Los Angeles Times reporter Peter G. Gosselin has spent the last year examining an American paradox: Why so many families report being financially less secure even as the nation has grown more prosperous. The answer lies in a quarter-century-long shift of economic risks from the broad shoulders of business and government to the backs of working families. Safety nets that once protected Americans from economic turbulence — safeguards like unemployment compensation and employer loyalty — have eroded or vanished. Familes are more vulnerable to sudden shifts in the economy than any time since the Great Depression. The result is a daunting “New Deal” for many working Americans — one that compels them to cope, largely on their own, with financial forces far beyond their control.
As Kevin Drum says,
So do it: click the link. Believe me, this story is well worth the 20 or 30 minutes it takes to read, and if there’s any justice you’ll be seeing this series on a list of Pulitzer nominees in a few months. It’s what print journalism was born to do.
Go read. And if you have a blog yourself, pass it along.