Yes, we did have a very large blue collar middle class at one time in this country. People who worked hard, paid taxes, obeyed the law, spent their money in America, sent their children to college (themselves). Then NAFTA. So many white collar intellectuals thought it was wonderful. Some thought we should get rid of all that 'nasty' manufacturing. Some just because they felt so superior to anyone who got their hands dirty. Some gloated because they thought it would destroy the unions.
Now we have all those things accomplished. If we go to war in a big way, we will have to 'depend on the kindness of strangers' for critical goods. I doubt we could even make enough uniforms for our military.
We are older, but we too, are getting ready to get out of the rat race. At the end of two years, we hope to have a small piece of land in another state and just enough income to have a good life, and raise some good healthy food for our grandchildren.