The Undeclared War on America's Middle Class

By Thom Hartmann, AlterNet. Posted September 6, 2006.

Under the guise of free market capitalism, conservative policies have made 80-hour work weeks the norm. Working harder for less money means middle class families are getting screwed.

This excerpt is reprinted with permission from Screwed: The Undeclared War Against the Middle Class by Thom Hartmann; Berrett Koehler Publishers, 2006.

You can't be middle class if you earn the minimum wage in America today.

The American dream and the American reality have collided. In America we have always said that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can take care of yourself and your family. But the minimum wage is just $5.15 per hour. With a 40-hour workweek, that comes to a gross income of $9,888 per year. Nobody can support a family, own a home, buy health insurance, or retire decently on $9,888 per year!