The erosion of the working middle class is primarily due to the market forces you mention. What we are seeing is the first signs of establishment of the Gaussian wealth distribution on an international scale. It may not be possible, at least in the short term, to have both an acceptable global standard of living and for Americans to continue the affluence they have become accustomed to.
In my opinion, there is little that government interference can do stop this trend, short of deliberately following policies designed to keep the third world poor and down, and preventing the rest of the developed world from competing fairly with us.
If there is any role for government, it is to make sure that this natural evolution is not exploited or perverted for the personal gain of the few at the expense of the many.
Flame » in reply to re: That's all skewed up
I think that's a pretty reasonable assessment of the situation.
The whole thread (83 posts)
- Minimum wage increases
- Instead of raising the minimum wage...
- "Children fared worse in the U.S. because of greater economic inequality and poor levels of public support for families
- Conservatives just hate working people.
- re: Open voting
- I've come to think of it as "American Business"
- Actually, you seem just as hateful if not more so...
- ...and
- BS. Conservatives are working people.
- Another "definition issue."
- Oppose minimum wage, on the job accident coverage, OSHA, etc. Hate. (n/t)
- I guess a 12% poverty rate is good by world standards
- re: Minimum wage increases
- The real problem with a minimum wage increase
- Used to see teenagers mowing lawns all the time.
- re: Minimum wage increases
- Market economics vs minimum wage reality
- Interesting thing re minimum wage
- That tripe comes out every time there's an increase.
- "Did you read about the Republicans stopping investigation into Halliburton's corruption in Iraq
- "Living wage"