One of the strange things about the US (and to a lesser extent Canada) is the way this supposeodly classless society dumps on people who would be considered on the lower end of the class scale elsewhere. Two stories over the weekend in The New York Times point this out.
One, "The Unemployed Somehow Became Invisible," is only the most recent in a series of comments about the way the unemployed have not rallied together to protest what is happened to them. In earlier downturns, "jobless recovery," handouts for the rich, a rhetoric that puts the emphasis on debt reduction, not stimulus, led to serious unrest which led to the social security system among other things.
The other, "Vocational Schools Face Deep Cuts in Federal Funding," talks about the way technical education is being slashed, and the emphasis being put on college education. To be sure, an economy needs high tech workers, but it also needs well-trained, proud tradesmen and women who are not in oversupply.
Something is wrong here. What to do about it?
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If our employment problem is structural -- defunding education is self destructive.
If our deficit is the problem -- refusing to raise revenues is stupid.
If our depression is caused by a lack of confidence -- destructing the government is silly.
Unless you are a Republican, or other type of tory.
Too bad our world is ruled by the old testament type of Pharaoh.
No class?
Go to Bryn Mawr to fix that.
--ml.
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