Synopses & Reviews
Former U.S. congressman Steve Gunderson grew up in a tightly knit middle-class family in a community where people cherished values, civic duty, and the American Dream. But these communities all across America have moved from an age of progress to an era of survival as they seek to navigate new economic challenges. Today, many fear the disappearance of the middle class, and wonder whether they will provide a better life for their kids and grandkids.
In The New Middle Class, Gunderson explores the factors that caused the decline of America’s economic center and how we can build a middle class that is equipped for the realities of a twenty-first-century global economy. If we believe that a viable middle class is a critical part of a market-based democracy, this mission is of critical importance.
Gunderson’s blueprint begins with a public and private sector commitment to substantial economic growth and investment in education. Calling for a new Middle Class Compact, he argues that the best core values of both political parties can enable Americans of all backgrounds to achieve real jobs and decent incomes. Higher incomes in turn lead to financial security—the true definition of wealth and the hallmark of a strong middle class.
The challenge before this deeply divided nation is a big one, but The New Middle Class maps out the road ahead with abundant insight and optimism. There is no doubt that we can extend to future generations the opportunities, values, and benefits of the American Dream.
Synopsis
An inspirational look at how we can build a new middle class in America—through bipartisan cooperation, a focus on lifelong learning, and the opportunity and wages that ultimately lead to wealth
How we got here. Steve Gunderson, a former U.S. congressman from Wisconsin, begins the book with an informative look at how America’s middle class grew in the post-WWII boom and became a vital part of our nation’s cultural and economic fabric. He then examines the specific causes of its decline in the 1980s and explains how the Great Recession only recently unmasked the depth of the damage that has been ongoing for decades.
A vision for a new middle class. In the book’s second part, Gunderson lays out a three-part solution for creating a diverse new middle class—one that shares the values of the twentieth-century middle class but is equipped for the realities of a global economy. The path Gunderson lays out for our country’s middle class rests on the power of education—whether traditional or nontraditional—the importance of building a growth economy, and the need for income security.
An experienced, highly visible author. Steve Gunderson grew up in a solidly middle-class family in Pleasantville, Wisconsin. After serving eight terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, he spent nine years as a strategic planning consultant focused on the jobs revolution. He currently applies his passion for workforce education as president and CEO of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, and speaks frequently to audiences around the country, from Harvard University to the Brookings Institution
About the Author
Steve Gunderson is the current president and CEO of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities and the former president and CEO of the Council on Foundations.. He began his political career in the Wisconsin State Assembly, where he served from 1975 to 1979, and was then elected to represent the state’s Third Congressional District in Congress. During his sixteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gunderson was recognized for leadership on education, employment policy, and human rights issues.
After deciding not to seek reelection in 1996, Gunderson spent nine years as a strategic planning consultant focused on the jobs revolution. He currently applies his passion for workforce education as president and CEO of the APSCU and speaks frequently to audiences around the country.