More notable mileposts in the decline of the US middle class have occurred in the past couple of days: announcements that health insurance deductions might be eliminated for businesses, thus throwing all the US into an uninsured status (I guess we are supposed to save the $25,000 required for a routine operation), and the elimination of the state and local income tax deduction.
Something like 40% of the US is already uninsured, so the elimination of employer health insurance without bringing in some kind of single payer government health insurance will directly affect the middle class. As I've noted before, the poor are already wrung out. This will remove money from the middle class and transfer it to the rich.
Same for the elimination of the tax deduction for local and state taxes. This is a significant savings for those paying such taxes - and it is guaranteed. If the money went instead into investments, it simply wouldn't generate the same amount of cash.
Both of these measures will increase the wealth of the richest Americans.
Apparently Bush supporters will allow themselves to be impoverished without complaint. The US will continue to decline in power and influence.