Is Middle Class Becoming Obsolete?
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. A quick check at the "A.M. Rundown" and stories that we'll be covering for you in the next 15 minutes. A big fight in Washington. The fight over pork barrel spending now targeting a drug agency and the effort to make its name sound like one of your favorite television shows. Here's the hint -- the music that you just heard is by the band that does the theme song for the shows. Now the charge that's flying to try to put lipstick on pork, we'll break it all down for you. Plus, it's that time again. Who's the "Wingnut of the Week"? Our independent analyst John Avlon joins us. And he's the guy to root for. Calvin Burrell has a shot at winning the Triple Crown as a jockey. We are live at Belmont. And, you know, he's so successful. Maybe the horses should ride him.</s>COSTELLO: That would be interesting. But he's pretty amazing. That will be interesting to see what happens. It's time for "Just Saying" -- this special segment because you know...</s>ROBERTS: I love this "Just Saying."</s>COSTELLO: We like to present an issue for you to talk about, to debate online on our blog. And this week, it's about the middle class. Because despite American giants, GM and Chrysler now off the road and shuttering dozens of plants, President Obama insists our children will grow up in an America that still makes things, but "Just Saying." Talk to blue-collar workers, and they'll tell you manufacturing jobs will soon be a thing of the past, and so will they.</s>COSTELLO (voice-over): Danny Borden makes things. At least he used to. He was a steelworker in Cleveland for the past 32 years.</s>DANNY BORDEN, UNEMPLOYED STEELWORKER: Well, Obama, if you're looking at CNN -- help the steel mills too, man.</s>COSTELLO: It's a plea he knows well. Laid off more than once, he has a feeling this time he won't be going back to work.</s>BORDEN: Angry. I'm very angry, you know. But I just can't let the anger get to me.</s>COSTELLO: But that's tough because Borden feels he's not only lost his job but his economic status.</s>BORDEN: I don't see no middle class. I've seen myself as fortunate, but I really don't see myself as middle class.</s>COSTELLO: Just saying -- is Borden right? Is the middle class extinct?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what you have is a real fear. The manufacturing jobs that have traditionally been here, everyone knows they're not going to be there anymore.</s>COSTELLO: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 1980, 21 percent of the nation's jobs were in manufacturing, the bulk of good paying middle class jobs. Today, just nine percent of jobs are in manufacturing. And as some economists say that puts the middle class in a massive economic black hole.</s>LARRY MISHEL, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: You have to start creating jobs. And we have to work on creating good jobs, you know, for people so that they can start earning good family paychecks and increase their consumption based on that.</s>COSTELLO: But Borden doesn't see that happening in Cleveland. He doesn't see a guy like him finding a job that would enable him to buy a car, a home, and raise two college-bound kids.</s>BORDEN: I hear everybody talking about -- where are they at. They're not up here.</s>COSTELLO: He hears about green jobs replacing manufacturing jobs one day, but they pay around 12 bucks an hour, 60 percent less than what someone like Borden would make at the plant.</s>COSTELLO: And critics say, "Hey, Danny Borden, it's time to move on. The world is changing." But consider this -- according to the Census Bureau, 72 percent of Americans don't have a college degree. Seventy-two percent don't. Some economists think that will change one day, but not for a long time. So, the challenge for President Obama is how to create jobs that pay enough to keep the middle class in the middle class. We want to know what you feel about this. Do you think that the middle class is becoming extinct, or do you think it already is extinct? Please write into our blog CNN.com/AMFix. And you can twitter us too.</s>ROBERTS: Yes.</s>COSTELLO: Or tweet us.</s>ROBERTS: And if you want to send a comment, just go to CNN.com/AMFix. It's all there, easy to do. "Just Saying."</s>COSTELLO: "Just Saying."</s>ROBERTS: Love that.</s>COSTELLO: I want to know what you're "Just Saying" this morning.</s>ROBERTS: I love our "Just Saying" segments. I also love our "Wingnut of the Week" segments. Who will be bestowed the crown of the "Wingnut" this morning? Stay tuned. We'll tell you. John Avlon is coming up in just a little while. It's 24 1/2 minutes after the hour.