Among the interesting developments of the past thirty years has been the gradual, steady erosion of what used to be the “middle class.” A recent study by the Danish Economic Council of Labor Movement concluded between 2002-2007 there was a three percent drop in the number of people who could be classified as middle class. During the same time period the number of people classified as “poor” also rose. In 2001, Denmark had the lowest poverty rate in the EU and now is 11th.
The same phenomenon is occurring in the United States. Tea Party members demand firing government employees and over 500,000 have been fired during the past year. Of course, government employment ordinarily places an individual in the middle class. For some reason, all too many Americans shake their head in agreement to such demands of firing middle class people. Of course, they assume they will not be fired.
Sorry, middle class America, your turn will come if you persist in electing Tea Party people to public office.