How the middle class has fragmented under Obama

yahoo finance ^ | 1/20/15 | Rick Newman

[SoFloFreeper]

[When] Obama delivered his first State of the Union address in 2009, 53% of Americans considered themselves middle class. Six years later, just 44% of Americans define themselves that way.....

The middle class itself, however, has changed notably during the relatively short time Obama has been in office, as the chart below shows. The portion of Americans who consider themselves middle class has dropped (as has the portion considering themselves upper class), while the ranks who call themselves lower class have swelled.

[SoFloFreeper]

Debbie Blabbermouth Schmuck was in Iowa this weekend, spewing her bile about how Republicans need to focus on the middle class.

I don't think a SINGLE "journalist" covering her challenged her with these facts.

[jamaksin]

Has there ever been an agreed upon definition of "the middle class" in the United State?

Are there regional differences?

What specific parameters would be used to identify them? For example, annual income (wages or unearned), level of eduction, property ownership, savings, trust funds, average tax burden, ... ?

[Sooth2222]

"Has there ever been an agreed upon definition of "the middle class" in the United State?"

There is a real definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_class

But in the United States? In 2015? By the mainstream media? Who might or might not have ever taken a course in sociology, and who probably forgot 95% of anything they might have ever learned? Like "marriage", it's definition has been twisted into a pretzel. Politicians use it to mean "people who I want to vote for me". (But at least I think most here can agree that Zero and Moochelle are "lower class".) Notwithstanding what most seem to think, "class" doesn't have much if anything to do with money.

[Sicon]

Being Upper Class isn't necessarily a GOOD thing...

Upper Class Twit of the Year