{"id":4602,"date":"2021-08-19T16:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americancompass.beckandstone.com\/?p=4602"},"modified":"2023-08-23T10:52:05","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T14:52:05","slug":"the-edgerton-essays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/the-edgerton-essays\/","title":{"rendered":"The Edgerton Essays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section id=\"collection-block_02b6d173e27ee256e1335b0c1c8fa66a\" class=\"collection-block\">\n\t<header class=\"collection-block__header\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__header-box\">\n\t\t\t\t<h5 class=\"collection-block__title\">COLLECTION \u2022 AUGUST 19, 2021<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"collection-block__subtitle\">The Edgerton Essays<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__description\">Perspectives from the Working Class\r\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"container collection-block__content\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__posts\">\n\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOren Cass\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/introducing-the-edgerton-essays\/\">Introducing the Edgerton Essays<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>The goal of these essays is to help inform policymakers and pundits about what matters most and why to the vast majority of Americans who have no day-to-day connection to our political debates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChris Arnade\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/edgerton-foreword\/\">Foreword to the Edgerton Essays<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>People want to be heard, especially people who are rarely heard. And most Americans are rarely heard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVictor Davis Hanson\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/a-quiet-destruction\/\">A Quiet Destruction<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>The problem is not that government is doing too much or too little, but rather that it is utterly failing in those key tasks that must rightfully be its focus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__h4 collection-block__subcategory-title\">Family<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMary Thompson\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/the-relationships-that-dont-fit-on-a-spreadsheet-edgerton\/\">The Relationships That Don&#8217;t Fit on a Spreadsheet<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>There is no price tag that could be placed on those cherished times. Do our nation\u2019s think tanks consider those moments when devising policy?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRobin Taylor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/on-family-policy-proceed-with-great-caution\/\">On Family Policy, Proceed with Great Caution<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>The new American Compass \u201cHome Building\u201d blueprint on policies for buttressing the American family was thrilling to read, and it reminded me of the earnestness and passion of me and my friends 35 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHannah Ketcham\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/making-it-easier-to-make-ends-meet\/\">Making It Easier to Make Ends Meet<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>6 a.m. is much too early for this tired mama. But nonetheless, I hear that little pitter-patter of onesie-covered feet coming down the hall into our room. With a soft \u201cMom, can I have a banana?\u201d my day begins, whether I\u2019m ready for it or not.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBianca Labrador\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/family-policy-should-include-caring-for-maternal-health\/\">\u201cFamily Policy\u201d Should Include Caring for Maternal Health<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Lots of people have been talking about \u201cfamily policy.\u201d Let\u2019s not forget that family policy starts with mothers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeChell Roache-Johnson\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/enabling-families-to-support-each-other\/\">Enabling Families to Support Each Other<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>We need politicians to put families first and focus on taking care of us when hardship strikes, rather than taking care of those who are already doing just fine. Government should be about strengthening families to support each other.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__h4 collection-block__subcategory-title\">Community<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAngel Bernard\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/do-they-even-know-edgerton\/\">Do They Even Know Who They Represent?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>It would be nice if politicians did their job and represented us. Half the time I don\u2019t even know if they know the first thing about the places they claim to represent, much less the people who live here. What is the point of having a democracy if nobody will listen to you?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGuy Stickney\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/dont-talk-to-us-like-were-idiots\/\">Don&#8217;t Talk to Us Like We&#8217;re Idiots<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>There\u2019s an easy way to tell when politicians think we\u2019re idiots. They\u00a0have this way of dancing around the answer when they are asked a question, when even\u00a0a simple \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d would do the trick.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSheila Wilkinson\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/what-i-wish-our-politicians-knew\/\">What I Wish Our Politicians Knew<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>When politicians inflame the passions that divide us, it might lead to a boost in the polls, but it leaves us feeling more and more frustrated with our friends, our neighbors, and even our own family members.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNancy Merical\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/social-security-was-supposed-to-be-secure\/\">Social Security Was Supposed to Be Secure<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>I thought Social Security was supposed to be secure. But we often are warned that the dollars allocated for this purpose are running out. Why are politicians so eager to spend money on everything but maintaining this contract?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDorothy Ramsey\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/does-anyone-notice-fail\/\">Does Anyone in Power Notice When Government Services Fail?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Take a deep breath and hold it for ten seconds. Imagine doing that over and over again, 31,536,000 times, not knowing where your children were. That&#8217;s ten years\u2014or as long as my daughter was separated from her two disabled sons after their non-custodial father abducted them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__h4 collection-block__subcategory-title\">Work<\/h5>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRuby Nicole Day\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/covids-toll-on-the-american-dream\/\">COVID&#8217;s Toll on the American Dream<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>The American Dream\u2014people have hung on to those three little words for decades, passed them down for generations. But it\u2019s hard to see how we can believe in the dream right now.