CNN

I really believe the disappearance of unions is the main reason for the shrinking of the middle class. Corporations have moved their operations out of the country to avoid paying liveable wages here in the United States. Shame on all for allowing this to happen!!!!!

Jack, I am dismayed by society in general and our current economic issues. When will we take responsibility for our own actions and stop trying to blame government or organizations for our middle-class woes.

Families purchased homes they could not afford and now look what is happening. Did anyone take budgeting 101 prior to signing on the dotted line of their mortgage documents? If you are generating XXX dollars each month and spend more than what you generate in income, then obviously it is your own stupidty that created your woes.

The American dream is more like "I want it all and I want it now," thus creating an economic foreclosure nightmare, which impacts all of us.

Bush and his crooked croonies for jacking up the prices of everything. He has given them free rein and look what is happening to us. And look at the large companies that are biting the bullet because he has allowed them to get away with murder.

The Washington establishment is to blame, Jack. These idiots in Washington are more concerned about looking out for the best interest of there big donors and less interested in looking out for the best interest of the working class people that got them elected.

I only blame one person for the woes of the middle class. George W. Bush, idiot and war criminal at large. Bush is to blame because he has stood by and has done nothing to lower gas prices, encourage companies to stay in the United States instead of leaving to find cheap labor, continuing to pursue his selfish desires and to satsify his own personal vendetta in Iraq which is bankrupting this country. Health insurance companies have for too long been able to raise preminiums whenever they wanted under this right-wing extremist, procorporate totalitarian regime where the rich benefit the most while everyone else suffers. I would even as far to compare George W. Bush to Adolph Hilter since they both are responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people. It's sad that noone in this country has the courage to stand up to Bush and tell him to end this senseless war and turn both himself and Dick Cheney in to the International Court to be punished for war crimes, torture and crimes against humanity.

Three people, Jack:
1.) George Herbert Walker Bush for crafting a NAFTA treaty that has hurt many middle class American families.

2.) Bill Jefferson Clinton for signing this same NAFTA treaty into law, and...

3.) George W. Bush for simply not having a clue about the economy.

I'm discouraged because people always assume what I'm thinking based on my age and social standing. They always group us all together, Jack, especially during election years.

A lot of blame to go around Jack. First, start with the slew of Presidents starting decades ago. Secondly, start with the slew of Congresses from decades ago. Finally, look at the American people for putting up with the aforementioned two.

-Brett
OH

Globalization is to blame. Competition for natural resources increases our cost of living at the same time we've lost our jobs to people willing to work for less money. It's not going to get any better. Have a nice weekend.

Ed Reed
Port Aransas, TX

Lou Dobbs is to blame. He keeps declaring that there's War on the Middle Class. If he didn't say it, we wouldn't know.

Bush of course and the fact that he favors large corportate interests as well as those of the wealthy in our nation instead of the people.
As old as I am and as long as I have lived this is the absolutely hardest I have ever had it financially. Noone expects this at my age.

The middle class is to blame for for middle class woes. Middle class America has been living lifestyle that exceeds their income for far too long.

It's hard for me to feel sorry for people living in McMansions, with plasma tv's and driving luxury cars and SUVs. I think before the governemnt starts giving out more handouts, middle class America needs to tighten their belts, live sensibly, and yes, maybe even cancel cable TV before sending out a lynch mob on the GOP and big oil.

- Jenn
Pittsburgh, PA

Middle class is to blame for their own woes fir the following reasons:

1. they elect the same officals every election
2.they don't voice their opinions to their elected officals
3.the government?????????????
4.the education system

They are always put down by the republicans, but they should stop voting for them.

Of course there's no single scapegoat on which we can lay all of the blame, but at the top of my list, Jack, I'd say corporate greed aided by an administration that favors the upper class.

I think this question is too simple Jack. Everyone knows that Bush is the root of what's wrong with this country. What is wrong with the Cafferty File blog is when you get messages like this: You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down. What happened to freedom of speech?

I would have to say that this administration along with Congress and the huge corporations are to blame for the middle class being discouraged. It seems as if the middle class is being forced to work longer hours at two jobs making less money than ever before. With the cost of living constantly rising daily, examples, gas, food, health care, etc., we just can't seem to get a break. There seems to be some attention being given to homeowners and their current dilemma of facing foreclosures, but what about the non-homeowner who is also facing increasing rent prices? My rent increased over 50% this last November so after I pay my rent I have to choose between paying bills and eating. I don't have any credit cards and I have already made changes in my lifestyle so when is the government going to come up with some programs to help the non-homeowners? Just because I don't own a home doens't mean I don't share the same frustrations and financial problems. When is the government going to come up with some ideas to help out the non-homeowners? If they are going to help one group of citizens then they need to be fair and help out all.

President George W. Bush and his Vice-President Darth Cheney. Also, if the truth be told, the American voting public. If we had been paying attention these two would have been unemployed since 2000.

