Middle Class Morphs into Public Enemy #1

According to many state legislatures and Congress, America's middle class bears much of the blame for everything wroing in society today.  The economic debacle, astronomical health care costs, public education problems, and countless other societal ills exist because attorneys, teachers, firefighters, police,and other nefarious groups have caused them.  Wisconsin, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Florida among others, have enacted laws that sharply reduce the numbers  and benefits of public employees.  Certain congressional members (readers know who I mean) have labeled the new health care law Obamacare, implying that evil lurks in the very thought of universal health care.  Those pesky citizens have done it this time!  They want access to health care when sick and preventive care when not.  What will they want next?  Freedom from unscrupulous politicians?

God forbid that we should examine the responsibility of large insurance companies, banks, investment firms, corporations that outsource to other countries, and politicians for having a role in this mess.  The problems our country faces are complex, and blame can't be assigned to just one faction.  All of us share in the responsibility.  Fund managers create funds that even they can't understand, with hedge funds among the worst of them.  Insurance companies gladly sell policies and use the proceeds to pay their top management outrageous salaries and bonuses, but balk when its time to pay legitimate claims.  Corporations reward their top eschelon with compensation packages that place far too much emphasis on their contributions to success, while at the same time ignoring the contributions of those on the front lines.  Many Americans pay little attention to the workings of government until something goes awry.  In the last presidential election, only 62% of registered voters cast a vote.  Shameful!  The statistics grow progressively worse in state and local elections.  So, what must we do? 

Write and call the politicians making choices for us.  Do this for both those with whom we agree and those we don't.  Vote in every election.  Read and view independent news sources.  Watch different channels each night for evening news.  If accessible, watch Canadian channels and BBC America.  Read non-fiction books about the economy, government, business, and finance, in order to lay claim to the "informed citizen" label.  And remember, the middle class isn't the enemy.  As written in Pogo, a comic strip that offered political satire, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."  Enough said!  If interested, access the link below for a short video about the importance of a thriving middle class.
http://bit.ly/lh8NmY