[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

I'm impressed ! To me, based on the friendly and inquisitive casual conversations I've tired to have with friends, neighbors, local coffee shop customers, it seems few people seem to actually understand the gradual diminishing of the middle class, and if they do "see" it happening, they have no idea of how/why this is happening. Most assume it's "just politics", the party in office, you are one of the few I have ever talked to or read a post from, who seems to truly understand the significance of "outsourcing" and the role manufacturing played in building the strong middle class that once existed here and fueled a roaring economy. Detroit, Gary, Indiana and all the ore ships on the great lakes, the manufacturing of steel, etc. Now, we are even dependent on our greatest threat for the most basic medications ! No this is not the "fault" of this or that political party. It's the result of an ever growing disinterest in what is HAPPENING to one's country, together with a growing spiritual bankruptcy...notice I did not mention this or that specific religion, but just a growing disinterest in the economy, in spiritual values, in pride in country, a long list of things that "used" to matter ! ? People appear to have become so fixated on calling each other liberal or conservative, democrat or republican, racist, homophobic (and all KINDS of "phobics" previously unheard of), that they simply have ignored what is really happening as we excitedly handed over even our medical future in exchange for cheaper goods; cell phones, athletic shoes, furniture, steel, appliances, computers, televisions, clothing, light bulbs, tires, this could go on forever but, if it lowered the price a few cents, or a few dollars, we were 100% supportive. It is so hard to get that toothpaste BACK into the TUBE !

Thank you !!!!! I do NOT get much support because, I suppose, that many people consider my take / ideas to be "OUT THERE" (Somewhere in left field maybe). But, really as you suggested, my discussion was about the History of the middle class, which is VERY basic to ALL of us. And it is Patriotic to remember back when America was getting better every 20 years - each new generation had great optimism after WW2.

Something broke that pattern and I felt that I had a right (and an obligation) to give my OPINION as to how and WHY that pattern got BROKEN. I look for patterns and I prefer to "see the forest and not the trees". Sometimes I don't see the trees correctly enough, which is not uncommon.