A number of prominent Keynesian economists have suggested recently that the major problem with our current economy is that policies and events have resulted in a greatly weakened economic middle class. Specifically, what they have said is that working people are hurting economically to the point where they can no longer afford to buy the products that middle class folks used to purchase in the past. As a result, consumer spending is way lower that it used to be, and this is dragging the entire economy down.

1. Do you agree that this has happened?

2. What policies should the government pursue in order to help the middle class if this is the case?

3. What could be done to improve the economic lives of middle class Americans? Or, do you think that this explanation of the situation is incorrect?