What Middle Class?

Once upon a time,
Almost a decade ago--
America's population
Had 3 classes they fit into.

I'm not talking classes
Like the English aristocracy,
Or castes that don't associate
With each other like some countries.

The 3 classes I mention--
Were the rich, the middle class,
And the poor who barely make ends meet.
The rich are everywhere, flashing cash.

The middle class were families who
Worked 9-5 and/or graveyard shifts
To keep a roof over them, food on the table,
And clothes and education for their kids.

The poor lived in low cost housing,
Went to soup kitchens and food banks.
They looked for work--they didn't want charity,
Just freedom from violent gangs.

Lately though, the middle class
Has started to disappear--
The economy and jobs are a mess,
And the government acts like it doesn't hear.

Protests in different cities
Asking for better laws--
Are ignored for the most part, unless
The news media finds out and pins them to the wall.

There are still 3 groups in the USA,
The government, the rich, and the poor--
Which also includes the former middle class,
Even higher education they can't afford.

The middle class used to be
Our country's backbone--
Now everything is outsourced to foreign places,
Taking the livelihood from our own.