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Gearing Up for Class Warfare?
By Kate Burch

The President’s forays into flyover country have lately involved touting his “Middle Class Economics” programs—programs that he says are designed to give everyone a shot at achieving the American Dream.

Problem is, his proposals, such as universal child care and free community college seem geared more toward expanding the dependent class than giving a leg up to those who can thereby become self-supporting.  More growth of government and increased spending, accelerating the slide into dysfunction typical of the collapsing European welfare state, is the last thing we need. 

The vast “middle”—those between the top fifth (earning more than $105,900. in 2013) and the bottom fifth (earning less than $20,900.) includes people who differ tremendously in their characteristics and in their prospects.  This group has historically shown great fluidity with regard to economic status, depending on many circumstances, some within their control, others not.  The group earning less than $40,000. comprises what used to be called “lower middle class.”  Though many of them are hurting now because of high unemployment, they are much more likely than the chronically poor to have a high school diploma and the characteristics and connections that allow for upward mobility.

The political scientist Charles Murray, in his book “Coming Apart,” identified four characteristics that are reliably associated with success in America: marriage, work ethic; respect for the law; and religious observance.  These characteristics do not grow out of a government program, but are built in the context of stable families and values-based education and training. 

“Middle Class Economics” seems more like a way to bolster the President’s commitment to demonizing and penalizing the “rich” and his false promise that taking and redistributing their wealth can cure poverty, than an effective means of building the middle class.  His apparent desire to lump everyone in the middle together and make them all equally dependent on government largesse would likely have the effect of impairing economic mobility within that “middle.”

Policies and programs that encourage growth of business and productivity; that support marriage and family; and that encourage respect for the law and our institutions are much better ways to ensure that people can achieve success. 


 
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