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What's happening to the middle class?

Dittohead not!

Dittohead not!

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According to Investopedia, it's shrinking.






The Bottom Line
The middle class in the U.S., as defined by median household income, is shrinking, with some Americans moving up and others down. Compared with 11 Western European nations, the U.S. has the smallest percentage of population considered middle income and the largest percentages in both the lower- and upper-income categories. (See also: Why the American Middle Class Is Shrinking.)
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and the long term effects of a shrinking middle class:


Regardless of country, the decline of the middle class and the accompanying rise in income inequality, the Pew report noted, “present an adverse climate for economic growth. A relative decline in the incomes of lower- and middle-income families may create a drag on overall consumption in the economy, lead to excessive borrowing by these families or provide disincentives to invest in education.”
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The 1% and the pet Congress in their pockets is what has happened to the middle class.
 
Dittohead not! said:
According to Investopedia, it's shrinking.







and the long term effects of a shrinking middle class:
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This has been underway for some time, imo. What’s going to happen when the consumers can’t afford things any longer?
 
Be nice if America elected a leader who actually supported the Middle Class for once and not 1% Joe or game show billionaire Trump.

Bernie Sanders' policies are the most pro-growth of any candidate since he would eliminate the robbery of America's middle class by the banks, the insurance and the drug companies.
 
Dittohead not! said:
According to Investopedia, it's shrinking.









and the long term effects of a shrinking middle class:
Click to expand...
Yep. Educate your kids well, and prepare them for what they're up against.

If they chose a working-man's trade rather than an educated profession (I use this term in the classical sense with no denigration towards tradesmen), make them aware of the labor competition they will be up against, and caution them that if they chose that route they should do it with the idea they become an owner rather than an employee.

Otherwise, hit the books kid & go to where the money is! We're becoming a society of "haves and have nots", and you can do a lot more for your family and those around you by positioning yourself to be in the "haves" category; that way, you have something to share to do some good in the world. The greatest gift in life is to be a "giver". But first, you have to have something to give!

My kids knew about our real-world living expenses since they started high school, by my showing them real numbers from our own lives and others around me. After determining monthly expenses required for various lifestyles & living situations, we examined the pay scales for occupations and careers they were interested in. It was eye-opening for them. One of the best moves I ever made.
 
Dittohead not! said:
According to Investopedia, it's shrinking.









and the long term effects of a shrinking middle class:
Click to expand...

This was written in 2003.
I doubt that the REAL "Hannah Arendt" really was the author but it's still definitely worth a careful read, as little to nothing has changed except the ferocity of the plan's application.

CLEAR CUTTING THE MIDDLE CLASS

The first stage of this financial rocket, the lower class, was burned
out and jettisoned under Reagan in the early 80s recession and the first
wave of overseas job flight. The second stage of the rocket, the
non-professional middle-class, was thrown overboard in the early 90s,
when the defense industries contracted after the end of communism.

At that time large chunks of the middle class wound up working at fast food
joints, losing medical insurance, and being priced out of the housing
market and college tuition. We are now witnessing third stage
separation, where the innovative economy run by the highly educated
class is no longer needed.
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No **** its shrinking, that's what happens when you let Greedy companies who suck every last bit of profit for their CEOs and shareholders run the country. They own teh politicians. They now own the courts thanks to republican hack justices put into power. They continue to rob the treasury while they dupe conservative idiots to hate and blame everybody else but the rich scum they worship


Rexedgar said:
This has been underway for some time, imo. What’s going to happen when the consumers can’t afford things any longer?
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Why would they care, they already have more money than know what to do with for multiple generations. They will be OK, that's all these greedy scum care about

Winston said:
Be nice if America elected a leader who actually supported the Middle Class for once and not 1% Joe or game show billionaire Trump.

Bernie Sanders' policies are the most pro-growth of any candidate since he would eliminate the robbery of America's middle class by the banks, the insurance and the drug companies.
Click to expand...

Yup, and the fact the media is so obviously trying to have him not be the nominee, once again, should get everybody on board with Bernie. Who has been fighting this for decades.

Maybe if we could somehow get one half of the country to pull their heads out of Fox new's ass, they will realize Republicans are royally ****ing them. ANd probably laughing at all the idiots they have cheering for them while they are ****ing them
 
Sampson Simpson said:
No **** its shrinking, that's what happens when you let Greedy companies who suck every last bit of profit for their CEOs and shareholders run the country. They own teh politicians. They now own the courts thanks to republican hack justices put into power. They continue to rob the treasury while they dupe conservative idiots to hate and blame everybody else but the rich scum they worship




Why would they care, they already have more money than know what to do with for multiple generations. They will be OK, that's all these greedy scum care about



Yup, and the fact the media is so obviously trying to have him not be the nominee, once again, should get everybody on board with Bernie. Who has been fighting this for decades.

Maybe if we could somehow get one half of the country to pull their heads out of Fox new's ass, they will realize Republicans are royally ****ing them. ANd probably laughing at all the idiots they have cheering for them while they are ****ing them
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Conservatives vote Republican largely because of culture war stuff. As long as the GOP keeps up the outrage, "Your way of life" is under attack from the gays and the muslims you'll never persuade them. My opinion anyway.
 
Winston said:
Conservatives vote Republican largely because of culture war stuff. As long as the GOP keeps up the outrage, "Your way of life" is under attack from the gays and the muslims you'll never persuade them. My opinion anyway.
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It's unreal, they should be on our side instead of worshiping the rich and making excuses for them. Or blaming illegals, the most absurd scapegoating.

