Monday, May 16, 2016

"The Secret Shame of the Middle Class"- the Atlantic

     Neal Gabler has a tremendous amount of courage.  The cover story in the current Atlantic underscores the fact that this is the first generation in the US that is not guaranteed to have it better than the one before it.  The tag on the cover says that almost half of Americans could not find $400 to cover an emergency expenditure, such as a visit to the emergency room.

     To me this is horrendous. In my school we have students whose families can take a cruise during the school year, and many more who come hungry. About 40% of our student body qualifies for free or reduced meals. We are located in a suburb of our state capitol, not in the Corridor of Shame (along I-95) or in Appalachia. I see families sacrificing to send their children to college, but even that does not ensure financial success.

     Unless you have been living under a rock, the US currently endures its presidential election marathon, which this year is very vindictive, nasty, and downright scary. We are not even through primary season even! We hear accusations, but no solutions what Gabler highlights.

     Next month the United Kingdom votes on the "Brexit", which could have disastrous effects on not only the European, but also the world economies. I will not speak to that issue, since I am not a subject of Her Majesty, but will be glad to hear what any of use has to say about that. Or should I say, "I should like to hear what my Right Honourable Friends have to say"?

    Read the article, and subscribe or read the magazine monthly. I have subscribed to it for the better part of 25 years, with a break during my deployment.

   

     http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/my-secret-shame/476415/

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