1420 The good news and the bad news

The good news is "the economic well being of the American family has never been better," [today's WSJ] and the bad news is I don't think the Bush administration has a clue on how to say this or what to do with it [my personal opinion based on years as a Democrat]. As I've commented many times here at Collecting My Thoughts the toughest thing to get used to about being a Republican is how they keep hiding their light under a bushel and dash out and start tipping windmills that don't matter.

Stephen Moore, on the Wall St. Journal board of editors, writes today that "when taking into account all forms of benefits that workers now receive, compensation to workers is about 27% higher in real terms than 25 years ago. The average hourly wage is $18.00+, counting benefits it's almost $26.00 an hour. The left will cry out stagnant wages even though the median family income is now $52,600. Total compensation is up 7.5% but wages only 4% since 2000. Frankly, I was the kind of worker who would have preferred a higher wage so I could purchase my own perks in the open market, but I think those days are over since the trend started right after WWII, and we won't reverse something that's 60 years old. Workers now get all sorts of tuition reimbursement, long term care insurance, telecommuting options, and even adoption assistance. Hardly fringe by anyone's definition. It's the whole window dressing plus the view.

Nowadays, Mr. Moore points out, the workers also own the store, with 52% of Americans owning stock thanks to 401(k)s and IRAs. And guess what? The Bush tax cuts increased the take home pay of the poorer workers. We can expect virulent attacks from the left because this good economic news--much of it since 2000--means their little base is shrinking. If poverty shrinks, so does their power. And now if NCLB would actually show long term results with more children making it through a school system deeply flawed, their public employee unions might go the route of labor unions.

Immediately after the November elections, news about the bad economy disappeared from the main stream media. You occasionally still hear people saying things like, "well, in this economy," even though Americans have never had it better.

How can the economy get better? "William Galston, once an assistant to President Clinton, put the matter simply. To avoid poverty, do three things: finish high school, marry before having a child, and produce the child after you are 20 years old. Only 8% of people who do all three will be poor; of those who fail to do them, 79% will be poor." OpinionJournal Thus I think you will see the left continue to encourage single parenthood, larger welfare stipends and disparage marriage. A good economy weakens their base.