As the hot July sun converges with the afternoon ocean breeze on Atlantic Avenue the combination of sweat, remnants of seawater, the party gift of sand and suntan lotion work to stick your skin to the hot black pleather of your Mom’s Pontiac Grand Prix. The car sits in traffic waiting to take us over the causeway to our destination. Home. Your sister puts on the radio and turns the dial to WABC-77. Martha and the Vandellas are belting out “Dancing in the Street”.
‘Summer's here and the time is right
For dancing in the street”
emanates from the dashboard and infiltrates the sweet summer air.
‘They're dancing in Chicago (dancing in the street)
Down in New Orleans (dancing in the street)
In New York City (dancing in the street)’
It’s 1964.
American consumer spending power is at its’ peak. (As long as you are a white male).
According to the distinguished economic historian Stuart Bruchey who wrote The Wealth of a Nation: An Economic History of the United States, consumer spending power was developed as a response to the economic expansion that developed post Great Depression /WWII from 1950-1959 and lasted until around 1970.
Today the income inequality gap is at an all time high pushing the middle class purchasing power to record lows, sights unseen since the 1930’s and pitting middle class against lower class citizens.
It was that Shining City on A Hill. Wait… no that was Ronald Reagan’s message as he dismantled government, one of the two pillars, along with business that he undercut and only succeeded in increasing the income inequality gap.
Joe Biden’s efforts in combining his Infrastructure bill with his 10year Build Back Better Act would provide free community college, child care and universal pre K, Medicare expansion and extend child tax credits; it would bolster paid family and medical leave and cut prescription drug prices and battle climate change providing good green jobs.
It’s to benefit the Silent Majority. no wait.. that was Nixon’s line as he garnered the support of 17% of the U.S. population in the 1968 vote.
To pay for this President Biden would chisel away at the runaway expansion the top 1%ers enjoy in welfare giveaways to the rich.
If successful we would rejuvenate the purchasing power of a beaten down middle class, and at the same time give hope and support to a downtrodden lower class. Who would benefit the most? The richer class would be reaping the benefits of a soaring economic engine instead of fighting for scraps. A rising tide raises all boats.
As we strive for this endeavor the Democrats failure is a messaging, framing and communicating problem. It’s the Republicans who fight this effort tooth and nail who come up with the great slogans, the sensible arguments, the power to touch the people who would benefit. Their methods are misleading, duplicitous, mendacious and sooo effective. When it comes to messaging and communicating the Democrats framing is as strong as a dandelion turned gray and facing a Nor’easter.
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin', swayin' and records playing
And dancing in the street
Basically all we have to communicate to the nation is pass our programs, they will Make America Great Again. Wait….