(Opinion) Pew research center poll: the america you never hear about

According to a poll carried out by the pew research center, 32 percent of adults of voting age identify themselves as ’lower class’ marked by a great increase in all age and race groups except black people[1]. People in this class seem to be waning in confidence of the American dream as they cite an increased need to ‘cut back spending’ and  only 51 percent believe that ‘hard work bring success’[2].

The fact that there is an marked increase in people who identify themselves as members of the lower class also has political implications as there has been big increase among independents and democrats who , but the most profound increase is among those who are republicans, who experienced a 10 jump[3]

However what is really profound is that the two major political parties have gone out their way not to recognise this voter bloc. While such an omission may be expected by republicans who have long been considered as the party of the rich, it is not so readily accepted by the democratic party, the self -claimed party of the ‘little guy’.

From the Clinton era onwards, the Democratic Party has made it a point to market itself to the middle class rejecting a growing working class/lower class demographic that is pessimistic about America’s future to say the least. The most revealing findings in the poll was the increase in young people between the ages of  18-29 who consider themselves lower class  from from 25 percent in 2008 to 39 percent in 2012[4].

This represents a major blow to one of the most reiterated values in American life;   future generations should have it better than their predecessors. If the Romney campaign had any competence they would come up with ads in record time targeted in swing states where Obama currently has the edge  citing these findings  running into the continued theme of the campaign  asking Americans if they are better off than they were four years from now.

But knowing this campaign, they have so far never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The Romney campaign managed to turn what should have been an week of easy press into a comedy of errors by insulting Britain during the Olympics and Palestinians while in Israel. They have failed to answer calls of democrats to release his tax return as democrats have successfully framed Mitt Romney as a cold blooded capitalist in a climate where one could be burned at the steak.

In sum, the recent findings serve as further proof of a truth that is becoming self-evident; the American dream is in trouble and it going to take longer than four years to keep it alive.

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[1] R. Morin and S. Motel, 2012, A Third of American Now Say They Are in the Lower Classes, http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/09/10/a-third-of-americans-now-say-they-are-in-the-lower-classes/

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid