Obama's Middle-Class Task Force Has No Middle Class

[4dsc]

Source: Time

Last Friday, Vice President Joe Biden and seven White House cabinet members traveled to Philadelphia to kick off the inaugural gathering of President Obama's Middle Class Task Force. The task force will convene monthly in cities across the country to confront the problems faced by average Americans. It's an admirable goal; with rising costs, stagnant wages and job cuts, a Pew Research study found that 78% of self-described middle class Americans have trouble maintaining their current standard of living.

Still, the middle class may have a better shot at making ends meet than at influencing the Middle Class Task Force. That's because no member of the Middle Class Task Force is actually middle class. While defining America's most beloved demographic group has never been an exact science, most academics agree that the term refers to anyone earning between $30,000 and $100,000 a year. (Median household income in the U.S. hovers around $50,000.) Every member of the President's task force - from Biden ($227,000) to Council of Economic Advisors chair Christina Romer ($172,000) to energy secretary Steven Chu ($191,000) - makes well over $150,000, putting them in the top 5% of wage earners. (See pictures of crime in Middle America.)

While middle class Americans are invited to submit questions and ideas through the task force's website, AStrongMiddleClass.gov and tickets for the Philadelphia meeting were distributed to labor and environmental groups, the task force did not accept questions from the audience. "If Biden and his team want to go into this ," said Daniel Morris, communications director of the Drum Major Institute, a think tank that analyzes middle class policy issues, "They're going to need to talk to real members of the middle class. There's no substitute for immediate intimate interaction."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090304/us_time/08599188291300

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How can they even start to understand the problems of the middle class without any representation on their commission??

[Double T]

1. The silent majority needs to get louder.

Elitists think they understand everyone and their condition. They don't.

[Jkid]

9. The silenced majority needs to rise up and speak for themselves.

Fixed to reflect sad truth.

[rucky]

15. We're getting more and more time on our hands.

sadly

[babylonsister]

2. Phooey. nt

[stillcool]

3. which would be better..

a self described middle-class American as a member of the task force, or millions of Americans sharing their stories? I guess there's not much of a chance of millions of Americans sharing their stories, so maybe Joe the Plumber will get an invite.

[Igel]

55. A self-described MC American.

Seriously.

A million stories at 30 minutes each ... the committee would do nothing but hear testimony until 2259 AD, and each generation of committee members would have to leave their notes for posterity.

Make it "millions" and, well ...

Actually, given how government committees usually work, I stand corrected. Let's go for millions of MC Americans' stories.

[notesdev]

4. Elitists would never deign

to speak with us unwashed rabble

[Mz Pip]

5. Biden is hardly what I would call

out of touch with middle class citizens.

I think it's a bogus argument to say that you can't understand or sympathize with an issue unless you've experienced it yourself. We'd be in big trouble if the only people who could speak out on an issue were people who had the same issue. You would be eliminating a lot of voices.

I don't have AIDS but certainly have empathy and compassion for those that do. I am not gay but completely support marriage equality. I've never been on drugs but can feel compassion for those who have an addiction.

We can't be so foolish as to limit those who wish to be advocates for a cause to those who have experienced first hand that cause.

[terisan]

10. But should they take all the leadership roles? Biden is responsible for much of the

legislation giving enormous and unnecessary power to the credit card industry which is no friend of the middle class. I don't think he should be heading any any task force on the middle class.

[Mz Pip]

12. He and what

the 70+ other senators who voted for that bill? Can't put all of that on Biden.

I don't think this is being done without any input from citizens who are experincing hard times. One thing that Obama seems to be doing is listening to the people.

[terisan]

17. Biden has a long history of anti-consumer votes. This is not one bill and his son was a consultant

to MBNA whose employees contributed heavily to his campaigns.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93954519>

All Things Considered, August 25, 2008 · Sen. Joe Biden was one of the few Democrats who sided with credit-card companies that were trying to make it harder for people to declare bankruptcy.

