analyst at the economic growth program at the new america foundation and in new york we cross to richard esko he is a blogger writer and a former wall street executive all right gentlemen crosstalk rules in effect that means you can jump in anytime you want but first let's look at the tale of a middle class. has long been the pride and joy of rich western countries but today this is rapidly changing the middle class is in danger under pressure for decades and assaulted during the great recession the middle class is shrinking and there is little evidence this will be reversed and you time so long term unemployment in the current economy is the worst really the worst it's been in the post-war period currently something like forty five percent of all the unemployed have been unemployed for six months or longer the world is fundamentally changing and already the wealthy are getting even welfare money and power are rapidly becoming concentrated at the top and the big global corporations are earning more than ever before for example sixty six percent of the income growth between two thousand and on