Letter: Economy looks bad for the working class

Friday, Sept. 15, 2006 | 7:31 a.m.

The commentaries in Sunday's Las Vegas Sun really hit the mark in several areas. The one that struck the most sympathetic chord with me was written by Paul Krugman, a columnist for The New York Times. It addressed the issue of the inequality in the nation's economy.

We hear out of the White House about the booming economy, but Mr. Krugman brought into focus the growing inequality between the haves and the have-nots. Instead of the irrelevant statistics and a lot of grand rhetoric used to support the image of the "Bush Boom," Mr. Krugman has brought the numbers into terms relating to the average worker struggling to make ends meet.

I just wish that the elected officials in Washington, who always seem to find time to vote themselves a raise, would take a hard look at what has happened in terms of real income to the working class in America. The rich applauded the bonanza they got from President Bush's tax cut. Meanwhile, the working stiff was still trying to figure out how to make his mortgage payment and feed his family.

Bush, in his braggadocio way, talks about more home ownership, but take the time to view the statistic that shows the rising number of home foreclosures.

Ray Harbert, Las Vegas