Biden's Proposals Aim to Give Sturdier Support to the Middle Class

SummerMadness · May 2, 2021

Biden's Proposals Aim to Give Sturdier Support to the Middle Class

Perhaps the most striking difference between the middle class of 50 years ago and the middle class today is a loss of confidence — the confidence that you were doing better than your parents and that your children would do better than you.

President Biden’s multitrillion-dollar suite of economic proposals is aiming to both reinforce and rebuild an American middle class that feels it has been standing on shifting ground. And it comes with an explicit message that the private sector alone cannot deliver on that dream and that the government has a central part to play.

Hammster · May 2, 2021

So sad that someone thinks this is necessary.

ArmenianJohn · May 2, 2021

Hammster said:
So sad that someone thinks this is necessary.

Why?

Hammster · May 2, 2021

ArmenianJohn said:
Why?

It’s not the government’s responsibility to ensure that I live up to some standard.

TLK Valentine · May 2, 2021

Hammster said:
So sad that someone thinks this is necessary.

Sadder that it's come to this.

TLK Valentine · May 2, 2021

Hammster said:
It’s not the government’s responsibility to ensure that I live up to some standard.

Perhaps not -- but it is the government's responsibility to insure that we're not all one crisis away from losing it all.

ArmenianJohn · May 2, 2021

Hammster said:
It’s not the government’s responsibility to ensure that I live up to some standard.

The OP and this thread are not about government having a responsibility to ensure that you live up to any standard.

Eloy Craft · May 3, 2021

I find it difficult to trust government programs instituted to revise society

Vylo · May 3, 2021

Eloy Craft said:
I find it difficult to trust government programs instituted to revise society

That's a shame, because there are plenty of them that have done that.

disciple Clint · May 3, 2021

SummerMadness said:
Biden's Proposals Aim to Give Sturdier Support to the Middle Class

I hope everyone enjoys the "free" lunch because those who can afford it the least will be paying the bill for years to come. Taxing the rich and corporations is a joke, those costs are just passed along to consumers and employees, expect higher prices, higher interest rates, higher taxes, and higher unemployment especially in the lower income jobs, those in the lower income or fixed income situations will become more and more poor as the prices and costs of living increase.

Hammster · May 3, 2021

ArmenianJohn said:
The OP and this thread are not about government having a responsibility to ensure that you live up to any standard.

“President Biden’s multitrillion-dollar suite of economic proposals is aiming to both reinforce and rebuild an American middle class that feels it has been standing on shifting ground.”

ArmenianJohn · May 3, 2021

Hammster said:
“President Biden’s multitrillion-dollar suite of economic proposals is aiming to both reinforce and rebuild an American middle class that feels it has been standing on shifting ground.”

Not one word in there talks about you living up to a particular standard. As for protecting the middle class, that IS the government's job, for sure. God-ordained, in fact.

Hammster · May 3, 2021

ArmenianJohn said:
Not one word in there talks about you living up to a particular standard. As for protecting the middle class, that IS the government's job, for sure. God-ordained, in fact.

Middle class is a standard.

98cwitr · May 3, 2021

TLK Valentine said:
Perhaps not -- but it is the government's responsibility to insure that we're not all one crisis away from losing it all.

Disagree. At least at our founding, we were free enough to fail...something happened, maybe the Great Depression, to change the national attitude to thinking government somehow needs to be our adult nanny.

I'm middle class, I don't need Biden's help. In fact, I would prefer a lot less intervention.

TLK Valentine · May 3, 2021

98cwitr said:
Disagree. At least at our founding, we were free enough to fail...something happened, maybe the Great Depression, to change the national attitude to thinking government somehow needs to be our adult nanny.

I'm middle class, I don't need Biden's help. In fact, I would prefer a lot less intervention.

Failing as individuals is one thing, and I agree in that respect... up to a point.

