Yes, the middle class is dying all over the developed world, partly because our traditional manufacturing sector has moved most of the jobs to either Asia (mainly China) or to Mexico. That leaves little for North Americans to do other than push paper, tap on computer keys, and work service jobs....

And partly because of the fraudulent mortgage bubble that was created by utterly dishonest people on Wall Street and in major lending institions...

And partly because incredible amounts of money are being spent on unnecessary and unjustified wars in the Middle East...rather than using that money for social infrastructure and civilian interests back home.

Who did this change benefit? Well, it benefited the military-industrial sector in the USA. It benefited the Pentagon and the CIA. It benefited the oil companies and other major corporations...and their CEOs. It benefited the politicians (both Democrats and Republicans) who are in collusion with all of the above...which is why they bailed out the crooks who caused the financial crash in 2008.

If the middle class could elect some people who really represent them, this wouldn't have happened. But they can't. They are not offered any candidates who really represent them, although that's not what they're told at election time, needless to say. They are just offered a bunch of phony promises and befuddled by a bunch of divide-and-conquer propaganda to make them fight with each other over which representatives of the Elite they cast their vote for. That's how you run an Oligarchy while pretending you have a democracy.