Fire consultants, hire New Hampshire residents

Even after my years of political activism and study, I haven't find a better messenger of Robert Reich's message than the man from Berlin, NH whom I heard this morning on NPR. He was reacting to the demolition of the smokestacks at the Burgess Pulp Mill, formerly the nexus of Berlin's economy.

"A lot of people may be happy that these smokestacks are coming down, but it used to be that those were the good jobs in town. You worked there, you made good money. Nowadays, we all work at Wal Mart or some other job that just doesn't pay as well."

I'm not looking to bring back the good old days of manufacturing, Cleveland origins aside. But that guy, in New Hampshire , articulated so succinctly the challenge that middle class now faces, since industry has been replaced by service jobs, which are devalued, underpaid, and underinsured. Nothing new under the sun, but way more impactful to hear it first-hand rather than theorized in a classroom or conference panel. Edwards (or whichever Democrat is smart enough to move fast) should tote him around to every house party north of Manchester.