Book review: ‘White Working Class’ addresses middle class feeling of desertion

By LARRY BALLWAHN | Wilton

Joan William’s book “White Working Class” is a readable (134 clearly written pages) explanation of the current state of the real “middle class” in America. Subtitled “Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America,” she points out that the term middle class has been claimed by people making up to $200,000 or more annually. The income of the actual middle (53 percent) starts at $41,000 and has a medium income of $75,000 per year.

Though technically America doesn’t have a class system, it in fact does. A person working full time at $10 an hour grosses about $20,000 a year, usually without benefits. Two people working full time in that situation would make it $40,000, or almost at the so called middle class, though the lack of benefits makes that classification unlikely. With two people working in a family, it is very possible to be economically poor in terms of providing food, housing, healthcare and other basic needs. And then of course, there are the top 20 percent, the ones Williams refers to as the Professional Managerial Class (elites), those whose annual incomes are $150,000 and up, and the Truly Rich, who cite incomes beyond our comprehension (the 1 percent), except perhaps on their tax forms.

Why the title “White Working Class”? First if all, Williams uses “working class” to identify people whose work and work ethic leaves them neither rich nor poor. The “white” is to designate those who feel their needs not only aren’t being addressed, but aren’t even known by the professional-managerial class. From their point of view, when progressives talk about health insurance and other government programs, they are addressing them to the “poor,” with no consideration of working class needs. Government programs inadvertently set the “have nots” against the “have a littles.” If your income is just above the guideline, you don’t qualify for child care help or the supplemental food program or preschool or …. Resentment builds — maybe I’m working and that person supposedly doesn’t have to.

It is believed that President Trump was able to tap into this feeling of desertion. It remains to be seen whether his administration understands the situation well enough to meet the perceived needs.

In the meantime, Williams, clearly a progressive, suggests that the Democrats do their homework and find means to address the problem. Williams says of the working class, “Their dream is not to join the upper middle class, with its different culture, but to stay true to their own values in their own communities – just with more money.” They seek “jobs that sustain them in their vision of middle class life.”

Williams believes that the many ethnic factions that make up the progressive movement should include the white working class and they should all form a coalition. This could happen, according to Williams, if everyone was given the opportunity to participate.

“A coalition is like a family in two ways. It involves trading. If you get your way on this, I’ll get my way on that .… Secondly, we need to give one another some slack.”

We can agree to disagree in some areas without losing sight of our bigger goals and in the end, have a coalition that works.

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