Liberals and class

[opebo]

The oldest, and perhaps still the most compelling, of these concerns is class. In the vision of the left, we are born, live, and die in a particular class -- unless, of course, we give power to the left to change all that.

I don't think liberalism makes any claim of altering the class system, merely facing it and emeliorating its worst effects.  One cannot eliminate the class heirarchy of capitalism without actually eliminating capitalism.

[opebo]

heirarchy

Have you become a Bakuninist?

I couldn't say, as I am not familiar with them.  However anyone can see the heirarchy around us in everyday life.

[opebo]

If this is a class-ridden society denying "access" to upward mobility to those at the bottom, why is it that immigrants can come here at the bottom and then rise to the top?

This is a non sequitur. Many immigrants who "rise to the top" are well-educated: more so than many Americans.

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Also, many immigrants who appear to 'rise to the top' were in fact from the top of their own societies, and brought capital with them or had access to the borrowing of capital from other upper-class family members.  Of course as Emsworth pointed out above the educational level of successful immigrants is typically very high - another indication they came from the upper class in their own countries.

[opebo]

Philip, I agree with you 1000% that liberalism is part of the problem, not the solution.

Liberal programs have enabled destructive behavior, such as out-of-wedlock childbearing, that contribute to the perpetuation of poverty, crime, etc.  All these factors come together in a deadly vortex to trap people into the cycle of poverty.

Blaming the victim.