Decline Of The Middle Class

As described in this essay by Maggie Mahar and frequently by Lou Dobbs (yes, that Lou Dobbs), the middle class has lost ground in the United States. (Some portion, though not most, of this can be attributed to George W. Bush.) Focusing on the poor as a route to the White House admittedly is tricky, and likely will prove unsuccessful, whether for John Edwards or anyone else. Clearly, it cannot be accomplished without linking the fate of the middle class to to that of the poor. One means to this end is rhetorical- simply referring regularly to "the middle class" and less often to "the poor." Another is by careful selection of issues, such as health care. Limiting criticism of the current system to failure to insure every American is a mistake, notwithstanding the emphasis placed therein by the mainstream media. (Note here the example given by Elizabeth Warren, in which a sick child's parents were urged to consider divorce and welfare. I suspect this sort of thing is not unusual.) The health care system has failed many, if not most, Americans, most of them middle class and not poor.
And there are policies, such as outsourcing and "free trade," which drag the middle class down. Recognizing the impact of these policies in separating the wealthy from the poor and the middle class will not please the Democratic Leisure Class (DLC) nor the MSM, but probably would stem the erosion of support of the Democratic Party by the middle class and working class and, probably, win a few elections.