A DeKline In Eagan

While John Kline is busy supporting the Bu$h administration and promoting it's failed policies resulting in a endless war, record U.S. deficits, and an erosion in American civil rights, the voters he represents in Minnesota have continue to suffer and deklined economically.

ThisWeek Eagan had an article on Eagan's food shelf seeing a spike in need. Like most food banks, they have seen a steady increase in usage since the GOP administration has been in power. But posted on John Kline website's front page is: "...Minnesota counties and it shows that Minnesota’s economy continues to grow", however the facts tell another story for his area:

• A county study that shows 57% increase in the number of residences living below the poverty line since 2000.
• A 70% in the number of residences seeking public assistance from 2000.

In the very community that is home to many of the GOP leadership (Governor Tim Pawlenty, State Auditor Pat 'Awada' Anderson, and MDE blogger Michael Brodkorb), we're seeing a disgraceful American phenomena that has been unfolding since 2000:

"Middle-class neighborhoods, long regarded as incubators for the American dream, are losing ground in cities across the country, shrinking at more than twice the rate of the middle class itself."

In Minnesota, the well established GOP policy for shifting the tax burden away from businesses has added to the declining middle class . We continue to see under Kline inflation outpacing gains in average hourly earnings, reducing middle class buying power. U.S. Department of Labor May 2006 data shows Average Hourly Earnings (AHE) increased 0.01 percent, however, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increased 0.40 percent.

Kline's lack of leadership has led to a dekline for Minnesota's middle class in the Second Congressional District, just as GOP policies have lead to the overall economic dekline for Ameica. Minnesota deserves better than Kline or his policy of 'the rich get richer, but the middle class grows poor.'