How original: more economic growth, the solution to everything; never mind that economic growth requires material growth--population growth or glut. The planet and its resources meanwhile cannot grow.
Are all economists from the planet Ceteris Paribus?

"How our political leaders respond to this challenge of downward mobility will define the future of our Republic."

In case you haven't noticed, it's the politicians who are causing it.

The author's dream that the people can be made richer by the state taking from A and giving to B, not forgetting to gouge a (big) slice for itself, is what caused the problem he's trying to solve with more of the same.

The left are perpetually caught in cleft stick, on the one hand coveting the wealth that capitalism brings, on the other hand they can't bring themselves to stop hating human freedom, and calling for policies of capital destructionism, which is all the author has done. He simple ignores the costs to be sacrificed for his proposals, and dreams that that he can make society richer by forced distributions.

Squeers
And your specific policy alternative is what?

Since, according to you, "the planet" can't support economic growth, and since you have no doubt had more than your fair share of economic growth already, being
a) Australian
b) older than the world's average, and
c) having 6 kids,
are you proposing to stop consuming the fruits of the productive activity you despise and condemn?

No? Thought not. Just more marxoid hypocrisy from the woolly-brain squarkers.

Jardine, not that it bothers me, but why the personal insults?

Do you actually believe to know the perfect answers in this complex world?

I am sure GY and OLO would appreciate your fool proof commentary or galaxy events, so please give us an essay about how the perfect society would be achieved, or give us an example of it ever being achieved in your version of events?

Something tells me you are also full of bs, but you love slagging off that you know best.

I would love to meet you in person. What is your real name and profession, so we can have a fair dinkum debate face to face

I am with Chris Lewis and Squeers on this one. Jardine needs to get with reality.
The U.S. and Australia have got to the present state because people have become too acquisitive. As a consequence we are using up our resources at an unsustainable rate. We expect the state to provide and we have overlooked that in the end we all should be paying for it. Governments of both persuasions are both trying to reduce taxes. The end result of this will be continual running down of our infrastructure and increasingly large budget deficits.

The balloon has burst. There is no way we are going to claw our was back to the unsustainable days of the pre GFC era. Just be thankful that for a while we had it good. From now on we are entering the winter of our discontent.

With jardine, who I do hope now offers an essay to match his confidence, I can't believe he gets away with constant bagging of individuals.

Like I said, does not bother me, but his collective summary of any comment associated with govt is very, very silly.

Also, a commitment to an ideal society means jackshit. One needs to explain how such an ideal could be achieved in line with realities.

As most of us will admit, it is very hard.

Except of course, Jardine, OLO's masterful critic.

Jardine declare your real name and produce a piece for OLO of how Aust can be improved. I will respond, and the readers can judge both versions.

Apropos the author's title, he should look up his terms. The middle class isn't turning proletariat (mores the pity), but lumpenproletariat.