At the time, his son was a consultant to Delaware-based credit-card company MBNA. MBNA employees also contributed heavily to the senator's election campaigns.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jeffrey Birnbaum, managing editor of digital news for the Washington Times, says the issue raises questions about whether Biden is as much of an outsider to Washington's ways as the Obama campaign portrays him to be.


That is the least of it. Sen Biden is an example of how a small-population, one-industry state of less than 1 million can have a massive negative effect on the entire United States of America.
The above is just one story-there is much documentation available. He has been very destructive, even while presenting himself as a friend of the middle-class.

Obama may be listening to people. I don't know. He has however placed placed people who bear much responsibility for the banking mess in positions of influence and power and seems to be acting in the interests of Wall Street Investment Banks and other financial players. Larry Summers, Robert Rubin, and Tim Geithner are three who come to mind.

The middle class is going to be paying a huge price for the Democratic Party (including Obama) having teamed up with Bush and Paulson last Fall to engineer the so-called bailout and for their present-day tossing of bailout money down a very opaque black hole. Of course it is not money they are tossing--it is IOUs to which they have signed my name and that of every other American.

[elleng]

19. Are YOU aware,

is ANYONE HERE aware that Senator Biden had to sell his house to pay for a child's tuition?

[terisan]

22. Please give us the reference and details on that.

[elleng]

27. 2 references just found.

Joseph R. Biden Jr., in a dark suit whose jacket he will soon shed, ... about his plan to ease tuition burdens on taxpayers earning less than $125000 a year, he sometimes mentions that he and Jill sold their house in order to help pay ...
www.latimes.com/news/la-na-biden18jun18,0,4820651.story?page=2&coll=la-tot-topstories - Similar pages

Byline: Jonathan SteinDek: Joe Biden, a leading contender for VP if you believe the buzz ... but I read that he sold his house to pay for his son's tuition. ...
www.motherjones.com/mojo/2008/08/wealth-or-lack-thereof-one-more-note-about-biden - 63k - Cached - Similar pages

[liberation]

30. Is that somehow supposed to excuse the fact that Biden helped pass the bankrupcy bill?

Maybe if he had had puppies, I would have forgiven him for having helped pass one of the most virulent, anti-middle class, bills in the past decades. But having to sell his house, pttzzzzz... forget it!

(sarcasm obviously)

[elleng]

32. Forget the sarcasm, and learn somethings about

why he did what he did vis a vis the bankruptcy bill. Like this:

"Joe Biden stood on the Senate floor and declared that this was a bill designed to protect women and their dependent children from deadbeat dads: . . .

If a bankrupt household is a sinking ship, then women and children should be protected first. This is what the current law fails to do, but it is what this bill does: it puts women and children first."

http://jinchi.blogspot.com/2007/03/joe-biden-on-bankruptcy-bill-it-was-all.html

[terisan]

56. Mother Jones-did you mean the quote by a person commenting on something he heard?

"I saw his huge house on TV, but I read that he sold his house to pay for his son's tuition. If his net worth is really that low, how does he get to live in that mansion?"

Is there something credible by Biden or perhaps an AP news article?

[terisan]

57. I checked LA Times reference and did not find it there. On a Googgle check found nothing to support

that he sold his house to pay tuition. I did find a reference --in a comment only, not a news article---that he had mortgaged his house to pay tuition.

Senator Biden has been making top dollars since he was sworn in as a senator at age 30. Even if he had sold his house to pay tuition I don't think that would be an indication of his ability to act in the interests of the middle class over MBNA, do you?

[Traveling_Home]

11. How about at least 1

or maybe it'd be ok for me and my brothers to run a Government panel on women's issues and hold all the 'purse' strings.

[Mz Pip]

13. If you and your brothers

had my best interests at heart I would much prefer that you speak for me than women like Sarah Palin, Phyllis Schaefley or Dr. Laura.

[Zhade]

21. BANKRUPTCY BILL.

'Nuff said.

