The Cost of Class: Time, Dignity, and the Government We Built

Frogmore Stew · Sep 17, 2026 · 19m

What does class really cost when government systems consume our time, test our patience, and make dignity feel conditional? We look at how bureaucracy, paperwork, long waits, and administrative complexity place a heavier burden on working and middle-class Americans, turning time itself into an unequal expense. From frustrating encounters with the IRS to the way public benefits are designed, we examine how government dysfunction can reinforce class divisions and shape the way we experience citizenship. We also ask what a more effective, humane government could look like if public services were…