The middle class is shrinking because the rising cost of living is outstripping the incomes of working families.

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer because of unfair local, state and federal tax systems.

Let's put our heads together to roll back growing income inequalities. Let's stop losing so much of what we earn to giant corporations making windfall profits.

It's time to use our collective entrepreneurial ingenuity and community-based assets and resources to create sustainable businesses, jobs and wealth that we can keep in our counties and protect from being outsourced.

Let's join forces with friends, neighbors and business associates to reinvent the free enterprise system and capitalism on a level playing field so we can all create wealth and retain the wealth we create.

• Find local jobs in entrepreneurial businesses with progressive labor practices
• Start a business by yourself or with local partners using community-based assets and resources
• Identify progressive financial institutions and capital providers to support your wealth-creation and wealth-retention initiatives
• Barter or sell your services and things you don't need for services and things you do need
• Join or form buying cooperatives that save you money
• Locate affordable housing and advocate the creation of more affordable housing in your county
• Find out how you can buy low-cost nutritious food and support local farmers
• Obtain high quality affordable health care and advocate an overhaul of the failed U.S. healthcare industry
• Figure out how to get out of debt
• Get services, benefits and entitlements due you from government agencies
• Pressure your elected representatives to pass legislation that protects your business, job, income, cost of living, health and wealth.