Posted on 02/06/2008 2:51:01 AM PST by LowCountryJoe
To hear the Lou Dobbses and Bill O'Reillys of the world--not to mention politicians ranging from Ron Paul to Hillary Clinton--the middle class of America (however you define that term) has never had it so tough. Between credit squeezes, out-of-control immigration, rising costs of education and health care and everything else, it's all darkness out there for those of us who are neither millionaires nor welfare cases, right?
In "Living Large," Drew Carey and reason.tv examine the plight of the American middle class. What do they find?
http://reason.tv/video/show/61.html
Ah, yeah. Small houses in ho hum neighborhoods, vacations at the shore and not abroad, fine food “a treat” if you could get it. Yeah, things were great in the 1950s-1970s.
Incomes have stagnated in New England because housing costs have escalated. Got it.:rolleyes: Perhaps you should have read the whole thread.
Trust me, I have. You are taking the “we are worse off than in the 60’s” argument as an article of faith. Pointing out that homes are more expensive in the NE is nearly meaningless.
Who brought up Ipods or laptops? YOU did.
And to claim that “cost of living is not high” simply runs counter to all FACTS! Healthcare, housing, college, gas, bread, milk.......the list of things with rising costs goes on and on. Prices are rising but wages are not keeping up, nor have they for years.
Re: just told the dr I didn’t have it and got free meds occasionally and used college dental services.
How hypocritical! How many people have access to “free meds” or have the luxury of college dental services?
Are you serious? In the mid-sixties we went from poor, to lower middle-class, to middle-class. We didn't get a window air conditioner until the mid-sixties. And that was strictly for my parents bedroom. Air conditioning for many people in those days was going down the basement.
Given the choice, I think most people (myself included) would go back to that if it meant a freer life without the necessity of both spouses working.
Define hurting. My English in-laws pay twice as much for everything (i.e.seven dollars for a gallon of gas), and they live nice. And they don't complain.
Re: My English in-laws pay twice as much for everything (i.e.seven dollars for a gallon of gas),
Most Europeans do not have an hour or two commute either, so the gas price hike doesn’t affect them as much as it does here.
I hope that's a facetious statement. Please tell me that you really didn't mean to say you think that broad swaths of the country - in this case New England - should be devoid of the middle class.
They drive tiny cars to compensate. Wait until you see the Smart car on American roadways. Many of their regular cars are not much bigger.
You weren’t talking about townships or counties. You referenced the entire 6 state New England area.
Cute. You think there might be two or three single-earner, middle class families living in that area? Or have they all left?
Are you serious? In the mid-sixties we went from poor, to lower middle-class, to middle-class. We didn't get a window air conditioner until the mid-sixties. And that was strictly for my parents bedroom. Air conditioning for many people in those days was going down the basement.At the risk of prying can you give me general income levels for how you define those levels?
It was your statement, not mine.
What about the guy that brought-up New England in the first place? Why are you giving him a pass?
Take your car example. A car today is not the equivalent of a car in the 1960s. I would expect to pay more for a car today because it's better. Cars today will run over 100,000 miles with basically no maintenance, and it's not unusual at all to have a car over 200,000. No tune ups for 100k miles. Oil change every 5000 miles. Air bags. Seat belts. Anti-lock brakes. Front and rear crumple zones. The list goes on.
There is a reason why we pay a little bit more for cars now. They are better. Frankly, the only thing that is remarkable is that we don't pay a whole lot more for them.
save for later read
Again you are whining without putting out important details like how much you earn, where you live. Speaking in media-speak and generalities (”Prices are rising but wages are not keeping up...”)
Hypocritical on free meds? No, I paid for the doctor’s appt and told him I had to pay for any meds he would prescribe and could he make them generic. Sometimes he’d just give me the free stuff dr’s are given. But I paid for my medical care through college working part-time and with student loans. Luxury of college dental services? Have you ever used them. They are students in training, not very luxurious but efficient and it serves for cleaning etc.
I can tell what sort of person you are, the contentious sort that will ignore what they don’t want to see or hear and argue endlessly on small points. Thus, beyond this post I’ll ignore your commentary.
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