The war, for one, so that would be Bush and his self interested administration. So that lead to a corporate government, that is only interested in the bottom line. The failing of the school system to prepare the youth to compete in this new tech age.
So since Bush was elected, then Clinton, then Bush, I'd say the voters are actually at fault.
The US needs to be able to kick out a president as soon as they see he(she) is not working FOR the people. A vote of non confidence, would be something that should be concidered.
To much self interest in the government can never be good for the citizens

in the beginning, there was Laffer and his curve. Built on a faulty premise, it suggested that lowering the top tax rate would increase revenue. And Laffer begat Cheney, who begat Kemp, who begat Reagan. And the reagan revolution was born. John McCain was a footsoldier. The teory was been thoroughly disproven through recesssions and jobless recoveries, but still it endures due to the marriage of the Republicans with the rich and powerful. After years of tax cuts, deregulation, subsidies, no-bid contracts, outsourcing,and backroom policy meetings, we have an ever-widening income gap. The Republicans don't want to talk about class warfare, and for good reason. So if you hear them mention code words like free trade, privatization, tax cuts, or even national security, look out. What they are really saying is that they want all the money, all the time.

Dear Jack:
The highest levels of our government are responsible for the stealing from our middle class. They have looked the other way and allowed employers to cheat, by hiring illegal aliens, which depressed wages through out the economy and even stole jobs from many sectors of our society. It came from the top because it was easier to make the rich richer and exploit illegals, than it was to pay our legal middle class reasonable wages.

George W. Bush. His administrations economic policies favored corporations, and hoped those corporations would use increased profits to further invest in America. But they took those profits, fired US workers, invested overseas, and laughed all the way to the CEO's bank.

The President, Big Businesses, and those companies who ship jobs overseas.. What happened to the hire you and train you and the staying with that company until you retire era...

Obama 08

April in Austin Texas

Not a popular answer, but the middle class can take some responsibility for some of their problems, We all know that over extending yourself is a nightmare waiting to happen! Now as for the Government, I don't have a clue how the average American can ever defend the present Medical (or lack of) system? If I had to pay for all the emergency visits alone, I certainly wouldn't own my nice home, or even a nice big box for that matter! Never have I hoped, or paid so much attention, to an election, but like many others around the World many of our futures lay in the hands of the U.S.

The middle class is to blame for their own woes..

Its that same middle class that has allowed itself to be divided by partisan politics.. Its that same middle class that votes for people and a party that sides with business over ordinary people every time.

This generation is an arrogant one that has in a matter of a little over a decade given away the labor gains made generations ago at a cost of blood and lives. with our eyes wide open. Gains that took generations to acquire.

The Republicans have encouraged and sat idly by while pensions are reduced, eliminated, while health benefits are reduced, eliminated, while wages are cut through the import of illegals to do work cheaper.

This will be the 1st generation that leaves the nation worse off for our kids in American History.

It is very simple, this whole Administration. Starting a war to "clear his daddys name' and the resulting deficite spending has hurt everyone but the rich. They get tax breaks. Everyone else gets the shaft.
I hope Hillary can at least start a recovery as Bill did after Bush I.

Jack,

We could point fingers for days on end but actually it is probably the middle class people''s fault. We are too complacent or apathetic? "We the People" need to stand up for ourselves and declare that we will not be treated a certain way, or have our jobs shipped across the ocean. But then again, maybe we are too busy working two jobs to make ends meet to pratice civil disobedience, or to protest anything.

In Economics 101, one learns that inefficiencies of operation are the most deleterious actions within that operating system. Look what has been happening: Airline disruptions due to fuel costs and poor maintenance issues; Bear Stearns being upended, a once conservatively run investment house; the whole subprime allowances to occur. Anybody of any intellect must ask: Why is this economy allowed to be run into the ground? Who in their right mind would "toss a monkey-wrench" into their machinery of operation deliberately unless that economy has turned into "every man for himself" operation. Paulson of the Treasury is insisting upon new directives to bring order into the operations of Wall Street after the cookie jar has been robbed. When nothing is regulated, nothing will be regulated, witness, poor Ben Bernanke running around like those acrobats attempting to keep the spinning plates still running and not tumbling to the floor. The middle class cannot blame itself in as much as the powers that be allow such actions to happen by not regulating where regulations do exist. George W. Bush is looking like Herbert Hoover every day. Hoover may not have known what was to come but George should have and therein lies the legacy of this pilotless administration

I blame president Bush. Harry Truman said the buck stops here. President Bush only wants to take credit for things that go well and blame others for things that don't go well, which has been many since he was elected. When the president clearly made the wrong decision he would not tried to correct it. Instead he would blame other people, he would go so for has to bring in to question one's patriotism when they would disagree with him. He favors the rich he has done more to turn our country into two classes their rich and the poor with his trickle down theory.

Two words: Bush – Clinton

The middle class is. We vote these Turkeys in.

