Oh My Beloved Country

Amongst the novel objects that attracted my attention during my stay in the United States, nothing struck me more forcibly than the general equality of condition among the people. I readily discovered the prodigious influence which this primary fact exercises on the whole of society; it gives a peculiar direction to public opinion, and peculiar tenor to the laws; it imparts new maxims to the governing authorities, and peculiar habits to the governed.

Alexis De Tocqueville, 1835.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, which publishes general information on all the countries of the world, the long term economic problems facing the U.S. are, ". . . inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups." Stagnation is an understatement. The real incomes of the "lower income groups" have not increased at all in the past three decades!!! This is the richest country in the world, and 20% of its population has seen absolutely no economic growth in 30 years!!! In fact, almost all of the gains in real income have gone to the top 20% of income earners. The vast majority of the population has been shut out of the Dow's inimitable rise.

According to De Tocqueville, it was the "equality of condition" that Americans generally shared, which made this country such a wonderfully unusual place. However, if current trends continue, will this country continue to be peculiarly great? What will inequality of condition bring?

The problem is education. Blue collar work, and the middle class earnings it used to bring, will never be plentiful in this country again. The jobs that are going to be there tomorrow require a good education. Some people in this country are going to be prepared for tomorrow's jobs, but those already at the bottom are not likely to be among them. The education system in this country does not work for them for reasons too numerous to name. It needs to be fixed though. It will take one hell of an effort to do it, and many people will not be willing to make the sacrifices to ensure our continued excellence. But if the education system is not fixed, De Tocqueville's words of awe and wonder at the odd glory of our nation will be but a faint reminder of what we once were and failed to be again.