A big news story in the Los Angeles Times last week was an exposé (a news report of something surprising or shocking) about the leader of the California assembly, the committee that makes the state’s laws. The reporter wrote that this assembly person, Fabian Nuñez, used money from donors for very high cost things, including very expensive trips to Spain and France, and very high-priced items for himself and gifts for other people.
A politician using public money for luxuries (expensive things) is clearly wrong, but what also angered many readers was this quote from Nuñez:
“There’s not too big a difference,” he said, “between how I live and how most middle-class people live.”
The middle class in the U.S. include those who are professionals, very skilled laborers, and people in low- or middle-level management who supervise workers. Most people would say that Nuñez’s lifestyle seems more upper class than middle class. People seem to be as annoyed or irritated by his claim to be middle class as his misuse of public money!
~ Lucy
What he said sounds an insult to the middle class in America, no matter how he qualifies his life style: the fact is that most middle-class Americans do not indulge themselves with the public funds. It is amazing how some poeple — among whom politicians have a large share — would sometimes twist the logic to satisfy their arguments.
As for the definition of the middle-class in America, I always wonder if the criteria remain constant across the entire nation or relative to the region. For instance, does a middle class family in Indiana mean the same or similar life style in, say, California? I would be very interested in hearing the others in this community share their thoughs on the middle-class of both America and their native countries.
The quote is very fun:)
I don’t know all article, but I think from quote his life style is like very rich people.
In Korea where I am living now, some(or many?) public officials also overuse their power and public money like article, but they don’t receive heavy punishment.
Dear Jeff & Lucy
Always thank you for your great works.
My english is not good yet, but your works have improved my english.
Thank you very much:)
According to a recent article in the Russian version of SmartMoney, you’ve got to make at least about 500 000$ a year to belong to middle class in Moscow. So we just don’t have middle class here, but only a hanful of wealthy people.
This man not represents Middle Class, He represents Corrupt Class, which is more popular in our countries
According to all your comments,i think that happens in every country around the world and in france too;there is now here something with the big european aireplane company named EADS which is not very clean ;id some high managers have sold their stock options before everybody actually is being told that importants delays will occured in the production of the plane A380.That’s another example here of increasing the differences between people 🙂
Jacky, est-ce que tu est francais?
Anton,oui je suis français et habite à proximité de Paris;et toi de quel pays es tu ?:)
Jacky,
Moi, je suis de la Russie et habite a proximite de notre capitale, Moscou. Enchante. 🙂
Je n’ai pas des signes speciales pour “e” et “a” sur mon clavier. Je demande pardon!
Anton,
Many thanks for your reply;after reading your comments I found out that you are from Russia
So I also understand you have a good practise of french language even without the accentuation
Did you learn french at school ?Are you using it for work?
I will be happy to chat with you again, cheers
Jacky, I’m also happy to meet with someone from beautiful France. At the time being I don’t have a direct need to study french(for work or at university), I’m doing it just to my pleasure but I’m sure some day it will be helpful. I really like the language and find it beautiful even though it’s harder than english it’s more similar to russian.
I would be happy to chat again too. Je voudrais parler francais un peau et te demander plusiuers questions simples. 🙂 My e-mail is rozanovanton@gmail.com, if you like the idea.