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Jack Strayer: Which American Middle Class are we talking about?
Published 12:59am Thursday, February 23, 2012We have heard and will continue to hear even more about “America’s Middle Class” during the 2012 campaign cycle. But what exactly is America’s Middle Class and why is the term always used as some sort of barometer for politicians, special interest groups, journalists and policy makers?
By doing a bit of digital research (a.k.a. the internet), I found that there are endless definitions of America’s Middle Class. Consequently, there is no clear consensus definition of Middle Class upon which everyone can agree.
Then I discovered the problem of defining the Middle Class. Are we talking about the Economic Middle Class, the Social Middle Class, the Disappearing Middle Class or the Political Middle Class?
We need to figure this out in a hurry because apparently, this year’s general election is going to be all about “class warfare.” Class warfare happens when one class of people uses another class of people to gain political advantage. We are witnessing it with the “Occupy” movement where so-called “representatives” of the 99 percent of the population with the least amount of money are taking on the 1 percent of the population that has the most money.
The Economic Middle Class is typically defined as those families with incomes between $40,000 and $200,000. That makes up approximately 65 percent of the U.S. population.
The Social Middle Class is typically defined as those working families who live above the poverty line, but also includes former millionaires who have lost there homes due to foreclosure, lost all their money in the Great Recession or can no longer find work.
The Disappearing Middle Class is a term used by politicians to explain the widening gap between the poor and the very, very, very rich — also called the high end of the 1 percent. Apparently, as this gap has expanded, the Middle Class has fallen into the abyss and disappeared. This term is no longer widely used because the Great Recession has filled in the gap with former upper middle class folks who made bad economic choices in investments, real estate and financial planning. And the poor didn’t fall into the abyss because they are protected by the National Safety Net.
Now let’s get to the bottom of this American Middle Class muddle. All of our economic, social and political problems can be answered by addressing the concerns of the Political Middle Class. Our elected officials haven’t done a very good job of this in the past few years. As moderate politicians have been replaced by either progressive candidates or conservative candidates, the voice of the Political Middle Class has been muted by reactionary public policy decisions and fringe politics.
Who is representing the people in the middle who have no real opinion on the social agenda of the far right or the income redistribution goals of the far left? Who are the economic moderates and conservatives supposed to turn to for answers to solving our national debt and soaring deficits? Where are the working class union members supposed to turn to for future financial security when there are no new jobs being created anymore? What happened to less government versus more government? Who is representing those who don’t want too much government or too little government but just the right amount of government? Where is Goldilocks when we need her most?
Our nation is begging to be governed from the middle. In the middle is where common sense and thoughtful bipartisanship lies, where public policy is determined by consensus and fair compromise.
The nation’s leaders are now chosen almost exclusively by politically partisan primaries, where apparently only fringe voters show up to vote, leaving the American Middle Class to wonder where their voice went.
I think the voice of the American Middle Class fell into that abyss created by the gap of fringe political ideologies, and not into that abyss created by economic differences.
Tags: Jack Strayer
In an Economy all members are Important,
and their condition depends upon the Conditions
of each member of that Economy.
when we decided in Reagans time that the
subsidies to the poor, of about Three (3)
cents on each tax Dollars was Breaking our
economy, we all hated the Welfare Queen,
who drove a 22 Year old Cadillac, as seen in
every newspaper in the country, We began this
Class Warfare.
instead of Lifting the poor out of poverty, Slowly
We decided to stop aiding them , and Increase
the subsidies to the middle Class by Twenty Seven (27)
Cents on each tax Dollar.
but then we had Business Subsidies to Worry about,
So we slowly began to reduce, Mortgage subsidies,
and urban development dollars, to Increase Business
deductions and Subsidies.
Yet we did that With our Vote, willingly, to heck with
the Poor, and yea middle Class Whatever that is.
We adopted a Stupid Economic policy, that has proved
each time in Our History before not to work, and lead
to great prior depressions, and economic woes, that
only benefitted the Very, very Rich.
now here we are again, and the Majority, has decided
instead of changing Our Economic Insanities, to
double down on them with a Denomination of,
Being conservative.
But Just what in the Heck are the conserving, and seeking
the conservation of?
why their Political Power,and Rulership, So at least We can
sing patriotic Songs, as the Ship of State Sinks
When You willingly disregard, any portion of an
Equation, You must fail at your Math.
and soon Your Portion, of that equation, will be
disregarded.