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGord Magill\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/how-essential-are-the-email-job-caste\/\">How Essential Are the &#8216;Email Job&#8217; Caste?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Those HR and other middle management types make &#8220;busy work&#8221; for themselves, though it is darkly ironic that the \u201cbusyness\u201d in which they are engaged often results in making my work more difficult and time-consuming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKelly Nicole\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/policies-failing-working-moms\/\">Our Policies Are Failing Working Mothers<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>I love being a mother more than anything\u2014I just wish there were better options to make it more achievable for working women who dream of having their own babies someday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeter Martuneac\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/a-dream-achieved-through-mere-luck-edgerton\/\">A Dream Achieved\u2014Through Mere Luck<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>My American Dream feels stolen, like I purchased it with the blood of brothers and enemies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSasha Burns\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/when-work-doesnt-seem-to-pay\/\">When Work Doesn&#8217;t Seem to Pay<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>If you talk to anyone in poverty, you\u2019ll probably hear a story like mine. We aren\u2019t afraid to work hard, we just want to know there\u2019s a reward at the end of the journey.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKim Quillen\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/when-student-loans-pay-for-nothing-but-palm-trees\/\">When Student Loans Pay for Nothing but Palm Trees<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>What we gave our children (and paid dearly for) was a mountain of debt and no job opportunities to be had. So much for the American Dream.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJeffery McNeil\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/american-dream-isnt-dead\/\">The American Dream Isn&#8217;t Dead, It&#8217;s Just Misunderstood<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>In order to fulfill your dreams, you must aspire to be what you desire. That is the American Dream, to me. And I think some people don\u2019t understand what fulfilling that American Dream can take. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJoshua Clemmons\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/where-do-parents-go-when-public-schools-go-woke\/\">Where Do Parents Go When Public Schools Go \u2018Woke\u2019?<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Parents who live their lives according to religious principles should be able to find a school in which they are welcomed, not attacked or undermined.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEthel Hunter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/moving-beyond-surviving-to-thriving\/\">Moving Beyond Surviving to Thriving<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>I fear we live in a world where we assume people don\u2019t want better for themselves or are simply taking advantage of resources due to lack of motivation. That couldn\u2019t be further from the truth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKelly Liddington\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/conservation-farming-and-the-wisdom-of-our-elders\/\">Conservation, Farming, and the Wisdom of Our Elders<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Without careful management, large-scale farming might ignore our responsibility to pass on this earth better than we found it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKendra Holten\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/not-every-family-wants-a-big-yard\/\">Not Every Family Wants a Big Yard<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>Striving for \u201cself-sufficiency\u201d through a typical single-family house can mean ignoring the blessings that life in a community can bring and can lead to feeling alone or isolated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPatrick T. Brown\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"collection-block__post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/edgerton-conclusion\/\">Conclusion to the Edgerton Essays<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__post-description\"><p>These essays captured the unfiltered thoughts of working-class Americans in all their complicated diversity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__wrapper-card\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__card\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__card-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"collection-block__card-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Overview<\/h5>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4606 size-medium alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/EdgertonCollection_Final21024_1-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/EdgertonCollection_Final21024_1-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/americancompass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/EdgertonCollection_Final21024_1.jpg 683w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s public square is too often closed to those without a narrow set of credentials. Politicians and pundits in Washington are consumed with ideological battles far removed from the day-to-day concerns of American workers and their families, and often seem incapable of even understanding them. Our policy debates are poorer for it, our policymakers less informed, and our fellow citizens excluded.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>Edgerton Essays<\/strong>\u00a0are a joint project of American Compass and the Ethics and Public Policy Center, featuring\u00a0working-class Americans sharing their perspectives on what they wish policymakers knew about the challenges facing their families and communities. The goal of the essays goal is to help inform policymakers and pundits about what matters most and why to the vast majority of Americans who have no day-to-day connection to our political debates, focusing especially on those who have not earned a college degree.<\/p>\n<p>The Edgerton Essays are named for Norman Rockwell\u2019s famous 1943 painting, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrm.org\/2012\/01\/norman-rockwells-four-freedoms\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Freedom of Speech<\/a>.\u201d Rockwell depicted Jim Edgerton, a farmer in their small town, rising to speak and being\u00a0respectfully listened to by his neighbors. That respectful, democratic spirit is too often missing today, and what we\u2019re hoping to cultivate with this series.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"end\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"read-more\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button type=\"button\">Read More<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"collection-block__card-file\" href=\"https:\/\/americancompass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/EdgertonCollection_Final2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Download the Full Collection (PDF)<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Perspectives from the Working Class<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":5219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19,214,193,280,287],"tags":[29],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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