It's a combination of this administration's failing economic policies, their 'bail out the corporations first' mentality, and people living beyond their means. If you don't want to be waist-deep in debt, then you should probably not be buying an SUV you can't afford.

If we had a President who cares, and who knew anything about what's happening outside the White House, maybe we wouldn't be so discouraged. Bush may not – is not – the sole reason, but he certainly is a key factor.

bush/cheney.they put us in iraq,and lined their pockets,with the proceeds.i hope they enjoy their retirement.

It is simple – Bush. Anyone who tries to blame anyone else is playing partisan politics. The War was the beginning and it goes on from there. The problem is that the Republicans cannot accept responsibility and the Dems are too gutless to challenge them.

The middle class is to blame for voting for corruption and slogans for the last 8 years. McCain is doing well in the polls though, so apparently there has been no lesson learned here.

George W. Bush Jr. and the fifty million plus voters who swallowed Karl Rove's bait hook, line and sinker.

That would be you Jack. If you would just speak your mind instead of feeding us the same corporate lines trying to fool us into thinking everything is great, maybe we'd not be in this mess. But day after day, you feed us the same lines, while looking through your rose colored glasses, instead of calling out the bull that some people give us. It's your fault, Jack.

By the way, I'm studying to become a White House spokesperson, how am I doing so far?

Brian, Cincinnati

It's not who, it's what is to blame for an increasingly discouraged middle class? Greed, be it for power or money, generally both.

Ultimately it is the fault of voters who elected GW Bush, along with C-level corporate management and investment banker-types. Those who voted for Bush should have researched Bush enough to know that when he spoke of tax cuts, he meant it only for the richest of Americans. Guess you can always hock the Bible to pay the bills! That and the immense insatiable greed of corporate officers and investment bankers who will do anything to put yet another dollar into their pockets.

...The people who are working class who voted for Bush twice because they were told he had "better morals" it makes me physically ill just to type it.

The fact that we haven't had a President who really cared about the middle class and worked towards solutions since Bill Clinton is the problem for the present woes of the middle class.

Hey Jack,
The answer to your question is easy. The greedy-self centered American Corporations. Who care more about their personal bottom line instead of the lives of American people and the American economy. ATT is Ceo Randall Stephenson just stated in the media that the reason ATT has to hire people in India is because America has a low-drop out rate. How insulting to the millions of unemployed and under-employed educated workers who are looking for jobs daily and can't find a decent living wage over 30,000. What the media needs to ask these corporations is "Where is their patriotism?" How much do they love America?

george bush is to blame, every policy this administration has put forward was to help the rich or corporate america. This man has never been successful at anything in his life. His Father has had to bail out all his life.

We have no one to blame but ourselves. We continue to elect and re-elect these misshapen politician into office....and believe me they are masters at getting elected or re-elected....no idea on how to manage government........but consistent in giving the people not what they want but what they will learn to want.

Jack,
The answer is easy – Corporate American!!!! They want it done last month and CHEAP!!! Quaterly profits are the only thing they see on their short nose. Why do you think they are transfering jobs overseas. But the question Corporate America never asked: who will buy our product or services???
John
Hovland, MN

Jack, who is the middle class anyway? Is it the federal, state, city, worker that gets paid holidays...every holiday, a good salary with hefty cost of living increases as well as defined jobs that with every promotion a good hefty raise, a great vacation package, fantastic medical benefits with accumulative sick pay or is it the guy who slugs it out every day with an employer that is pushing him down every time he's trying to get up. Veteran's Day, Columbus Day, President's Day, MLK Day? Those are just days. Medical? That's a toss up. Depends on who you work for. Vacation? Probably after a year working and then it adds up, year after year. Sick pay? Just don't get sick. Raises? You earn 'em. It's not based on longevity. Seniority and tenure? Huh? Who's to blame for the middle class woe's........our government....and there's nothing that can be done about it....it's a run away train.

The blame mostly lies with the congressmen/women we voted in and keep sending back to congress. These fat cats vote themselves a pay-hike every year, and vote to keep funding wars fought by middle-class kids, vote to ship middle-class jobs overseas, do nothing on illegal immigration, do nothing to maintain infrastructure, do nothing to help the economy until it's struggling; but they have the time to probe steroid use, probe cheating on nfl sidelines, etc. When are our elected "leaders" going to act like "leaders" (provide vision, show courage, lead by example). The rest of the blame lies with us, the voters who voted these paper-weights in to office.

Everyone. Certainly the idiot in the WH right now, but also to blame is the so-called Democratic Congress that was elected to stop the war and put the brakes on Bush’s wild, down-hill economic ride. Then there is us. We twice elected a moron. We can possibly be forgiven the first time (although that’s a stretch), but the second time around no one had any excuse whatsoever to cast a vote for Bush – none. We stood idly by as our government (all three branches, individually and collectively) shredded our Constitution, sent us to war, got rid of most of our good jobs, failed to safeguard our medical policies from drug companies and hospitals and insurers, allowed financial institutions, communications companies, and data collection agencies to have their way with us. We have all the power, but we peed it away.