[JDPriestly]

33. People who belong to the middle class should be strongly represented

on this commission. Barack really, really goofed here and needs to correct this.

[Captain Hilts]

6. If you live on the East Coast, that's middle class. nt

[Lucky Luciano]

18. Seriously - I was expecting to see people making $2MM per year

or more based on the headline. This is such a nonstory.

[countingbluecars]

7. Hopefully a few of them

were part of the middle class at some point in their lives.

[elleng]

35. They ALL are;

WE all are.

[babylonsister]

8. If they don't care and can't relate, why make the effort? Dumb. nt

[liberation]

29. Two words: Lip Service

EOM

[happyslug]

14. So how can someone who is truly middle class be in such a commission?

Remember to be on that Commission you have to quit your present job (Or take a leave of absence) and sit with it for the three to six months it collects data. Can you do it? I can't, and that is the case for most people earning less then about $150,000 a year. Above that income your income is mostly from owning property, not work, and thus you are free to spend time on such commissions. Thus such commission are always at the National level and most times on the State Level filled with nothing but people in the top 5% of income earners. They have income independent of their salary, so they can quit whatever job they are doing and perform such functions. It is unfair, but it is also a fact of life.

Now local commissions often consist of middle class people, but even these tend to be people who can get away from their work any time they want to. i.e professionals (Doctors, Lawyers etc) or business owners or other people who are NOT needed every day of every minute.

Personal example, when I worked retail and other jobs during High School and Collage I was expected to be on site when my employer wanted me there AND stay there till I had done my shift. I could not leave in the middle of the day, when things were slow, to do other work, unless my boss gave me permission and then he would want me off the clock. I am a lawyer now, I am still an employee of my employer but I can leave my office any time I want do to the position I hold. I do NOT have to go off the clock, I do not have to ask my supervisor's permission (I tell people where I am going, but that is all). Thus I have the freedom to do local meetings and commissions like this. On the other hand my Secretary can not, they are on the clock and must stay at work till it is time to quit (They can leave if they have to, but off the clock and with permission of their supervisor). Who would be more available for holding s position in a local commission? I would be, if it was scheduled during the daytime I just leave work. On the other hand my secretary has to ask permission and plan ahead, which they can not always get.

My point is it is hard to get working class people to participate is such commissions, not because they don't want to, they don't have the ability to work they schedule around the Commission's schedule. I can work my schedule around the Commission's schedule thus it is easier for me to attend meetings of a commission. I can not leave for days at a time like people who tend to make more money (i.e. the members of the Commission) but I have more flexibility in my schedule then my secretary. The same with the members of the Commission they have more flexibility then I do, and as such can participate is such a commission while even I can not (I can leave when I want to, but I still have to do work at my office, so I can not leave days on end just to participate in a commission).

My point is such commission are always filled with people earnings a lot of money, such people are the only people who can be in such commissions, no one else has the time or the ability to get no pay for the life of the commission or the search for a job after the commission is dissolved (If the position is a paid position, which I doubt). The key is NOT the income of the membership but they outlook. Do they hold the outlook that the workers are out rip off their employers by demanding decent pay? Or do they hold the opinion that pay should go up even if that hurts business? The membership sounds more of the later, and can be influenced by people who can make the meetings locally (i.e. the true Working class and Professional class people). We can influence them by making an effort to attend their meeting they hold in your local area. Submit ideas. It is the best way to get this commission to recommend what is needed.

[terisan]

20. I think there are hundreds of thousands of people they can get, if not millions.

Many people are not chained to a brick and mortar workplace or have spouses who are not chained. There are also retired people. Also a commission could request that employees be given leave to participate and the taxpapers could replace the salaries. Heck, the Congress could have included it in the earmarks in the current appropriations bill.

America is not a monarchy or a benevolent dictatorship, where the lords and ladies, or the King makes plans for the subjects. , Real participation by people an organization is charged with helping must be involved.


