Is a Strong Middle Class Important For America?

[Sacrilege]

President Obama recently ratcheted up his disdain for Fox News, saying he disagrees with the channel's message, and calling it "destructive" to America in the long term. Specifically, he said he believes a "vibrant middle class" is important for America. Implying that Fox News is opposed to that idea.

Is a middle class really that important?

America already has one of the greatest disparities of wealth of any industrial nation, and remains economically and socially vibrant. Granted, the US retains a large middle class, but if American society were to increasingly bifurcate on household wealth lines, would that be a bad thing?

If the wages of modestly skilled workers were to decrease, they would be more competitive with the middle classes of India and China, and able to undercut the European middle class. Manufacturing could come back to America, and if we repealed a few environmental regulations, more natural resources could be harvested in America. This could allow America to remain competitive on the world stage.

Of course, it would be ideal to belong to the upper elite echelons of society, where all the wealth and political power is concentrated. I assume all or most posters on this forum would inhabit that social strata. With that in mind, what are your thoughts? And is Obama wrong to cherish the "middle class?" Is the American middle class a quaint romantic idea whose time has come to a close?

 

[bamacre]

Yes, but the more naturally it occurs, the better.

 

[PrinceofWands]

It's a tossup which is the most/only important thing: the lower class, or the middle class. There are valid arguments for either. I tend a little more towards the lower class argument...it's a lowest factor argument much like the one from shit my dad says - "A parent's only as good as their dumbest kid. If one wins a Nobel Prize but the other gets robbed by a hooker, you failed."

Then again, the lower class SHOULD be very small, with perhaps twice as many or more people occupying the middle the class. Instead our middle has largely fallen into the lower. So I suppose the LACK of any appreciable middle class would be even more important than the quality of life enjoyed by the lowest segment of society.

The rest of your ignorant tripe is too stupid to even respond to. If you feel that way you're not bright enough, or moral enough to live on my planet anyway.

 

[Fear No Evil]

Is lower class now defined as only having a Wii instead of a PS3, Xbox, AND a Wii? Or perhaps only having the 32" tube TV as opposed to the 46" LCD TV? Or perhaps having a car that is like 6 years old? Only being able to purchase those new Lebron sneakers twice a year?

I seriously think some of you think people in this country live like they do in Haiti.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Some do, but not many. HOWEVER a LARGE (and growing) percentage are avoiding living poorly ONLY by over-utilizing credit and social programs. Individuals DO have their priorities and responsibility screwed up, but costs have severely outpaced wages as well. The blame falls on both sides of the fence.

 

[PJABBER]

The rest of your ignorant tripe is too stupid to even respond to. If you feel that way you're not bright enough, or moral enough to live on my planet anyway.

Let me take a guess. You are a "progressive" who believes himself to somehow be "elite" and above the ordinariness of the masses for which you regularly claim to care so much. You feel, by dint of your narcissistic elitism, perfectly adequate to pass judgment on those you don't know from a hole in the ground. And you would prefer they vanish from this planet of yours. But if they don't, well, you have the atrocities of history to guide your own personal final solution to such an inconvenience.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Let me take a guess. You are a "progressive" who believes himself to somehow be "elite" and above the ordinariness of the masses for which you regularly claim to care so much. You feel, by dint of your narcissistic elitism, perfectly adequate to pass judgment on those you don't know from a hole in the ground. And you would prefer they vanish from this planet of yours. But if they don't, well, you have the atrocities of history to guide your own personal final solution to such an inconvenience.

Fairly close...except that all history, facts, and logic are pretty much on my side.

 

[PJABBER]

Fairly close...except that all history, facts, and logic are pretty much on my side.

Most, if not all, of those with malignant APD would agree with you.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Most, if not all, of those with malignant APD would agree with you.

No argument.

 

[sandorski]

President Obama recently ratcheted up his disdain for Fox News, saying he disagrees with the channel's message, and calling it "destructive" to America in the long term. Specifically, he said he believes a "vibrant middle class" is important for America. Implying that Fox News is opposed to that idea.

Is a middle class really that important?

America already has one of the greatest disparities of wealth of any industrial nation, and remains economically and socially vibrant. Granted, the US retains a large middle class, but if American society were to increasingly bifurcate on household wealth lines, would that be a bad thing?

