"There is a social compact here – that both groups need to look out for each other. It will be impossible for that younger, browner generation to provide for their elders if they don't have the education and economic ability to generate a growing economy." The increasing use of vouchers to enable people to opt-out of the public education system and the row over the Obama health care reforms, Mr Simmons added, were both examples of where the ethnic and socio-economic battle for America is already being joined.