But upper-bracket Americans have enjoyed disproportionate benefits under the Bush tax cuts.

The figures for the disproportionate benefits going to the wealthy are already famous - and they deserve to be infamous.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled Senate, however, repeated their position that the proposed increase was too large, and that the Assembly's formula for distributing the aid would provide disproportionate benefits to New York City and other urban areas.

In this scenario, the disproportionate benefit to the poor individual is merely a function of the depth of his initial poverty.

Tanzania and Uganda said that wealthier Kenya derived disproportionate economic benefits, and socialist Tanzania scorned Kenya's pro-Western stance.

They give disproportionate benefits to wealthy people and do almost nothing for low-income people.

Priority was to be given to walking, not only because it was felt that this would give disproportionate environmental benefits and would aid access to public transport, but it would recognise the dominance of local movement by foot transport.

For all the partisan warfare over Social Security, both supporters and opponents of Mr. Bush's effort increasingly emphasize the need to strengthen the "progressive" aspect of the program to provide disproportionate benefits to low-income workers.

This would eliminate the need for race-based affirmative action as well as reducing any disproportionate benefits for middle- and upper-class people of color.

This tiny tempest would be irritating but for the disproportionate benefits it represents for the next decade of American evolution.