Jack tells us something what many of us have believed for some time now, that the so called “middle class” is little more than a political euphenism to create issues where none truly exist. For decades, the “middle class” has shouldered the burden of taxation in this country, providing sustenance for both corporate welfare and the welfare of the poor. Little effort has been made by either side of the aisle to “lift” the poor from their poverty. More has been done to enslave them. Sam’s notion that we should be “giving” them more is evidence of that enslavement. Our society has been programmed to believe that we must provide for the poor with the expectation of nothing in return. That is exactly what society has received. In order to set the poor free, the poor need education and jobs, not an endless government handout. As it is, our disadvantaged are suffering from a tyranny of a government that keeps them poor, but not poor enough to want to change it. We the middle class are suffering also from the tyranny of a government that enslaves us to continue to provide not only for that largesse, but for its largesse to corporate America. And don’t tell me Sam that it is the Republicans who favor corporate America, Who were Barack Obama’s largest contributors in 2008, and are again stepping up to the plate this year. You would be correct if you said the Wall St. bankers. They have profited more under his watch than ever before. The MSM just doesn’t report it today.
It is historically Ironic mike, that your party Deregulated the Marketplace,
and instituted Trickle Down Theories of the past, that have always
Led to Economic Tragedies
From 1933, to 1984 Mortgage back derivatives, would have been
a Crime , but Your party Sought to re allow the thing that brought
about the Great depression, and it’s Era Trickle Downing.
you guys trusted but did not verify.
it was on your watch, that Nixon spent the Surplus Johnson
Left even spending Three Cents on Every Tax Dollar, for
his War on poverty, and war in Viet Nam, and began the Trek
towards Trickle down, by removing the protections of the
gold standard.
Then carter left a surplus for Reagan to Spend on a Credit Card,
Which Clinton paid Down for bush lite to squander away on
His Magic plastic Card.
We tried Trickle Down, and Your “Free Market foolishness,
Mike time and time again……It always Failed!!!
Now You want to Double Down on it?
that is Insanity!!!!
Only a successful Shoplifter has a Free market,
everybody else must Pay.
Sam Taylor
Mike,
the truth is each economy should be FIRST
Self sufficient, and self sustaining.
just like your local Economy.
and each Economy within that Economy
should also strive for the Same.
Your party believes We need to compete
against other Economies, and even Our own.
That is Why the bottom line is all economies will,
and must lower their standards unto the lowest
Common denominator.
Meaning we must become like a Third world
Nation to Compete.
that is the Bottom line of Your “free market”
trickle Down Theory, where Wal-Mart Wins,
by Buying from Malawi.
your Economic policies have Stripped the Local Economies
unto Wall Street, who bought Foreign, Then Wall Street
fired it’s Customer base, and Wonders why that same
Customer base can’t afford their Mortgages.
Now we cannot even Arm Ourselves without Foreign
Content, and Help.
We cannot support the World, nor be dependant upon World
Marketplaces unless We can first depend upon our
Own markets which have proven disloyal To America,
And American Interest, Who’s Loyalties are Only to
the Bottom line, Greed, and the Money wagering upon
Money.
Sam Taylor
Mike,
Let Me give you some historical facts, about
the war on poverty.
When it started under LBJ, the average stipend
was for Women with children ONLY. was $173.00
per Month, with $56.00 Dollars in food Stamps.
this cost was shared by the States, and the States
Received an additional $28.00 per case to Oversee.
The Grocers, and the Factoring banks got an
additional $0.26 Per food stamp Dollars.
so that Twelve Cents per food stamp Dollar went
directly to the Grocer taking the Food stamps.
Nixon rejected phase two of the war on Poverty Program.
but only raised the stipend minimally.
Carter included a Limited number of single Males, and
failed to implement phase Two, the Educational Requirements,
that was the backbone of LBJ War strategy.
Which would have required Every Recipient to get a G.E.D,
and additional Job Training, with Child Day care provided.
But the Republicans fought it tooth and Nail, and Finally
Killed it under Reagan.
It began as a Good Idea never followed through with, and became
no more that a Subsidy to Grocers and Slumlords.
yet it never cost more to any taxpayer more that Three(3) Cents
on their Tax Dollars.
Mike,
You like most Americans were deceived into
Thinking the Poor was the Reason of your plight,
Who will be next , The deaf, the Halt, the Blind?
how about the Jews, or the Mentally Challenged,
Or Mormons?
Your economy was raped and plundered while You all stood
Cheering, and praising Your Plunderers each nite on the
Business News, It was bought out by Junk Bonds, Yet
Nobody dare regulate Wall Street.
just go to Wal-Mart, and enjoy your Chinese Bounty.
Sam Taylor
Mike,
The irony of Blaming the Poor, was most Americans
Were receiving Tax subsidies they Believed they were
entitled to far in excess to any assistance to the Poor,
in the war on Poverty.
Yet a few stereotypes and Outright Lies, and most
Americans will by your Agenda. (I was going to use another Word)
Thats How You incite class Warfare a game You republicans know well.
Sam Taylor