Posted on 01/27/2010 10:59:50 AM PST by Cheap_Hessian
New York, Jan 27 (IANS) The American middle class dream is fast getting out of reach for more and more people as tough economic times take toll on their incomes and quality of life, says a study by the US Commerce Department.
More than 90 percent Americans consider themselves to be middle/working class, with only one percent calling themselves 'upper class' and seven percent 'lower class', according to a 2005 survey by the New York Times.
But according to the new report titled Middle Class in America, the Americans' dream to reach the middle class is becoming increasingly difficult.
The report, prepared by the Commerce Department for Vice President Joe Biden's Middle Class Task Force, compares current incomes and living costs of the middle class with those two decades ago.
'The American dream is attainable, but if we don't attack the big problems today, whether it's health insurance, education, childcare or housing, it will be harder for more and more American families to reach the middle class,'' said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.
(Excerpt) Read more at in.news.yahoo.com ...
Since the 1990s, according to the report, housing prices have risen 56 percent, college tuitions 60 percent and health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs 155 percent.
_________________________________________________________
But government tells us inflation is at 2% a year and that the Federal Reserve is indispensible and doing a great job.
That’s what happens when you put Marxists in charge of education and/or government....
You must be in California, like me.
oh— and media...
No question; BO is winning the war on the middle class. Never have a seen a more detestable tyrant rise to power in this country.
College, and medicine are basically arms of the government.
Land use, zoning, building codes all government controlled. Plus as we know, floods of finance money, or now, drought.
If something doesn’t work, is too expensive....look for the government label.
Hmmm, wonder if it could have anything to do with the fact that we are being run (and have been run) by economic losers with no ability except “public service” for the last 50 years or so.
Naaaaah, couldn’t be.
Got laid off yesterday so I would have to say yes. Kid in college and we will likely end up bankrupt considering the devastion we incurred when my wife lost her job a few years ago.
20 years of work down the drain and reboot.
American middle class dream is slipping away
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All brought to us by our ever expanding, bloated, all controlling government.
Rush gave an interesting and accurate description of the diffence between the liberal definition of “working class” and “middle class”.
“Middle class” is what they mean by “non-union workers”, and “working class” is “union workers”.
So while the 0bama cabal is trying to destroy the “middle class” they are protecting the “working class”.
at least now we know what Commerce Secretary Gary Locke does all day....feeds Obama economic propaganda to the Indian press....
At 2% interest over 20 years you'd expect to see about a 50% increase in the original principal.
Is landing in the middle class really a dream of the masses? I guess limiting one’s goals is a way to avoid disappointment. I need to look through my old high school yearbook and see how many classmates identified the middle class as their ambition in life.
In reality today there are only 2 classes; ruling and non-ruling. But if the middle class is your dream then I recommend starting out in the upper class, much easier to go from upper to middle nowadays.
Never, in a million years, did I think that I'd be pulling down the salary that I'm making now, and pinching pennies. Not just clipping coupons and shopping the sales (I'd likely be doing that if we were zillionaires, old habits die hard)....but really pinching pennies.
We've cut out the easy stuff - We've cut out vacations. We've cut out restaurants - no more grab a breakfast on the way in / lunches out while I'm at work, either. The entertainment budget has gone to near zero. Both Mrs WBill and I have cars that are 10+ years old and that'll stay so long as maintenance is cheaper than payments. Retirement has taken a fair hit over the past year. The next choices to whack are going to be a little more difficult.
And, we're putting every nickel that we can into savings because frankly, I'm concerned for my future over the next few years. I think we're in for some rough times.
I never thought that it would happen, but it has, in 12 short months. Amazing.
Can anyone be a bigger nitwit? This idiot lays out the things people desire as big problems, but fails to mention the thing that enables people to obtain all those things for themselves: economic opportunity and good jobs.
With a Commerce Secretary like that character, one could justify being pessimistic.
I didn't even need to read further. Typical liberal blather. "Oh no!!! The American dream is unobtainable due to [fill in liberal cause here]. We need a new government program....yada, yada,yada
In reality all we need to obtain the American dream is , cut taxes accross the board, cut unconstitutional spending and get out of the way,
Sorry to hear that, I've been out since Sept with 1 in college. As another disgrace to the nation once said, "I feel your pain.".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.