Bush is an easy target on this one, but it predates even his nightmarish administration. Reagan started "trickle down" economics, but sadly it wasn't money that trickled down to the average person. Bush 41 came to his senses enough to know you can't run a government without money and stopped some of the tax cuts to the wealthiest among us. The Clinton years seemed pretty good until we woke up one morning and discovered we could buy a toaster from China for $7, but all our jobs were gone so we couldn't afford it. The icing on the cake has been the reign of King George of Crawford. If you're a corporation, he loves you; a kid who needs health care, not so much. Guess we have ourselves to blame for electing this bunch.

The Republicans and and George Bush who else Jack has been Leading this country into 2 Economic slow downs(Recessions) That is the Reason Democrats will take not only the White House this year they will also pick up House and Senate seats as well.

George Bush & his entire NEO-CON rich "B' friends & their greed are totally at fault for this mess & if I could I'd spit right in their eyes!!
Patricia
Palmdale, Ca.

The Middle Class is 100% at fault. We're the ones that were dumb enough to vote for George Bush twice. Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us!

voters....we need term limits and a third party...soon there will be no money for the government as the middle class pays the bulk of taxes

George "W" Bush ..... sigh.... Oh, please, "W" please just go home.
Mary from sarasota, Fl

Jack, most families in crisis have no one to blame but themselves. They lived beyond their means for years, relying on credit cards and ARMs to impress each other. Most failed to keep 6 months' worth of expenses saved in the bank, and paid for cable TV before making sure their family had health coverage. Their priorities were out of order and their vision short-sighted.

P.S. I'm middle-class and I never voted for Bush.

Boise, Idaho

The "W" regime and anyone who voted for them.

we can complain all we want about the govenment BUT when you get right down to it Lou Dobbs has it correct.

the Wall Street Weasels and Corporate Quislings in this country that have outsourced American manufactuing first to Mexico under Clinton's NAFTA scam and then on to Communist China under Bush, in order to make a fast buck, have destroyed the good paying blue collar factory jobs that built the American middle class in the 20th century

then, on top of that, for those jobs here in America that can NOT be outsourced, they bring in H1B workers to undercut high tech wages and illegal aliens to do jobs like meat packing that has destroyed the wages and working conditions in that industry.

that means we are now left with the choice of either "Welcome to WalMart" or "Would You Like Frys With That Order?" minimum wage work which will NOT pay from the middle class lifestyle.

The war on the middle class was started by everyone's favorite go-to man, Ronald Reagan. Not, mind you, that he knew what he was doing, and really meant to destroy us. His advisors convinced him that a "trickle-down" theory of economics, in which all constraints on the business and industrial classes were removed, would result in a boon for the entire American community. This supply side philosophy, which soon became a propaganda campaign to SPEND SPEND SPEND BUY BUY BUY, resulted in the shifting of wealth to those who already had the wealth, and to impoverishment of those who "could only stand and wait".

No one seemed to notice that the intended result – wealth for all – after all doesn't a rising tide raise all ships in the harbor? – was not happening. But by the end of bush 41 there was such a gap between the haves and the have-nots and so much power had passed to the 'haves', and so much government support had been given the 'haves', that the 'haves' took over control of the government. They have maintained it since, and since bush 43 was elevated by the power structure, this control has been relatively and cynically transparent. Thus an exhortation by the "president" in the face of a national disaster (Twin Towers, 9/11) for the people to keep on shopping.

This is no longer a democracy, but a state run by the military – industrial – bigbidnez complex in which neither you nor I have a vote.

The middle class has paid for its own empoverishment by relegating its power to the rich. It has but to assert its greater numbers and take control, but for many reasons it lacks the will and the fortitude to do so. After all, that would involve getting rid of the 545 people that please the corporate structure by enforcing their demands.

Viva la revolucion!

The architects of our misery, the Neo-Cons. Their war in Iraq has blown America's economy, and pension, any near future of national health care, our standing in the civilized world.

Our election laws should be changed to make "dirty tricks campaigns" crimes of treason. The vote of the people should be what determines our government. People who "lose" boxes of those votes should go to jail. No more Diebold. There has to be a paper trail.

A good share of it comes from the general discouragement that Americans face resulting from having little say in their daily lives. President Bush has taken us into a war based on lies, a war that has wasted thousands of American lives in a civil war that can only be solved by Iraqis and Americans now live under the burden of the financial cost of that war. Congress has done little to provide balance to the President's lack of integrity and effective leadership. We have also beome the victims of wealthy companies expoliting their power at our exprense. To get beyond these woes, we will have to become more involved in caring about one another and in demanding more from our elected officials and throw those out who do not meet reasonable standards. If we don't, our discouragement will lead to fatal apathy. I am part of the middle class and I, like all of you, deserve better.

