Widely shared middle-class prosperity has made the United States the most hopeful and dynamic country on earch and is a foundation of a strong democracy.
Yet today, America’s middle class is in trouble: the traditional routes into the middle class have become more difficult to travel and security has eroded for those already in the middle class. Major economic and policy changes over the past three decades have widened economic inequality and reduced mobility in ways that go far beyond the impact of the recent recession. Too many people who play by the rules and do everything right find that they cannot climb into the middle class—or stay there. To meet this challenge, Millions to the Middle offers dramatic public policy initiatives to rebuild and grow the nation’s middle class.
We aim to accomplish two broad interrelated goals: to ensure that all Americans have a chance to move into the middle class and, second, to ensure greater security for those in the middle class. The 14 policies we offer are rooted in mainstream American values and able to command strong public support over the long term. Together, they go beyond the confines of the current policy debates and are of sufficient scale to firmly establish a middle-class America.
Our policy agenda is based on the three broad pillars of middle-class opportunity and security: investments in human capital and education; support for growth, job creation, and career development; and helping Americans build assets.