Shrinking Middle Class

I read an article in an on-line news journal about the shrinking middle class in the United States. According to the article, the cause is a result of the U.S. competing with countries that do not have a minimum wage, do not have environmental standards and do not have a minimum working age.

This isn’t a surprise to me. Economic and history books, that are used to teach our children, preach the value of corporations seeking the cheapest labor pool and gloablization. They also tell students that they should not expect to receive the benefits that their parents and grandparents received while working. One textbook goes so far as to praise the fact many Americans are “permalancers” who permanently work temporary jobs without benefits. Manpower was listed as the largest employer in the U.S.

Al Gore once talked about helping our children prepare for the global economy. I don’t know if he is aware that the global economy is based on wages of less than a dollar per hour, especially in developing countries where children work instead of attending school.

With the removal of discipline from schools and the use of high stakes test which are proven to cause higher drop out rates, I truthfully believe that we are in fact creating a generation who will participate in the global economy. Without education that produces critical thinking, the middle class will disappear. Students are not capable of understanding that they are being prepared to believe in an economic system that favors the wealthy at their expense.

Politicians understand. As they accept donations from large multinational corporations, they sell us out. Don’t get me wrong, I love the benefits of capitalism and I believe in capitalism but I believe in regulations that prevent capitalism from removing opportunities from my children and grandchildren. I also resent that my paycheck steadily goes down while my taxes and expenses go up and politicians tell me that I’m better off now than I was.