Middle Class in Big Trouble

Middle Class in big trouble?
Friday, October 24, 2008 6:25 PM CDT
The strength of our great nation is our middle class and they are in trouble. By middle class I mean that great mass of more than 150 million workers that are the backbone of all our country's industries and businesses. By middle class I mean male, female, every human hue possible, every religion conceived, and every ethnic or national background possible.This great economic force created by the middle class, the greatest the world has ever known, is in deep trouble. What kind of trouble? The rest of the world, which for years has envied us, is downright mad at us!
Why is the rest of the world mad at us? We all of a sudden don't have money to spend to buy their products. And what really angers them is it is our own fault.How is it the great middle class of these great United States of America are to blame? We allowed apathy to overcome us. At the same time we gave into greed and impatience. We took our eye off the target and somebody stole it from us.After surviving the Great Depression and WWII, the US middle class experienced about 50 years of unparalleled economic boon. We went from being huddled around a radio for entertainment to a TV in every room and movies galore. We went from an old “keep it running” family car to a vehicle for every member of the family. We went from two party lines to a multi-faceted instrument that not only brings calls to you wherever you may be, but will find you a restaurant, balance your checkbook, make photos of your grandchildren, and so forth and so on.Get the picture? We have gone from small bungalows to sprawling homes in the ‘burbs. We have also gone from begging banks for money to answering daily letters of how we have been pre-approved regardless of our credit history or income.

All of this expansion was made possible by cheap, overseas labor and easy credit at home. But during those 50 years we were king of the hill. Yes, they envied us and at times despised us, but they never asked us to quit buying. So we didn't.That is when we took our eye off the ball. Since the Revolutionary War the middle class has always kept businesses and politicians in check. If they were openly corrupt like Tammany Hall, it was with the silent blessing of the middle class. But somehow during all our giddy success after WWII we quit keeping them in check. Maybe it was due to the dynamic change from rural to urban, or the scattering of the families. I don't know for sure.
What I do know is we allowed evil, greedy people into our political process and business world. They came disguised as Political Action Committees with wheelbarrow loads of cash for any politician who would listen. And listened they did. In fact they listened so much to PAC's they forgot to hear us.They also came disguised as easy credit so we could find instant gratification for anything our hearts desired. Without blinking we said thanks and took every credit card they gave us, whether we needed it or not. Our motto became, “It is mine and I want it now!” No longer did the long-term dreams and goals of our parents apply. We didn't have to wit till mid-life to drive a BMW and cruise the Caribbean. Nope, we could have it all.For 50 years we ate, drank, spent, and made merry without regard to consequences. Now the consequences have hit us and our lack of buying power is shutting down industries all over the world. And they are mad as all get out at us, because we let it happen.
Dennis Bennett is a columnist for The Daily Citizen.