This commission is basically a showboat. It is a media event. It is bs.

I am amazed that people on DU would think that it is ok for Joseph Biden-Mr. Credit Card Industry-to chair a task force on the middle class. He has greenlighted most of the excesses of that industry which are crushing many in the middle class.

[JDPriestly]

34. So, pick a teacher who just lost his/her job.

There are lots of them. There are also lots of construction workers without jobs right now -- including electricians and plumbers. No excuse.

[Bluenorthwest]

52. I could participate, as could thousands of others

Particualarly if I was getting the salary the rest of them are getting, and by the way, none of them will be waiving their primary pay to be on the commission. Biden will be taking his VP pay, through the whole thing. They are not giving up a dime to be on the commission.

[Qutzupalotl]

54. You can participate, actually.

Submit your ideas here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/StrongMiddleClass/

They're listening.

[4lbs]

16. Oh yeah, that Joe Biden is sure out of touch with the middle class.

What, 25 years of riding a train every day, surrounded by and talking to middle class people has made him out of touch and not knowing of their struggles.

:sarcasm:


Same thing with that energy secretary Steven Chu. He was literally born with a silver spoon in his mouth, growing up in Queens and going to public school and all.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1997/chu-autobio.html



What about Christina Romer? Grew up in Canton, Ohio. You know, that well established place for rich people.

[terisan]

23. He may be "in touch" with mc but he votes for the Credit Card Industry-for decades.

So I would have to say rubbing shoulders with the middle class on the supper Amtrak shuttle may not translate into protecting their interests on the Senate floor at voting time.

[emilyg]

24. Good point.

[4lbs]

25. People that bring that up forget about all the other things he's done to help the middle class and

people in general.

[terisan]

26. He has been good on some social issues. It reminds me of how far right Republicans

would vote against their economic self-interest so long as their candidate was a social conservative. Where did that get them.

I think, similarly, a lot of Dems overlook the great economic harm done by Dem representative who vote for corporate interests, so long as they vote liberal or progressive on social issues.

I don't think we can divide the economic and the social anymore. The corporate giants are killing us.

Joseph Biden could have worked to diversify Delaware's industry and gotten himself out from under the thumb of the credit card industry. He has had 30 years to do so.


To his credit though he is a hard worker, and he has suffered horrible personal tragedy. I wish he would now break free of the credit card industry.

[rpannier]

28. Gee your description of Steven Chu sounds similar to the bio of

Bill O'Reilly, except for public school and when Bill went to Catholic School it was the responsibility of his parish to foot the bill.

I don't care where they grew up and in what conditions.
This world is very different than when Steven Chu or I grew up.

Try adding a few people who really are middle class to the equation.

The attempt to paint these people who are assured of their salaries, have health coverage due to their government jobs and then claim to say they "understand" what it means to be not have an assured salary, not have automatic health coverage is absurd

[4lbs]

37. By that logic then, we might as well state that the President himself is unable to understand the

middle class because he hasn't made middle class wages, or been without health coverage since being elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996.

[izquierdista]

31. More BS from Time

Leave it to them to find all the wedges, one to divide the $30,000 from the $50,000, the $50,000 from the $70,000, the $70,000 from the $100,000, and start pounding them in as their $1,000,000+ overlords direct them to. Class warfare works best when directed from the top, getting all the ones below to squabble amongst themselves.

"Drum Major Institute" my ass, sounds more like the "Shrill Whistle and Blow Smoke" Institute.

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[xchrom]

36. what i get from this -- is how far to the 'right' we've drifted since reagan.

i like biden -- i like biden alot -- but his votes with mbna and the bankruptcy bill really are relevant metaphors for the paychecks of the crew on this committee.

i'm absolutely sure they are 'good' people -- their 'goodness' isn't the topic here.

[wickerwoman]

38. So because they make six figures now (in their forties and fifties)

they have never in their lives made less money or come from middle class backgrounds or in any way lived a middle class lifestyle since birth and therefore can't possibly understand the agony and the ecstasy that is middle class life in America.

