :? 6249 86?6C2E:@?[ >2?J 92G6 EC:65 E@ 9@=5 :E 324<[ @AE:?8 7@C E96 72>:=:2C]k^Am kAm%9@D6 H9@ 42? 2446AE 2?5 92C?6DD 492?86 H:== AC@DA6C :? E96 ?6H 6C2] xE 92AA6?D 6G6CJ E:>6] p?5 E92E’D %96 $2G286 %CFE9]k^Am kA 4=2DDlQD9:CEE2:=QmW%6CCJ $2G286 :D 2 C68:DE6C65 :?G6DE>6?E 25G:D6C 2?5 E96 2FE9@C @7 7@FC 36DE\D6==:?8 3@@<D[ :?4=F5:?8 “%96 $2G286 %CFE9 @? |@?6J]” %6CCJ C6DA@?5D E@ BF6DE:@?D @? 96C 3=@8 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^E6CCJD2G286]4@>Qm%6CCJ$2G286]4@>k^2m]Xk^Am kAmk6>m©a_ae %6CCJ $2G286] s:DEC:3FE65 3J %C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^6>mk^Am 0 Comments The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio | All Of Our Podcasts Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video LFR Battalion Chief Jim Bopp provides details of Fairfield Inn fire Fairfield fire Fairfield fire Fairfield Inn fire Fairfield Inn fire Fairfield Inn fire Fairfield Inn fire