You have the right to fail, of course -- but if you end up losing your job, your house, your means of supporting yourself, etc., etc... you're not just going to shuffle off into a quiet corner and die somewhere. You might be tempted to pick up a gun and start robbing people to keep from starving. That makes you a problem the government is going to have to deal with.

Helping you get back on your feet and turning you back into a useful member of society now seems a better and more cost-effective solution than tracking you down and incarcerating you later.

But I digress, because this isn't what I was referring to.

I said the government's responsibility was "to insure that we're not all one crisis away from losing it all." The government has to make sure the system stays intact.

98cwitr · May 3, 2021

TLK Valentine said:
Failing as individuals is one thing, and I agree in that respect... up to a point.

You have the right to fail, of course -- but if you end up losing your job, your house, your means of supporting yourself, etc., etc... you're not just going to shuffle off into a quiet corner and die somewhere. You might be tempted to pick up a gun and start robbing people to keep from starving. That makes you a problem the government is going to have to deal with.

So we need to pay people not to commit violence? Is that the ultimate angle and justification?

No one is going to starve, we have WIC and TANF for those very reasons, among the thousands of charities that provide food.

Helping you get back on your feet and turning you back into a useful member of society now seems a better and more cost-effective solution than tracking you down and incarcerating you later.

Agreed. Yet, there is a big leap from one's community doing that directly and putting that responsibility on elected officials who do not know the person needing aid.

I said the government's responsibility was "to insure that we're not all one crisis away from losing it all." The government has to make sure the system stays intact.

Which system is that, specifically?

Hammster · May 3, 2021

TLK Valentine said:
Failing as individuals is one thing, and I agree in that respect... up to a point.

You have the right to fail, of course -- but if you end up losing your job, your house, your means of supporting yourself, etc., etc... you're not just going to shuffle off into a quiet corner and die somewhere. You might be tempted to pick up a gun and start robbing people to keep from starving. That makes you a problem the government is going to have to deal with.

Helping you get back on your feet and turning you back into a useful member of society now seems a better and more cost-effective solution than tracking you down and incarcerating you later.

But I digress, because this isn't what I was referring to.

I said the government's responsibility was "to insure that we're not all one crisis away from losing it all." The government has to make sure the system stays intact.

So the government should help because people might turn to lives of crime?

ArmenianJohn · May 3, 2021

Hammster said:
Middle class is a standard.

Perhaps it is, but there is nothing about Biden's plan that seeks to ensure that you (or anyone else) live up to that standard (or any other).

Oneiric1975 · May 3, 2021

Hammster said:
So the government should help because people might turn to lives of crime?

My dad, who grew up dirt poor in the Depression, always noted that no matter how poor one is one shouldn't turn to a life of crime.

BUT, that being said, there's a reasonable statistical case to be made that a better social safety net should reduce crime.

It is the "common wealth". We choose right now to put most of our money and support in the military and far, far less focused on regular people. Military is important but when it becomes the largest military on the planet with the largest budget it might be time to reconsider our priorities and re-balance.

Investing in our fellow citizens seems like a very good idea.

Oneiric1975 · May 3, 2021

98cwitr said:
No one is going to starve, we have WIC and TANF for those very reasons, among the thousands of charities that provide food.

But we see constant attacks on the food stamp programs and limitations out the wazoo. It appears to be a scarlet letter for the people who use it. The other day I was in the grocery store and felt so bad for the young mother using SNAP type benefits the other day. It was like the store had to make her fill out something for every purchase. WHich meant everyone of us in line were made IMMEDIATELY aware that this poor woman was on food stamps. It seemed overly degrading.

We put restrictions and social opprobrium on poverty as if it is an STI.

We as a nation can do better. But we hold onto this Puritanical idea that poverty is the direct result of bad life decisions only. (And even if it is due to some bad decisions, who among us makes perfect decisions all the time?)

Biden's Proposals Aim to Give Sturdier Support to the Middle Class

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