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Sixty-two percent of jobs don't support middle-class life after accounting for cost of living

The cost of living variance within a single state can be profound. Go look up some real estate prices in Pasco, Washington, and see what comparable homes in Seattle would cost.

WA St is barely blue. Many elections are nearly 50-50 red/blue. But it's Seattle that makes it blue.
 
It most certainly is.

It is MUCH harder to "succeed" now than it was when I was a kid.

It always took work and sacrifice. But it definitely takes more to achieve the same level today.

I call BS. What did you prepare to do for a job or trade or career in high school? Is that what you are doing now? What are you putting your hard work and sacrifice into? And with how many kids?
 
I said nothing about genetics. That was you. But there will be fewer poor people if poor people stop having kids.

No, you didn't, but your solutions are biological.

Your solutions don't work. There will always be poor people no matter how few people are born.
 
I call BS. What did you prepare to do for a job or trade or career in high school? Is that what you are doing now? What are you putting your hard work and sacrifice into? And with how many kids?

First off, how old are you?

I am 54 and witnessed the great divergence firsthand.

Grew up in the America that existed before then.

Most of my friends had one breadwinner. Owned a home, college funds, vacations the whole bit.

Then the gas crisis.

It never got back to the way it was. Workers were deemed commodities. We were de-coupled from increases in productivity.

But corporate and private wealth went WAY up.

Cost of living did too.

But wages have been flat for forty years now.

They said it was about staying "competitive".

What they didn't say was it was competition to see who could have the highest status, most power.

Same game we've been playing for about 12,000 years now.
 
If someone wants to improve their situation, what do you recommend they do? Or are they just stuck in the rut they're in with little to no chance to get out?

My questions usually start before that. What did they prepare to do after high school? Did they plan during their free education? Use those resources to prepare for a trade or skill or career/college? If not, why not?

They have parents and school counselors at their disposal. IMO this is a responsibility of parents AND the schools...to get kids to commit to some plan for their futures. Something that makes sense for where they live OR where to move to make their choices work.

But if you dont/didnt do this, for free from the govt as a teen, you can still do so now, there are many career and employment resources out there and loads of free and subsidized training programs.

I'm not saying it's easy but I have gone back to night school, while working, gotten another degree, and developed a new career. It took sacrifices for sure.
 
Blue states tax you into oblivion.

WA St has no state income tax. It does have other taxes, like on gas and sales but not groceries, so most of that is choice.
 
Who become poor adults. Stop the cycle.

And most 'poor' people take public assistance to support their kids.

And really, I dont want the kids to go without so I dont object to that...what I object to is having the kids knowing you'll be using that taxpayer $$.
 
Oh yes, we have property taxes.

Our gas tax is the 4th highest in the nation (last I read) and overall we have a pretty high sales tax. It ranges from about high 7% to almost 10% depending on area.
 

So how is it not harder to reach the level of "success" I grew up with when wages have barely kept up with inflation for forty years and they used to track gdp? When even two incomes don't guarantee it?

It can still be done, but it is harder.

Which is what I said.

And basic math supports my position.
 
So how is it not harder to reach the level of "success" I grew up with when wages have barely kept up with inflation for forty years and they used to track gdp? When even two incomes don't guarantee it?

It can still be done, but it is harder.

Which is what I said.

And basic math supports my position.

Depends on where you live and the trade/career you hold. Or business you develop. There are many careers and trades, businesses and services, that will do exactly what's needed to achieve the previous levels you are talking about.

It takes adaptation.

I will concede that economic waves, up and down, do affect that capability somewhat...but it really means that one must be more adaptable.
 
No, you didn't, but your solutions are biological.

Your solutions don't work. There will always be poor people no matter how few people are born.

Its not a biological solution, its a behavioral solution. But you keep saying there will always be poor people. Duh. Im saying there will be LESS if poor people stop having children they cant afford. Do you dispute this?
 
It's not about who controls the government: it's the cost of real estate, and thus rents as well. It's awfully difficult to get by in cities where your choice is between a two-hour one-way commute or a $2000/month studio apartment.

There is an important third choice in that case which is to not to even try to get by in that city.

My wife and I recently moved to a city, but it wasn't a big expensive one like Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, or a host of other ones. Why did we not choose those cities? The most important reason is because we predicted we would not be hired to do the types of jobs that would afford what we feel is a good and enjoyable lifestyle there.
 
Its not a biological solution, its a behavioral solution. But you keep saying there will always be poor people. Duh. Im saying there will be LESS if poor people stop having children they cant afford. Do you dispute this?

That's not the reason they're poor.
 
Well it helps not to have any kids before you can afford them.

I'd be surprised that a couple cannot pay rent and live decently on a little more than minimum wage each. If they cant, then they should move to where they can until they a) save $ and b) develop the skills to earn more.

If the accountant in the article moved elsewhere...she'd be able to make a very decent living. Brooklyn is expensive as heck.

Sexual freedom and support for children are two issues in their own right.
 
Sexual freedom and support for children are two issues in their own right.

Not sure how sexual freedom enters into the discussion. Reproductive freedom maybe...as well as deciding to have kids. We cant control either of those things. It's up to the individuals to do so and at least for myself, I posted my comments because IMO people should not have kids until they can afford them...at least not have them with the expectation that it's ok to do so knowing you'll need to take public assistance to help support them.
 
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