Surprise: Elizabeth Warren Can’t Define What the Phrase “Middle Class” Means

Townhall.com ^ | January 5, 2013 | Daniel Doherty

[Kaslin]

President Obama -- along with many of the liberal Democrats in Congress -- originally defined “the rich” as couples making more than $250,000 a year. They were very specific and emphatic about how this group of taxpayers needs to pay their “fair share.” Yet, when one of the Senate’s newest -- and one of the most liberal -- members was asked to define what income groups comprise the “middle class,” she simply couldn’t do it.

How remarkable:

Elizabeth Warren Can't Define What Middle Class Is

"It’s not a numbers issue. I know you would expect a very wonky answer from me…When we strengthen education, when we make it possible for kids to go to college, then we strengthen America’s middle class, and that doesn’t mean a dollar figure.”

Professor Warren’s campaign was in large part based on serving and protecting the interests of the middle class -- and now she can’t (or more likely won't) identify who they are? Absolutely stunning. Kudos to the reporter, too, for pressing her to give an answer, even though she wouldn’t budge.

In addition, I don’t think the interviewer was looking at all for a “very wonky” answer. She simply wanted a general idea of which income groups the Senator believes constitute the “middle class.” Perhaps couples making less than $450,000 a year, I wonder? The fact that Warren could not -- or would not -- answer this simple yet straightforward question is telling in and of itself, and can’t be described as anything other than “a dodge.” And while I don’t see anything inherently wrong with failing to answer the question per se, it’s disconcerting that this self-appointed “warrior for the American middle class" can’t even offer a vague definition of who she’s attempting to protect.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Ms. Warren’s definition of “middle class” is as tenuous as her claim to Native American ancestry.

[adgirl]

Al Franken stole the election. There was a lot of voter fraud going on. Minnesotans are generally not very bright when it comes to politics, but seriously, even we have a limit.

[RightLady]

Liberals also can’t define the words “fair share” and what percentage of income of the rich should be their fair share. Nothing will be a fair share of the rich unless the gov’t takes 100% of their income.

[Kaslin]

See my tagline

[jmacusa]

The ‘’rich’’ Obama speaks of is anyone with a job.

[bunkerhill7]

"Middle class" is a term borrowed from England- has no place belonging in America- a made-up phrase for a non existent social entity

Webster-1887 "Middle Class"- In England, people who have an intermediate position between the nobility or leisured class and the working class."

[Theodore R.]

To Warren’s way of thinking, there are only two classes. The communist elite and everyone else (the unwashed masses) that they rule over

So true of the citizens of socialist MA.

[PapaBear3625]

The original descriptions were something like:

1) Working class: if you work for someone else for a paycheck, then you're working class.

2) Middle class was defined as doctors, lawyers, small business owners, and senior management of large corporations, and those of similar income -- people with some degree of independence.

3) The wealthy were those who could maintain an opulent lifestyle off of the income from their investments.