[durasell]

A) Education is never wasted. For someone digging a ditch or mopping a floor knowing the definition of a prime number or the history of country probably won't help them dig a better ditch or mop a floor any cleaner, but it will make them a better citizen. And it will allow them to pass that knowledge on to their children who might not want to go into the ditch digging or floor mopping game.

B)We will always have an underclass, but if that underclass grows too large, then we have a problem. In Victorian England the underclass was called "the dangerous class" for a reason. Poverty breeds a whole host of unpleasant pathologies.

C)We will also probably always have a middleclass, but I suspect it won't look like the middleclass we have today. It will look more diverse, Asian, hispanic, etc. These will be second generation Ameicans will to work those 16 days and whose parents pushed them in a maniacal immigrant fashion to succeed. These are the people who still have faith in the "American Dream" and have no expectations of "entitlement" whatsoever. Living in NYC, I see these people in action every single day of my life. There are many, many NYC cab drivers working double-shifts six and seven days a week for years on end to pay for college educations. There are many deli owners who have a cot in the storeroom to sleep four and five hours a night before returning to work, so they can put a down payment down on a house in Jersey.

D)This is still America and the same people have always won: the rich, the brilliant and the clever who somehow manage to combine their talents with hard work.

[Aliska]

I hope you are right; I don't have a problem with it; I think you meant 16 hours a day.

I take exception with this:

There are many, many NYC cab drivers working double-shifts six and seven days a week for years on end to pay for college educations

Some people working too hard too long develop premature health problems which cost society. I've seen it.

[Gabz]

Living in NYC, I see these people in action every single day of my life. There are many, many NYC cab drivers working double-shifts six and seven days a week for years on end to pay for college educations. There are many deli owners who have a cot in the storeroom to sleep four and five hours a night before returning to work, so they can put a down payment down on a house in Jersey.

I can not agree with you more. I was born and raised in NYC (don't miss it a bit) and encountered many of the type people you are talking about.........in fact many of them were the parents of many of my friends and classmates.