The Press, Bush, Cheney, McCain, Bill Clinton and the middle class themselves. The press because they abdicated their responsibility to the middle class in favor of involvement in partisan politics. Bush, Cheney, McCain and co because they have a one track mind that is presently focused on a costly war. Bill Clinton because his lack of judgement inflicted Bush on us. And the middle class because they are unaware of the power they have to effect change.

The rubber-stamp 109th,Bush and his blind minions,the GOP kissing the butts of big business,and the worst part? The denial of all of the above. As you say Jack,"Time to vote all of the bums out".

the liberal press ,anything to bash bush the truth be damned

This is a tough one. Primarily I believe the middle class is its worst enemy. Folks going after loans that look cheap and special buying more that they can afford. Not speaking out when our elected officials totally ignore the common good and do what’s best for them. Paying a large disproportional amount of taxes and not receiving services or representation. By supporting the underground economy without forcing action or movement on illegal activities including immigration. I see the general attitude of getting ahead without regard to how (similar to the Clintons) and playing ‘beat the system’ which appear to be the root of much of the issues. We alter all put all of our elected officials in office…

Jack, point the finger at Bush. He turns his back away from our needs at home to involve us in the quagmire in iraq that brings no peace nor suggests that the government and its citizens are willing to take responsibility for their own country. Meanwhile, our troops are being killed and maimed, we throw tons of money there, while peace is not yet at hand, terrorism is on the rise throughout the world, and our gas prices just keep rising. At the same time, our leader turnes his back on our economic woes on the home front, and gives tax breaks tothe upper classes. Who wouldn't be discouraged, unless you are filthy rich without loved ones risking their lives abroad.

Jack, you mean 41% blame the government. Blaming the price of oil is the same as blaming the government.

To a large extent, we are. We got ourselves into this mess. Fuel and money are finite to those of us in the middle class and we made no effort to use them wisely. We didn't use any personal restraint, and we allowed our elected officials to do the same, and as long as we could drive around in our SUVs and talk on our cellphones and watch the death of Anna Nicole Simpson be played over and over again we didn't care. Now the chickens have come home to roost, as my grandmother would say, and boy are we being crapped on. Isn't it about time we arose from our Barcaloungers and say, "Enough is enough?"

Jack, if this sounds like your book it's because I just read it. Cafferty for President!!!

George Bush and Dick Cheney are the biggest contributors. The American people second for voting them another 4 in 2004; however, just consider if we had gone with the popular vote in 2000: Perhaps we could have had AL Gore for these past 8 years. Where would we be today if we had spent the last 8 years not at war with Iraq, working on curbing global warming and showing compassion worldwide? Maybe even Osama would be where he belongs, behind bars. And, I do believe it could have been quite fitting to have a President who had won the Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure as President for history to remember verses the legacy that George W. is leaving...Well, it's nice to dream anyway....

This crap started with Ronald Reagan and his Trickle Down Economics BS. I hope Americans can see through the Republican adgenda now. Money trumphs all. Their greed will most certainly be Americas undoing. America is in decline and the powers that be are in denial. The Federal Government is 100% responsible. They, themselves have failed America and Americans. Every politicians should be made to forfeit a great part of their wealth and tax payer paid benefits. You sicken me!

It's the Bush Cheney effect, the war, gas prices, jobs, no regulation on anything – job safety, food safety, aeroplane safety. At least the rich are getting richer!
Joan North Carolina

Jack,
We are all to blame. We elect politicians who tell us what we want to hear – we can fight a war, cut taxes, borrow on both an individual and national level, refuse to listen to our allies and the bill will never come due. Well, pay day is now here! The only remaining question is are we going to stiffen our back bones and accept the pain that is necessary at all levels to get back in the game, or are we going to rapidly become a third-world nation.

The middle class is to blame knowing they were living from one pay check to the next pay check. And in some cases their own personal greed contributed to the increase of a discouraged middle class.

As a retailer I see the big picture from the ground. High gas prices raise the prices of merchandise in my store since it costs more to ship. That leaves the consumer to pay higher prices for their own gas, plus they are having to pay more for the goods they buy. Couple that with jobs that aren't paying a living wage and a general unrest in this country over the ongoing war, and we have a stagnant economy. The media could actually help the situation out a lot by not scaring everyone back into their houses to lock up their pocket books.

I am not sure that you can narrow it down to a single group. But I think you can narrow it down to a single concept: greed! There is the greed of the wealthy to move up on the list of wealthy. There is the greed of the corporations that use questionable practices to get better numbers on a quarterly statement. Such practices would include outsourcing jobs to other countries and cutting jobs from individuals in this discouraged middle class, playing on the gullibility of some individuals in the discouraged middle class or pressuring Congress to give them all sorts of breaks at the expense of the middle class. And there might even be a little greed from a few in the discouraged middle class when an individual wants to have a bigger house than he / she can afford or some costly luxuries that he / she can’t really afford.

