Thursday, January 6, 2011

We need to talk, with respectful voices

... there are some very serious long-term economic trends that are absolutely ripping apart the U.S. middle class. For example, did you know that even though our population has been growing at a brisk pace we have lost about ten percent of our middle class jobs over the past decade? The vast majority of jobs that have been created have been low paying service jobs.
We now have hordes of highly educated young people that are waiting tables and that are welcoming customers to Wal-Mart. Without good paying jobs there is no middle class, but today American corporations are actually creating more jobs overseas than they are inside the United States. This has helped pad the profits of the big corporate fatcats, but it has been devastating for middle class communities across the United States.
Sounds of doom and gloom resonate through this piece. I do think it is important to look at the big picture. I do think there are structural changes underway in our economy that will become real obvious AFTER they have fully taken effect. We'll look back and say, "Wow, so that is what was happening!"
Times are hard and they are going to get harder, but that doesn't mean that you can't thrive in the middle of all this. Hopefully we can all take this as a wake up call. We all need to work harder, become less wasteful, become more independent and stop living as if the good times are going to last forever.
We can rant and rave against the facts. WE CAN RAISE OUR VOICES AGAINST EACH OTHER! Or we can talk, calmly and thoughtfully about what is happening.

This is where our choice really will make a positive change for the good. Let's recognize that we are in this together. Let's recognize that we can work together to make sense of this. Let's recognize that perhaps you do have a good idea. Perhaps there is a better way through collaboration, cooperation, coordination and civil discussion!

What do you think are our chances are?



You can continue reading the full article here



Franklin, MA

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