Give me an f'in break already.

[earcandle]

43. I'd like to hear their stories and find out if they did.

Otherwise, find middle class folks to assess the problems and virtues therein

How can we find out if they remember ... or were there to remember?

[vaberella]

39. We could say the same about ALL our politicians....so um... How come they represent us...

With the reasoning by the writer all I could think is that we might as well get rid of all the politicians in power since they really can't understand the middle class and lower and majority of their constituents because they definitely make over the bracket of income to really understand us.

This is BS from yahoo news.

[hfojvt]

41. oh boy, another Dem-bashing thread courtesy of the M$M

One thing about the Drum Major Institute, which was quoted. It seems to me that the Drum Major Institute does not have any members of the middle class sitting on their board of directors either
http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/board.php

Yet that does not invalidate their efforts, does it?

[swishyfeet]

42. This is ridiculous

Smart, successful people visible enough to be chosen for the task force are going to be high earners. Seriously people, do you expect them to just sit around and exchange stories about that time they almost had to cancel the cable because that damn timing belt cost $800 to replace? Understanding the middle class ain't rocket science.

I haven't been poor for 20 years or so, but could tell you a thing or two about it.

Heck, my wife is a very well-respected child psychologist and (gasp) we have no kids.

[FrenchieCat]

44. I don't see any millionaires or even near millionaires on the list....

Making $175,000 per year, is not exactly anything beyond middle class but by a hair.....
So considering, It would take a modicum of success to be part of such a panel, these folks'
earnings don't seem to be astronomical.

[TomClash]

45. What? Joe the Plumber was not available?

What nonsense. :eyes:

It's not like Romer and Biden and Chu are Hedge Fund managers in Greenwich.

[jmowreader]

46. Jesus H. Christ on a trailer hitch. Give me a break.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_New_York_City,

New York City's borough of Manhattan is the richest county in the United States. In particular, ZIP code 10021 on Manhattan's Upper East Side, with over 100,000 inhabitants and a per capita income of over $90,000, has one of the largest concentrations of extreme wealth in the United States. In some circles, $172,000 per year is Enough to Live On.

So which would I rather have on this task force--Christina Romer, who is one of the best economists in the United States, or someone who makes $42,000 per year running a crane? Besides, they can go out and talk to crane operators.

[antimatter98]

47. This commission is just theatrical, a way to put a barrier between us and the White House.

Unless the middle class gets into the streets, marches on Washington,
and gets very very loud and nasty, nothing is going to happen for us.

Obama is very clever in marginalizing the working class of America, in favor
of the banks and investment houses and corporate power. In a year or so,
this will be obvious to even those in deep denial today. Our way of life
has been stolen by the banks and corporate power, and Obama's team is on
their side, not ours. Just wait a year and you will have proof.

[urgk]

48. In other news, an antarctic expedition to study wildlife has no penguins.

Why is it automatically assumed that people outside of that group can't ask or understand the people in it? I mean, if there were a task force to study brain damage, would we expect stroke victims to sit on the committee? Should we expect a study on hog farmers to fail if thee group has only donee research on the topic and not actually birthed any hogs themselves?

This is High School hallway gossip, not news. It's this kind of chatter-posing-as-analysis that slows down progress.

[geckosfeet]

49. We are ruled by the top 5% of wage earners.

How did this happen? I don't think the initial idea was that our government be comprised of people who earn more than 95% of the population.

[rosesaylavee]

50. Pick me! Pick me!

I have a few things to say about attempting to stay middle class. It's a hoot of a time.

[NoFederales]

51. Change We Can Believe In? it's more like We Are Screwn With Hope

Whether Bush or Obama, the end results will be similar--No Longer A Believer.

NoFederales

[marshall]

53. Similarly, ever wonder why it's always middle age men making the decisions about abortion?

It's all about power--who has it and who uses it.