Well, yes. It is crap when applied to particular people.
It does not take into account that the carpenters wife now needs to find work to make ends meet, etc. Or that the benefits, if any, are to someone other than the unfortunate carpenter. Maybe the real estate agent is making more money, improving median income.
But all that is beside the point over the last 8-9 years.
It does not take into account that the carpenters wife now needs to find work to make ends meet, etc.
That was always true. Long before the invasion of illegals it was a common saying in construction that "you need to marry a nurse, a real estate agent or a gal who worked in a bank to do more than survive."
Having your wages cut by a third or losing your job entirely doesn't help the long term goals of a family no matter what some pointy head says.