Well, according to our current commander in chief, it’s a “make or break moment” for middle class America. Which is funny, because I was fairly certain such a thing didn’t exist anymore. In fact, there’s probably an entire generation of pre-teens and adolescents out there unable to define the term, considering said generation’s penchant for that truly charming (and I’m being sarcastic here) “I want it and I want it now” mentality.
What can I say? Considering I’m going to be 35 years old in the next month or so, I can remember a time when the middle class was the hard-working, patriotic, so-called backbone of this nation. In other words, if you were willing to work 40 to 50 hours per week, set aside some hard-earned cash here and there (for a rainy day), sacrifice a dream or two on the way and dedicate yourself to your family and career (in that order, one would hope), you had a pretty good shot at your own, personal slice of happiness.
My, how things have changed.
Nowadays, your typical family – one with both parents working full-time ... and part-time on the side – is one that has no memory of that annual vacation, can barely scrape up enough cash for that perfect Christmas gift and is in no way, shape or form in a position to save up for a child’s college years.
Trust me, I know. I can barely afford to put gas in the car (prices continue to soar) and food on the table (prices continue to soar) once the bills are paid (the ones that I can afford to pay, that is). The middle class has become something of a “has been, never was” concept. Why’s that, you ask? Because the vast majority of America’s population (the so-called 99 percent) either remember a time when they were part of the middle class or wish they ever had been. Which is why the “occupy” movement was bound to gather strength so quickly.
And I don’t think those involved are going to go away quietly, either.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not bitter about my station in life. In fact, I’m quite proud of what I’ve accomplished. The problem, however, is the continued economic and financial inequality that will – if not addressed – rip this country apart at the seams. If you’ve been paying attention to the news on a global scale over the past couple of months, well, you know what I mean. It wouldn’t take all that much at this point for the occupy crew to turn truly violent and – if and when that happens – we’re going to have one hell of a mess on our hands.
Personally, I’m not one to condone violence, no matter the circumstances ... but can you really blame your average American for being more than a little peeved these days?
Why? Because those in power live under and are judged by a different set of rules than the rest of us. It’s that simple.