We are all to blame. Workers average zero percent savings of their income. Consumers buy far over their budgets and sign contracts and mortgages they can't possible live up to. Government spends in deficit and piles on debt and obligation while inflating to "provide liquidity", which to me is Bush-speak for a back door tax. Wars are fought in perpetuity with no definition for success or aplan for extrication. We import our energy and burn it up meaninglessly in imported cars designed to feign economic superiority over our neighbors. We use more resources than any civilization on the planet. I could go on, but we all know the reality here. The larger question is, how bad must things get for us before we start to initiate change, both individually and collectively.

I think there is plenty of blame to go around. Most of us have lived during the time when expendable cash was much greater and access to credit cards is so easy almost anyone can get one. And they will offer you bigger and bigger credit limits. Obviously this everlasting war in Iraq and the monetary support given to every other country in the world while we borrow from China and Japan like drunken sailors, has had a big impact on the economy. The price of oil and its reverberations is killing us. So shame on all of us and the elected officials we have placed in position to put us on a path to being a third world country.

greed, lobbyist aloud to mingle with lawmakers, NAFTA, religion intervened with politics, tax breaks for the rich. no bid contract;s for dick's crew i could go on and on .but my lunch breaks over, I've got to work overtime today so i can buy so gas so i can come back to my min wage job tomorrow.

As many have already pointed out, the blame lies with the Republicans. Their economic policies have always been based on the idea that if you give huge tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, somehow, magically that money will find its way into the pockets of the poor in middle class. I think we can see clearly from the Bush tax cuts that this is not the case. The wealthy have gotten wealthy because of their greed. If you give them money the will just miser it away and it will never again see the light of day. This combined with irresponsible trade deals that lead to American jobs being outsourced, seem to have one purpose alone: destroy the middle class and make the wealthy as rich as possible in the process.

Jack,
When you have a President that says "Mission Accomplished" a couple of weeks after the start of the Iraq War and the war is still going on five years later, when you have a President that doesn't know that the price of a gallon of gas is almost $4.00, when the Treasury Secretary doesn't think the U.S. is in a recession and you have a Vice President that says "so" when told that two thirds of the American public have been against the Iraq War for over a year, you have to blame the Bush Administration.

Robert
Forest, Virginia

Woes of the Middle Class, is not the blame of haves, it is not the blame of the government, it is the blame of the have not’s those in the middle class who saw the neighbor with the better car, the boat and/or jets skis, and the house; and wanting them as well. This wanting to have what they could not afford is what caused the credit problem leading into the housing problem. Now the government has no choice but to help but in helping it cannot take are government from a free republic were the government stay out of our life’s to a social republic were the government will tell us what to do and how to live.

Well, who else.....Bush. enough said

As I said not who but what, the tax system and the bureacracy that it surports. But that goes for all classes.

Jack, this is a no brainer. We have listened to the people we elected to public office lie, lie and lie some more. It is a damn shame the way our politicians lie to the American people in order to stay in office. I fully believe they would steal from their mothers if it helped them get elected. Our elected officials are a bunch of liars and thieves, and McCain is in the middle of them. It is just he is dummer then most. His idea's or outdated just as he is outdated and should be put out to pasture.

Didn't everyone understand that a principal goal of the cheney-bush regime was to create a TWO class economy?? That is, a few very high income households, and an enormous number of low income ones, to be used for an endless supply of cheap labor. This is what we are heading for; most politicians know it, but too few voters get it.

Jack

Americans-–look in the mirror.
Every elected official that we keep voting for over and over and over.
It starts right in your home town, all the way up to the White House.
By the way I'm 71 years old and never been polled in my life, so
don't know where these 26% , 15%, 11% come from.

Jerry
Roselle, Illinois

From Cheney's 2001 secret energy policy meetings, the authorization of the Iraq war, the lack of regulation of the credit market and the 2005 corporate pork-barrel Energy Bill to everything that followed from these things – high gas prices, high food prices, recession – the Republican Party owns this whole mess, lock, stock and oil barrel. The American people will remember next November.

They are at blame," the middle class"! No one told them to buy "Thirty-Five Thousand Dollar SUV's"(10 miles per gallon high-test gas),and "Five Hundred Thousand Dollar Homes",room enough for a king and his jesters? But, they all had to have a vacation home on top of that, or take a vacation trip with the family annually that averages "Five to Ten Thousand Dollars", never mind having to send their kids to the best school's( prep/colleges) money can buy, when they could go to a "Community Colleges",and help the local economy. No they're above that, well to bad,I don't feel sorry for any of them ,they probably all voted Republican anyway (felling rich, and being rich are two different things), I rest my case!

Outsourcing our jobs is a major concern. The government turning a blind eye to our open borders so their corporate buddies can save big bucks is another. And both without passing those savings along to the rest of us. There's the billions being bled into Iraq with no thought or end in sight, being funded by Communist China. You know what, Jack, I'm scared.

