[lbo-talk] What's the Matter With Kansas? Nothing

Carl Remick carlremick at hotmail.com
Sun Jul 10 16:48:29 PDT 2005



>From: mike larkin <mike_larkin2001 at yahoo.com>
>
>"ECONOMIC POPULISM....So what's the matter with
>Kansas? Brad Plumer answers: nothing, really. ...
>
>As evidence, Brad links to a Steve Rose essay that
>hauls out a bunch of statistics:
>
> *
>
> Only about 11% of Americans qualify for safety
>net programs (aside from retirement programs).
>
> *
>
> Another 12% have incomes just above the cutoff
>for safety net programs.

Hmm, I think that says more about the lack of safety nets than about Americans' lack of need for safety nets.


> The number of good jobs has increased a lot in
>the past 50 years. Today, only 34% of male workers and
>10% percent of female workers are part of the
>traditional "industrial proletariat."
>
>http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2005_07/006689.php

Yep, what with the rise of the service economy, loss of job security, increased temp work, more outplacement, greater income volatility, extinction of health insurance and defined-benefit pensions plans, etc. -- workers are now in the nontraditional, post-industrial proletariat.

Carl



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