The rich's heads should be in guillotines if the right would join in going after trhe real enemy, the rich, powerful and corrupt that are robbing this country blind and selling out the country for a profit.
 
I did a thread on this awhile back based on a pew research article. There are people falling into the lower class and people rising into the upper class. The biggest indicator over whether someone will end up in the lower or upper class is whether they've been to college.
What is really happening to the middle class

Now obviously, somebody has to do the lower class jobs. If everyone had college degrees, it would no longer be an indicator. What I'm saying is that you shouldn't expect to become a millionaire if you dropped out of high school. If you want to become wealthy, go to college.
 
Masterhawk said:
I did a thread on this awhile back based on a pew research article. There are people falling into the lower class and people rising into the upper class. The biggest indicator over whether someone will end up in the lower or upper class is whether they've been to college.
What is really happening to the middle class

Now obviously, somebody has to do the lower class jobs. If everyone had college degrees, it would no longer be an indicator. What I'm saying is that you shouldn't expect to become a millionaire if you dropped out of high school. If you want to become wealthy, go to college.
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A lot of entrepreneur billionaires dropped out of college. It's the spark, not the degree, that does it. For that matter, you can make more going into HVAC that you can from graduating from many colleges.
 
Chomsky said:
Yep. Educate your kids well, and prepare them for what they're up against.

If they chose a working-man's trade rather than an educated profession (I use this term in the classical sense with no denigration towards tradesmen), make them aware of the labor competition they will be up against, and caution them that if they chose that route they should do it with the idea they become an owner rather than an employee.

Otherwise, hit the books kid & go to where the money is! We're becoming a society of "haves and have nots", and you can do a lot more for your family and those around you by positioning yourself to be in the "haves" category; that way, you have something to share to do some good in the world. The greatest gift in life is to be a "giver". But first, you have to have something to give!

My kids knew about our real-world living expenses since they started high school, by my showing them real numbers from our own lives and others around me. After determining monthly expenses required for various lifestyles & living situations, we examined the pay scales for occupations and careers they were interested in. It was eye-opening for them. One of the best moves I ever made.
Click to expand...

We have a lot of parents who don’t have the education to help their children with homework, etc. many speak English as a second language, but poorly. Also many parents who work unskilled jobs work odd hours, work hard and are not engaged at home. Also, being a single parent is cool now, that is a challenge from the get go.

We will have an unlimited supply of have nots because we act like they are a national treasure and invite them in.
 
JacksinPA said:
A lot of entrepreneur billionaires dropped out of college. It's the spark, not the degree, that does it. For that matter, you can make more going into HVAC that you can from graduating from many colleges.
Click to expand...

There are many good paying jobs that one can get without having a college. Heck truck drivers can make over $100,000/year. There are people who work as linemen for power companies with nothing more than a high school diploma who can make that much as well. Regarding college most college graduates get jobs that had little to nothing to do with their degree. I mean does someone really need to sit in college classes for four years to sell insurance?
 
Sampson Simpson said:
No **** its shrinking, that's what happens when you let Greedy companies who suck every last bit of profit for their CEOs and shareholders run the country. They own teh politicians. They now own the courts thanks to republican hack justices put into power. They continue to rob the treasury while they dupe conservative idiots to hate and blame everybody else but the rich scum they worship




Why would they care, they already have more money than know what to do with for multiple generations. They will be OK, that's all these greedy scum care about



Yup, and the fact the media is so obviously trying to have him not be the nominee, once again, should get everybody on board with Bernie. Who has been fighting this for decades.

Maybe if we could somehow get one half of the country to pull their heads out of Fox new's ass, they will realize Republicans are royally ****ing them. ANd probably laughing at all the idiots they have cheering for them while they are ****ing them
Click to expand...

It is shrinking because more members of the middle class are moving into the upper class
 
JacksinPA said:
A lot of entrepreneur billionaires dropped out of college. It's the spark, not the degree, that does it. For that matter, you can make more going into HVAC that you can from graduating from many colleges.
Click to expand...

It is true that some college dropouts later became billionaires and that some occupations which don't require a college degree pay well. However, college degrees remain the biggest indicator over whether someone will rise into the upper class or fall into the lower class.
 
Dittohead, the overwhelming majority of both USA's low and middle-income persons are employees, retirees, or those receiving benefits as surviving family members of such persons, or dependents of all these afore mentioned persons.

Due to employers’ wage differential practices, the minimum wage rate’s effects upon USA’s lowest earning 40 percentile of employees’ wage rates, range from a critical to a substantial portion of their jobs’ wage rates.

Minimum wage’s insufficient purchasing power is detrimental to the purchasing power of the median rate. Our middle-income bracket’s economy cannot be robust, if our minimum wage rate’s purchasing power’s poor.
Respectfully, Supposn
I'm Supposn said:
H.R. 582, “Raise the wage act” is a good bill, but opponents of the bill will refrain from mentioning the minimum hourly rate will not be $15 until 7th year after the bill's passage.
In the likely case that it's not passed through and added to our federal statutes, I urge U.S. Congressional members to continue striving and pass a bill that would increase the minimum wage rate by 12.5% of its purchasing power until it attains 125% of its February-1968 purchasing power. Thereafter the rate should be monitored and annually adjusted to retain that purchasing power. …
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grip said:
What middle class? You've got the impoverished, working poor and affluent $100K+ professionals.
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The middle class is just on the endangered species list. It's not extinct yet.
 
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