Jack, it sounds simplistic, but the Iraq war is the big culprit...which, of course, means Bush is to blame. The deficit spending in support of the war has caused insidious damage to several facets of the economy. The poor remain poor, the rich are being well-treated by the Republicans...and the middle class shoulders the weight of the war.

None of the above Jack, you forgot to put in the business corporations.
It's the businesses that pushed for the tax breaks to send jobs overseas, to get the cheap labor, to take away jobs from Americans,
It's the businesses that have justified going to war for oil and then raising the price it takes to process oil to glow 400% in the last seven years.
How about a greedy infomercials that have been playing over the last 10 years about buying homes, marking them up and selling them for profit, that turned buying a home into a business.

Just like in the 70s when the business came up with phony shortages, Do you remember the sudden the meat , the oil, the sugar , coffee and the milk shortages of the 70s that raise the price of goods that put us into a recession.

Next time to take this pole Jack put greedy businessmen on your list

Republicans and the people who voted them in. The middle class is too poor to be rich and too rich to be poor, so there is nothing available for us. I never understood why poor people would even vote Republican.

Jack, You know it's not good to lie. When you lie the first you will lie the second just to cover up the first, and probably the third for the second. that's the issue with the Clintins.

Jack, who else can we blame? We the people put Members of Congress into office. Members of Congress should be limited to one term in office, then vote in those with fresh new ideas. Let's face it, politicians are in the pockets of lobbyists and God only knows who else is padding their wallets. Lobbyists are a scourge on our government and should be abolished, and we the people should insist that eliminating these idiots be on the ballot. Let the people abolish lobbyists. End of story!

The responsibility lies with those in power, the government. The ultimate responsibility lies with those who put them there, the voters (and non-voters.) It's going to take all of us to fix this mess and excuses aren't going to do the job. Accountability, responsibility, educating oneself on the issues, and being participatory in our system would be a good start.

The house and senate...they haven't learned they have to work together and NOT FOR THEMSELVES AND PARTY...because without all the little drones...working middle class...to go out and really work for a living ...this country is going to go to chit...and they will all be out of a cushy job and big pension..and their stock won't be worth the paper it is printed on...unless it's printed in China.

Easy–The republicans and the Bush administration. They have just about bankrupted this country, owes billions to China for this outragious war and only care about their corporate buddies and not the middle class. When Obama is elected America will fell good about itself and if he's able to get some of his legislation through congress we will be better off and we may finally be able to say goodbye to greedy corporate abuse.

Of course we are all to blame. We keep electing these same people over and over and over again. Most of our elected officials are bought and paid for by the very same corporations that are ripping us off and sending our jobs overseas. If you look at the profits of the oil, pharmaceutical, and insurance companies, and then look at what they contribute to our political process, it's no wonder that we are all suffering. But we will vote for them again, no doubt. When was the last time you heard a politician use the words "Campaign finance reform" and "Term limits" in the same sentence.

Jack, here in Tennessee, I see a lack of jobs, especially, in the smaller counties. All the trade agreements have caused the manufacturing plants to close down leaving no major employer in the area. People are having to drive across 2 or 3 counties to get work and now gas prices...bad options to drive 100 miles a day to work and back for a job paying 8 dollars an hour. All the expenses added up don't leave much. I think that spells POVERTY LEVEL, not even LOW MIDDLE CLASS.

Jack the discoraged middleclass and whos too blame its the middle class. . You shop at Wal-Mart and the dollar store buy items made in China to save you money than wonder why people will not buy what you make. Bigger homes more toys inside/outside of them with smaller familys. The I got to have today I will pay for it latter.When did an hose become an investment not an assest?you vote for people that will tell you your better than anyone else in the world and not tell
you other places in the world are catching up and the most important the good times are done you are going to work harder and longer and pay more for less
john

Everyone who drank the Bush/Chaney kool-aid and that includes the media who never bothered to investigate what the administration was feeding them. By the way Jack, whatever happened to "investigative journalism"? I haven't seen any for a long, long, time.

The middle class is responsible for its own woes. We buy big houses we dont need, we shop at Walmart, we buy SUV's and drive fast to burn more gas, we dont take care of our veterans and leave them to live in the streets, we supported the war by 70% and now say we were hoodwinked, we dont take the time to find out who we are voting for and let the parties determine who is going to be the next politican, we pay too much for things we dont need. When do we learn that the American dream is a nightmare and we should live within our means and enjoy our blessings, it only comes around once and isn't good or bad, its life.

if we want to really take an honest look, every last one of us. this mess is not here simply because of greedy corporate leaders or crooked politicians. poor money management and living way beyond ones means are also to blame. the truth is that every one of us has a part in the mess that we face. government can't be expected to fix this. the solution will need to come from each american taking control of their finances.

