Ohio’s middle class needs more than empty political rhetoric

Chelsea Kiene writes that Ohio families need policies that will help them join and thrive in the middle class rather than empty campaign rhetoric.

If there’s one segment of Americans whom politicians across the ideological spectrum love to talk about — especially the 2016 presidential hopefuls — it’s the middle class. Even in these days of hyper-partisanship, candidates of all stripes are fine-tuning their campaign rhetoric to appeal to working- and middle-class voters.

In the 14 months until the election, voters can expect a deluge of sharp one-liners and soaring speeches about how each candidate understands the struggles of hard-working families, and how he or she is most qualified to address the needs of the middle class. But while the candidates’ rhetoric may make for pithy sound bites, rhetoric alone is not enough to boost America’s — and especially Ohio’s — middle-class families.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Toledo Blade. Click here to view the full article.

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