Quote from makloda:
The middle class can always ponder relocating to Cuba or Venezuela. Working man's paradise.
Very interesting perspective. Though faulty in logistics. My fear is that if we continue to ignore the plight of the middle class, they will not move to Venezuela - which is logistically difficult, but they will move Venezuela here which is much easier to accomplish.
When the economy is good to them, the middle class votes against it's own interests because they are easily fooled by such non issues as flag burning and marriage amendments to the Constitution, 10 Commandments or Nativity scenes on public property, school prayer, Welfare mommas bleeding the government, Wille Hortons running amok, etc...
I don't mean to belittle those issues, but it's no coincidence that the party most in bed with the wealthy elites uses those issues to win elections.
If the middle class does experience a severe recession or even a depression, marxism (though I'm sure another name will be used for it) will be imported here.
I don't believe in cradle to grave big government - but I also disagree with gov't policies that encourage outsourcing, the socialization of losses created by the wealthy, corporate subsidies that end up as dividends and high CEO pay (funneling taxpayer $ to the elites), I could go on and on....
The French Revolution, the Bolshevik uprising, the Socialist Policies of FDR... they were all created by ignoring or manipulating or excessively extracting from the sheeple.
The sheeple may be easily manipulated when they feel well off. But don't underestimate them if they are out of work and homeless.
I doubt we will experience a depression. I just believe that the current trend is a dangerous one. Not being alarmist here, just observant of history.