We, the thick-headed, gullible, greedy citizens are to blame. We elected crooks and incompetents, let them scare us into a war that has beggared us and enriched them. Then we stood silent while all our jobs were outsourced to push up the Dow numbers and pay for outrageous bonuses for crooked CEO's. We bought houses we can't afford, cars we can't afford, and allow our offspring to demand every electronic toy that exists while failing to demand that that they learn to read and write. Sure, Reagan and Bush II are the prime instigators. But we, sat fat and dumb, believing them when they told us that America would benefit from corporate greed. Collectively,we are a disgrace to the men and women who gave their lives to found and defend this country.

All those who voted for Bush and his policies for 2 terms, the greedy CEOs who bleed their companies dry after they have destroyed them , Wall Street bankers who worship the almighty dollar along with this country's failure to pursue alternative fuels and cut our dependence on foreign oil.

Oh, and don't forget a "little" unfinished business we have going on in Iraq that bleeds us every day!

Jack,

This whole mess is 50% government, and 50% American's as a whole. The old saying, we are our own worst enemy stands true in alot of this; however there is nothing wrong with wanting to get ahead and improve your life style. The governments part is they allowed corporate American to ship jobs overseas, and the lending market to go hog wild and show their greedy teeth. They also stopped legislating and started bickering nearly 16 years ago and it has gone steadly down hill since.

This started with Reagan trickle down economics and Clinton's trade policies then Bush run the economy to the ground. Our corporate world exported jobs and imported products. People in China, India, Mexico and other poor countries will not buy American products because we are not paying them fair wages.

I was brought up by parents that tought us that we are responsible for ourselves and our decisions. Blaming others is a Clinton tactic and especially if it involves blaming the press. To answer your question, we are to blame for our own problems. Until we start working together to solve the issues that we face and put greed aside we will always find ourselves blaming others.

No question about it. The problem for the middle class has been the fat cat CEO's that control Bush. They are now going to experience the same problem. GE has already posted a loss for the first quarter of 2008. They have the misguided idea that they are safe because they are globalists. What they fail to recognize is that as the American economy goes so goes foreign economies. Everyone is feeding off the American taxpayer. When he can't pay anymore, they will suffer too. We are the biggest source of money for the whole world. The world feeds off of America and now the world is going to find out what these globalists have done to them.

I don't feel the need to blame anyone. Things Just happen. What looked like a good Idea yesterday turns out to be a Bad idea today in the light of new economic realities. The Housing crunch , for example, would not have panned out the way it did without the conscious decisions of both Individuals and corporations. We goofed. It happens.

Housing prices are falling and That's a good thing. If the market doesn't correct, what happens? Everyone who can't afford a House now may NEVER be able to afford a House. Do you want that? a Nation that can't afford a Place to live? Housing prices have Gone Up FAR too much, and The Market is correcting. and That is a Good thing in the Long run. I'm sorry if that doesn't suit everyone. Reality rarely does. Sometimes markets are Up. Sometimes they are down. It happens. It'll be ok. Just give it time.

Mike, From Staten Island, New York

I don't think Bush can be directly blamed for all the problems we are experiencing but consider this: The president and his administration set the tone for the whole country and affect the tone for the world. When there is an arrogant, ignorant and downright criminal president in office, the heads of corporations and many others who have a vast influence on our economy tend to behave in the same fashion as the government. We are seeing the results now and will continue to suffer for years to come regardless of who the nest president is.

Blame history, Jack. We're obviously doomed to repeat it.

Jack: It's as easy as ABC.

A foreign war we shouldn't have fought that we can't get out of.
Bad Government Decisions on Trade, Housing, etc.
Corporate Greed

Lou Dobbs would say there is a war on the middle class with the good jobs being outsourced to India, China, etc.. This is partly true, this administration has been allowing unfair trade in the name of free trade, but the middle class also buys the less costly goods from these countries. The huge expenditures on the Iraq war also play a part in this sucking money out of our fragile economy. The sub-prime loan fiasco is another part of this mess. People borrowing more than they should have from unscrupulous lenders all to eager to let them do that.

Government and the news media.

George Bush and the Republican party. The people are at fault. They do not save money. We are an an example of an imprudent government.

Jack,
The blame can be placed squarely on several sources. America's fickle political crowd and self-serving, white-collared beasts act as termites eating away at this country's foundation without regard for the bigger picture.

The rich and corporate america need to have their balls busted. the only thing they understand is money. take it away from them in the form of taxes if they dont give back to America and Americans. vote every frickin politician out of office. we have to take back our country now. bush and cheney need to have their asses beat off. get rid of lobbyist and impose term limits immediately, absolutely no ear marks pork barrel spending without full disclosure and transparency to the american people. the american people are going to have to force the federal government to do their jobs and enforce all the laws. we cannot sacrafice our socio, demographic and economic soverignity to continue to enrich the lifestyle of the aristocrats. we are really in for tough times if the american people dont stand up and draw a line.

straightly Jack, the MAFIA who runs the government will be blamed...

Its our fault Jack...............When you vote for Democrats and Republicans, we get what we deserve! Americans are too stupid to figure out that these two parties have been killing us for many years!