HAVE-MORES AND HAVE-LESSES by Barlett and Steele
http://www. Barlettandsteele.com/journalism/inq_dream_1
What is the middle class and how long has it been in existence?
Are the arguments of Barlett and Steele convincing? What evidence do they give that the govt. and big business are in league to keep the status quo?
Who is responsible for this two-class society? Who ARE these people?
The winners say that if you are not part of the New America, YOU are to blame—lack of education, lack of computer skills, retrain yourself. There is NO lifetime employment anymore, ,let alone job perks, benefits. Who’s to blame?
What are the products of the interactions between market forces and government policies?
How does Michael Rothbaum of Harwood Industries justify his lifestyle compared to his former worker, DRLENE Speer of 13 years at $9/hr?
How does the ostensible reason for closing Harwood in the US work with the bottom-line mentality of global business?
Who REALLY benefits: Consumers? Workers? CEOs? Shareholders?
Discuss the short- term result of Harwood’s rationale vs the long-term result.
What are the incentives for corporations to move out of the US and not come back?
What are the connections between US consumers and US businesses?
What are “social contracts” between employer and employees? Do they even exist today?
How I the American Dream defined in this essay and how does it contrast to “Ragged Dick,” “Serving in Florida,” and “Horatio Alger?”