A Question Not of Elitism But of Empathy

Much of the mudslinging this presidential year centers on which candidate best understands the financial issues of the working class.

The question boils down to this: Which of the two candidates, Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama, is an elitist and therefore out of touch with common folks struggling to pay their bills, buy or keep a home, and send their children to college?

Whoever occupies the White House will set tax and other domestic policies that could help lift us out of our economic funk or push people further into a financial hole.

But I'm tired of this debate about elitism. It's a bogus battle because both candidates are U.S. senators who, by virtue of their position, perks and privilege, are automatically elevated to a higher status.

It's important, however, to have a president who can sympathize with the less fortunate because an economic recovery is still off in the distance.

Although recent figures suggest that the economy is showing some slow growth, fears of a recession still loom and consumer bankruptcy filings increased 29 percent for the first half of this year compared with the corresponding period a year ago.

"We expect this trend to continue through the end of the year, with cases surging past 1 million by year-end," said Samuel J. Gerdano, executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute.

The economy has lost jobs for seven straight months, the longest stretch since a slump ending May 2002, reports the Center for American Progress. "Not only are people losing jobs, but those with jobs are increasingly likely to have their hours reduced to part time," said David Madland, director of the American Worker Project at the center's Action Fund.

A report released this summer by the Center for Economic and Policy Research found that because of eroding home values, the vast majority of Americans have accumulated little or no wealth.

"This extraordinary destruction of wealth will have tremendous implications for millions of families," said Dean Baker, who co-authored the report, "The Impact of the Housing Crash on Family Wealth."

New data just released by the Census Bureau showed that there were 37.3 million people living in poverty in 2007, up from 36.5 million in 2006. The number of seniors 65 and older living in poverty increased to 3.6 million in 2007 from 3.4 million in 2006. For children younger, the number in poverty climbed, as well, to 13.3 million in 2007 from 12.8 million in 2006.

We need a president who is willing to push for programs, legislation and reforms to lift people out of poverty and stabilize the financial lives of the middle class.