There is a group of Americans that suffers pervasive discrimination, although it is rarely acknowledged as such.

It must be stated first that most of the members of this group are God-fearing, law-abiding, common-sense citizens.

The members of this group have always done most of the jobs in the workplaces, bought most of the goods in the stores, done most of the killing and dying in the wars, and paid most of the taxes throughout the nation.

In spite of all this, no member of this group has ever been entrusted to hold any of the highest public or private offices of our nation, at least while still a member of the group. Undoubtedly as a consequence, the concerns of this group are all-too-often ignored or given "lip service": Encouraged to remain silent, passive, and un-united, the members of this group cannot compete with powerful special interests for the hearts and minds of the movers and shakers in virtually any sector of our society...

Who are these people -- what do they have in common? A racial heritage? A religious belief? A sexual identity? No -- the members of this group cross all such boundaries. To define them, one needs to dig down to what this society considers "the bottom line": I speak of those who by virtue of their sheer numbers bear the lion's share of our nation's economic-based discrimination.

I speak of the middle class.