The New York Times can't allow the American people to feel good about anything with President Bush in the White House. Despite the fact that the average 401k is growing at a nice clip, unemployment is at an historic low and the service and IT sectors are roaring, we as a nation are in horrible shape:

Clearly influenced by some of their most successful candidates in last year's Congressional elections, Democrats are talking more and more about the anemic growth in American wages and the negative effects of trade and a globalized economy on American jobs and communities. They deplore what they call a growing gap between the middle class, which is struggling to adjust to a changing job market, and the affluent elites who have prospered in the new economy. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York, calls it "trickle-down economics without the trickle."

It's funny that a woman whose husband introduced most of the policies that have opened up trade barriers is now condemning them. NAFTA, most favored nation status for China, etc. The piece mentions that the party establishment is trying to get away from the policies instituted by the most successful politician the party's had in a generation. Makes sense to me.

It's amusing that we have "affluent elites" like Hillary Clinton and John Edwards telling us what is good for the middle class. When was the last time either one of these people stopped at the local 7-11 and bought a gallon of milk or a dozen eggs?

The Times reports that this is the tack the Democrats will use in 2008 -- class warfare. In essence, they will drive a wedge between the average American and those who've struggled and built a business that allows them to live comfortably. Why don't they just use the slogan "we're dividers, not uniters" and be done with it.

The economy right now is rolling along, interest rates have remained low and inflation is in check. In fact, the main issue hurting consumers are food prices that have risen dramatically because environmentalists force ethanol on us and corn that was used in foods is now being diverted to ethanol plants. Overall however, it's a good economy and people know it despite what the elites in the Times ivory tower say.