> [WS:] I am not sure FDR approach would work today. We have a very
> different social environment. For one thing, the bulk of the working
> class today consists of college educated professionals or
> para-professionals
Um, I don't think so. I saw some stats recently showing (maybe here) only around 25% of Americans have the piece of paper, which is no higher than it was 30 years ago. However, those people probably do actually vote more, so it would be fair to call them more of the electorate. The majority of US voters seldom vote, and the Republicans are passing laws to make it even tougher for low income and people of color to do so. They know this really helps them to carry the day.
I'm not sure the average "middle class" American necessarily finds things so peachy keen right now, either. The only people not really struggling right now are those who are securely upper middle class and higher; I think those are the people WS is talking about, and they are definitely a minority. The great majority of us who *think* of ourselves as "middle class" are one or two income families with workers making relatively lousy wages, compared to the cost of living.
Maria