[dragnet2]

There is no doubt the American middle class is being beaten like a drum...To add insult to injury, the insiders and well connected had no problem bailing out the wealthy and big biz to the tune of trillions, all while seizing millions of home from the struggling middle class.

[dragnet2]

The Germantown area of Philadelphia was formerly considered solidly middle class but is now mostly low income. "Everything started going down in the dumps," a longtime resident said.

[joe fonebone]

"lived in neighborhoods the study defined as middle-income, "
now all we need is what the study defines as middle income neighborhoods.... definately a slanted at best story...

[Jukeman]

The Obama Marxist regime’s plan has worked. Obama has not failed! Folks, Obama is evil and he has to be defeated. So stop your damned bickering and get to work! Obama and his media and union minions must be sent packing!

[napscoordinator]

This is impossible. 48 percent of Americans pay no taxes! I guess those of us who do pay the taxes are considered Middle Class now.

[GeronL]

Somehow the shrinking middle class isn’t a problem if only the wealthier were shrinking too, then it’d fine and dandy.

lol.

Of course if its rich leftists who are losing wealth, the NY Times would be calling for bailing them out.

[relictele]

This ‘income gap’ meme is bollocks.

Income equality is available today...in Cuba.

We should seek activity (rising tide etc.) not some artificially-induced parity.

I know it’s the NYT but enough is enough.

[SargeK]

No doubt that the middle class is under pressure, but...

I suspect that if your read through the data, you will see that this study is focused on what were formerly big city middle class neighborhoods, going back to 1970.

This is less about income inequality than it is about the decline of industrial cities and a migration of their working populations away and out to the ‘burbs. It is a function of the changes in the economy away from heavy manufacturing toward a service and information-based economy.

[theymakemesick]

Hardly surprising since more Americans have decided to sell their souls to go on socialist government assistance rather than improve their skill set to increase their income. I’m rather tired of paying for it.

[sten]

this is the 5th year of democrat control

that takes its toll

[trisham]

Liberal politicians wanted votes and control of private business. Do-nothings wanted what they couldn’t afford. Put both of these groups together and it equals financial disaster.

[riverdawg]

The fact that “poor” people are now living in neighborhoods that 40 years ago were “middle class” is a sign of rising living standards, not necessarily rising inequality.