If the wages of modestly skilled workers were to decrease, they would be more competitive with the middle classes of India and China, and able to undercut the European middle class. Manufacturing could come back to America, and if we repealed a few environmental regulations, more natural resources could be harvested in America. This could allow America to remain competitive on the world stage.

Of course, it would be ideal to belong to the upper elite echelons of society, where all the wealth and political power is concentrated. I assume all or most posters on this forum would inhabit that social strata. With that in mind, what are your thoughts? And is Obama wrong to cherish the "middle class?" Is the American middle class a quaint romantic idea whose time has come to a close?

1) Yes
2) Race to the bottom
3) No

 

[Acanthus]

1) Yes
2) Race to the bottom
3) No

This.

 

[Moonbeam]

The middle class is dying so we are going to find out. I'm guessing that at around 40% unemployment for over a year or so and the rich better leave the country. The fucking rich have forgotten that the sheep need green grass.

 

[woolfe9999]

President Obama recently ratcheted up his disdain for Fox News, saying he disagrees with the channel's message, and calling it "destructive" to America in the long term. Specifically, he said he believes a "vibrant middle class" is important for America. Implying that Fox News is opposed to that idea.

Is a middle class really that important?

America already has one of the greatest disparities of wealth of any industrial nation, and remains economically and socially vibrant. Granted, the US retains a large middle class, but if American society were to increasingly bifurcate on household wealth lines, would that be a bad thing?

If the wages of modestly skilled workers were to decrease, they would be more competitive with the middle classes of India and China, and able to undercut the European middle class. Manufacturing could come back to America, and if we repealed a few environmental regulations, more natural resources could be harvested in America. This could allow America to remain competitive on the world stage.

Of course, it would be ideal to belong to the upper elite echelons of society, where all the wealth and political power is concentrated. I assume all or most posters on this forum would inhabit that social strata. With that in mind, what are your thoughts? And is Obama wrong to cherish the "middle class?" Is the American middle class a quaint romantic idea whose time has come to a close?

Your analysis amounts to: who cares if the middle class become poorer so that rich people can become richer? It's unclear why that question is even being asked.

We can disagree about the means, but when we disagree about the ends, there is probably little to no basis for rational discussion.

- wolf

 

[trenchfoot]

/sarcasm
Well, let's see...is taking up arms against the rich by the middle class and the poor covered by the second amendment? Or is it only when The Federal Government is being led by the Dems that it's OK to exercise one's second amendment rights to remove them from power? I mean, that's what this lady candidate and this guy candidate from the tea party is promulgating, so it must be OK, huh? I mean, they must really know the Constitution to call for action in this regard? /sarcasm

The Bush years is a mild example of what to expect if the very rich gain complete control over the government, and I can't see why they wouldn't want it just that way. It's what they've been up to since like forever, and sooner than later it will come to pass.

Then we'll see.

 

[dmcowen674]

Is a middle class really that important?

if American society were to increasingly bifurcate on household wealth lines, would that be a bad thing?

Of course, it would be ideal to belong to the upper elite echelons of society, where all the wealth and political power is concentrated.

I assume all or most posters on this forum would inhabit that social strata.

With that in mind, what are your thoughts? And is Obama wrong to cherish the "middle class?"

Is the American middle class a quaint romantic idea whose time has come to a close?

How long do you think before the serfs bite the lords hands?

 

[jackschmittusa]

Without a middle class to buy stuff, we would have to rely on exports to keep the bucks rolling in for the fat cats.

I'm not a big fan of Henry Ford, but even he figured out that he would benefit from paying a wage that allowed his workers to buy his products.

Get rid of the middle class and the rich can just pay each other fees and commissions to move their money around as they compete to screw the other ones out of theirs.

 

[shortylickens]

As a general rule it seems civilizations advance the most when there is a large, well-off middle class. Most of the advancements in every facet of society tend to come from that group.

 

[Zebo]

Seems important. I mean I would not like to live in Chad or even Mexico as a Billionaire let alone one of the rabble.

If you notice all those billionaires from third world countries all have mansions in USA, Switzerland and other middle class places because it's nicer and at any second shit could hit the fan.

 

[Zebo]

As a general rule it seems civilizations advance the most when there is a large, well-off middle class. Most of the advancements in every facet of society tend to come from that group.

Thats a good point. leisure class i.e. super poor welfare queens or super rich trust fund babies create nothing. In fact they have a a lot in common. Sleep till noon, party all night. One just gets tossed in jail when they err.