A Battered Middle Class and the Recession

As we continue to tumble into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, it's important to look at what's been happening to middle class America...

Real wages have been falling since 1980. Union participation is at an all time low. Many workers have lost their health insurance, and felt the sting of bankruptcy. Some, have had their pensions trashed, and their savings gobbled up by the rising cost of getting by. Many are working two jobs to make ends meet. Now, they are being hit hard by the recession.

Unemployment is "officially" 6.5%, but the real number is over 12%. And those lucky enough to have a job, are seeing their hours cut....tough times now, and more to come.

Thirty years ago we had a "safety net" that kept the middle class and the working poor from falling into a hole they could not escape from....but today, that safety net is nearly gone. Starting with Reagan, and continuing through Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II....programs, some dating back to Roosevelt and the Great Depression, have been eliminated, or eroded to the point that they no longer cushion the blow of a hard recession.

This did not happen by accident. Since Reagan we have had one administration after another that has declared war on working Americans.

This moment in our history is so important. We have a new President that has filled us with hope. We have an economic crisis that will require sacrifice from all of us, and bold leadership from our government.....it's this confluence of energy, hope, a deep need, and inspiring leadership...just as we had with Roosevelt in 1932...that makes this a great opportunity to put in place a restored safety net for working Americans.