Today News Journal
    What's Hot

    Is Loughton A Good Choice For Raising A Family?

    January 31, 2023

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Today News Journal
    Contact Us
    • Home
    • Trending
    • Business
    • Health
    • Technology
      • Automobile
      • Gadgets
      • Mobiles
      • Robotics
    • Lifestyle
      • Culture
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Editorials
    • News
      • Politics
    Today News Journal
    Home » Culture » Third World America by Arianna Huffington, Current Affairs Book – Middle Class USA Economic Meltdown
    Culture

    Third World America by Arianna Huffington, Current Affairs Book – Middle Class USA Economic Meltdown

    James MartinBy James MartinMarch 6, 2022No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Arianna Huffington, founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, the sixth most popular online news source, details the state of the nation’s middle class. Her new book is entitled, “Third World America: How Our Politicians are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream.” Read her perspective and see if you agree.

    Third World America presents in five sections, where Chapter One echoes the book’s title. It’s replete with stories and statistics highlighting the decline of America’s middle class. How do you define “middle class?” It resorts to self-definition says Huffington. “If you consider yourself middle class, you are middle class.”

    The nation’s vanishing industrial base, eroding educational system and decaying infrastructure, are decline contributors; as is high unemployment, where one in six Americans is either out of work or underemployed. Meet Dean B., who, at age 35, was laid off from his IT job in February 2009 and is still jobless. Kimberly B. sold her wedding ring on Craigslist to pay her family’s utility bills.

    Huffington further explores the plight of the middle class, citing fear as a predominant emotion. Obliterated 401(k) s, dwindling pensions, prolific foreclosures, and hints of future Social Security collapse; feed the anxieties. Many now believe that achieving middle class is luck of the draw, not unlike a prize on a scratch-off lottery ticket.

    America’s infrastructure is unraveling, Huffington declares, with insufficient remedial state and federal funding. Highways, electrical grids, waterways, railroads, and bridges, are a few of the casualties. Some water pipes, originally laid during the Civil War, are perilously operating.

    Think August 2007, when the Interstate 35W steel truss bridge over the Mississippi River, in downtown Minneapolis collapsed; killing 13 people and injuring 145. Previous patchwork repairs proved insufficient.

    The nation’s school system is anemic, where the US ranks twenty-fifth in math and twenty-first in science among thirty developed countries; as ranked by the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development. In 2009, America’s broadband connection ranked fifteenth among industrialized countries.

    Middle class America’s downslide has been decades in the making. In the late 1980s, technology, outsourcing, and the loss of manufacturing jobs initiated a sputtering middle class economy with stagnant wages.

    Ronald Regan’s election saw the proliferation of free market beliefs: less governmental intervention could best determine society’s winners and losers. Regan also ushered in the era of great divide between wealthy Americans and the middle class; which continues today.

    Huffington says that an unregulated free market is sooner or later corrupted by fraud and excess. Witness the bank bailouts and Wall Street debacle of 2008.

    American politics is broken, as powerful lobbyists and corporate America rule Washington. In 2010, three examples of regulatory failures due to corporate coddling, were the explosion at the Upper Branch mine in West Virginia; the BP oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico; and the ongoing aftershock of the financial collapse, including fraud charges against Goldman Sachs. The voice of the middle class is but an echo in the Capitol chambers.

    Huffington writes animated analogies to make her points. When discussing influential lobbyists, she says, “And like a swarm of termites reducing a house to sawdust, moneyed interests and their lobbyists are making a meal out of the foundations of our democracy.”

    Each chapter concludes with a profile of a once successful middle class American, who is now economically struggling. Their stories offer gems of twenty-first century insight, including “Stability is long gone, so you better be doing something you love!”

    Third World America’s title is extreme, Huffington admits, used to emphasize our nation’s possible future, without serious reform. She concludes optimistically, that our descent into a Third World nation “isn’t a done deal.”

    Americans are known for being positive, forward-looking people with a can-do attitude. Stopping the descent to a Third World nation won’t be easy. It will take daring initiatives from the private and public sectors and personal responsibility. Now, more than ever, we must mine the most underutilized leadership resource available to us: ourselves. We’ll still need the raw power that only big government and appropriations can deliver.

    Ultimately, change happens on a local and personal level. Today it’s up to us to help each other and ourselves. She advocates breaking up with your big bank. Executives took the governmental bailout, paid themselves record bonuses; yet are unsympathetic to those Americans facing foreclosure. Work instead with community banks and credit unions. The greatest antidote to despair is action; and resiliency is key to survive and thrive in the twenty-first century.

    Huffington mirrors Robert B. Reich’s message, told in his concurrently released book, Aftershock: The NextEconomy And America’s Future. Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, also endorses Third World America.

    One book, presents one voice. Although some will argue Huffington’s perspective, Third World America is a thought-provoking read on the present and future state of the nation.

    To stay updated on Huffington’s Third World America viewpoint, visit, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/third-world-america/



    Source by Timothy Zaun

    Related posts:

    1. Current Affairs: The Next American Economy by William Holstein Technology Clusters and Ecosystems
    2. 3 Books on Current Affairs to Read If You Love Politics
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous Article3 Books on Current Affairs to Read If You Love Politics
    Next Article Journal Review in Current Events and World Affairs
    James Martin
    • Website

    Related Posts

    Bitcoin Brokers – Understand the Benefits of CryptoCurrency Trading

    January 25, 2023

    3 Strong Grounds for the World of Digital Currency – Cryptocurrency

    January 24, 2023

    The Best Bitcoin Trading Platforms

    January 24, 2023

    Learn About the Bitcoin Trading

    January 24, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Search
    Categories
    • Automobile
    • Business
    • Coronavirus
    • Culture
    • Editorials
    • Finance
    • Gadgets
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Mobiles
    • Money
    • News
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • World
    Latest Posts

    Is Loughton A Good Choice For Raising A Family?

    January 31, 2023

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023

    Pediatricians are giving out free gun locks to approach the gun violence epidemic as a public health crisis

    January 25, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Don't Miss
    Business

    Is Loughton A Good Choice For Raising A Family?

    By James MartinJanuary 31, 20230

    Loughton is a town in England that has become popular amongst expats from different corners…

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023

    Pediatricians are giving out free gun locks to approach the gun violence epidemic as a public health crisis

    January 25, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    About Us

    Hello friends, I am James Martin. Welcome to my blog todaynewsjournal.com. We are a team of experienced journalists who are passionate about delivering the latest news and current events to our readers. Our editorial team is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. We aim to be your go-to source for news and current events. Here on this site, You will get up to date information regarding all important categories like business ideas, health tips,... (Read More)

    Latest News

    Is Loughton A Good Choice For Raising A Family?

    January 31, 2023

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023
    SIGN UP NEWSLETTER

    Join The Conversation sign up to receive emails for The Daily special tips general info.

      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorials
      • Get In Touch

      Copyright © 2021-2023 · Today News Journal Privacy Policy

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?