Letters to Pete: “The middle class…is disappearing.”
By Barb S., IL
Every day, Pete Buttigieg receives letters from Americans who believe we need a new approach to solve our nation’s biggest challenges. This is one of them. The following letter is transcribed as it was received on September 25, 2019.
Dear Mr. Buttigieg,
The middle class, the backbone of our society and economy, is disappearing.
My budget is being consumed by health care costs, education expenses, and other bills. My husband and I have worked very hard for the last 25 years to provide a good life for our boys. My husband is 55 years old and he has been through several lay-offs over the years, which always have a tremendous negative effect on our finances.
He has been an excellent provider for our family, but we do not live a lavish life. It’s comfortable, but not without great worry. We have a little savings for retirement, but not nearly enough. We can’t absorb a surprise bill more than a few hundred dollars without dipping into our retirement savings. We are struggling to pay a mortgage on a house that is worth less than we bought it for in 2007, we have tens of thousands of dollars in loans for our oldest son’s college bills, and our youngest son may not even be able to go to college because there is nothing left for him.
My biggest worry of all is our healthcare system. I have a couple of chronic health conditions that require regular monitoring and medication.
We didn’t plan it this way. We thought we were making good decisions, but we have just kept falling farther behind. The American dream that we have been promised does not exist. We will never own our home. We will never be able to retire with any semblance of security.
What I do know, is that you and your campaign are offering real solutions to the very real problems that the vast majority of Americans face every day. I am hopeful that you can inspire millions of Americans to challenge the establishment with your integrity, honesty, experience, and optimism. We need some of that right now, because the world is looking pretty dark today.
I truly feel that we are still some of the more fortunate ones. I am sick to think of all the families who have less than we do, and no matter how hard we all work and save and sacrifice, it will never be enough. I beg you, please keep going. We don’t have much time left until it’s impossible to recover.
Regards,
Barb S.
Families across the country deserve higher incomes, lower costs, and a brighter future for their children. To learn about Pete’s vision for the economy, read his plan.
