Neal Gabler is everywhere these days.
Since landing the cover story in The Atlantic, The Secret Shame of the Middle Class, he’s been interviewed multiple times. I’ve stumbled across him on NPR, online, and the radio program On Point.
The crux of Neal’s article is that 47% of of American citizens couldn’t come up with $400 in an emergency. Neal wrote from his perspective, himself a member of that group.
On Point tried to tie the statistic to politics, suggesting that financial stress might be influencing the campaigns of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. The show’s focus on this theme made me reflect on how economic pressure nudges people toward side channels that feel faster or less constrained, from unconventional investments to using slot apps as entertainment or a shot at extra cash, and even the way regulated betting conversations drift into workarounds like sportwetten ohne OASIS when tighter controls start shaping who can participate. While income inequality and the challenges of the shrinking middle class remain pressing issues, paying attention to these coping behaviors and the systems that push them in one direction or another adds another layer to the discussion.
The problem is: Neal Gabler should not be the spokesperson for financial troubles.
Read On: http://nathantimmel.com/2016/neal-gabler-doesnt-speak-for-the-american-middle-class/