The middle-class struggle is real, and it's getting harder

MSN News ^ | Jan 15, 2016 | Chris Metinko

[detective]

People often say being the middle child is hard. Well, according to most Americans, it also is getting hard to be in the middle class.

While a whopping 88% of Americans view themselves as being in the middle class, 80% say it is harder being in the middle class today than it was just 25 years ago.

"The American middle class is not weakened or weakening-it is weak," said Patrick Inglis, an assistant professor of sociology at Grinnell College. "Even the idea of it is weak. The middle class no longer can rely on the kind of job security that was available to earlier generations."

[detective]

The American middle class is being systematically destroyed.

[PGR88]

Its because we have a centrally planned monetary authority, with unbacked, fiat currency that allows massive debt.

The Federal Reserve’s printed $Trillions automatically first go through the hands of Wall Street and Government. they are the beneficiaries. Progressive government is allowed to grow, with its job-killing mandates and regulations.

meanwhile, average citizens see their wages (which is the monetary product of their labor) purchasing power, and savings stolen through inflation, zero interest rates, asset and prices bubbles (property and education foremost). Thus, they are forced into debt to maintain living standards

the USA will eventually be forced to return to a backed currency, that is out of the control of central planners and politicians. I hope it happens soon.

[ncpatriot]

It’s getting hard on me - I’ve bought lottery ticket for first time in life!
I can’t seem to win. I’m retired on checks. Times hard so I get more out of my Prudential retirement acct only to find that more taxes are taken out. Don’t know how to be efficient so I’m seeing a tax man on Monday to see if there is anyway I can break even.

[Salvation]

Have larger families to share the work load at home.

[robowombat]

Then at the end of the story, since this is MSM after all, we get this globalist happy talk:

Margaret King, director of the think tank The Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis, however said the debate about the shrinking middle class can be deceptive — since the middle class is not an income or even an income number.

“Although over 90% of Americans identify as middle class, their income positions vary widely, from poverty level to wealthy,” she said.

In fact, respondents to the survey agreed the middle class can have a relatively wide-range of income levels, with about three-quarters agreeing someone with a net worth over $1 million is not middle class and that someone who makes $20,000 per year or less is not middle class.

King said what the middle class grouping actually does is shift the focus from what one makes to what one expects to make in the future — driven by education, social mobility, occupation and general opportunity.

“That's a fluid situation,” she said. “When the economy is tight, earnings can decline, but aspirations remain active. You are still not at the top but not near the bottom, either. That's what ‘middle�€™ means as a position.”

This is meant to be the take away for readers, See nothing really to worry about. It the ‘bitter clingers’ who are the problem education, social mobility (whatever that means) and picking the right occupation such as an inter-net concierge will make everyone happy and prosperous. This is the mindset of the chattering classes.

[Wolfie]

In 3 decades following WWII, we built the greatest middle class the world had ever seen. Alas, it became too politically active for our masters to accept.

[dfwgator]

In 3 decades following WWII, we built the greatest middle class the world had ever seen.

Because the rest of the world was either still recovering from the war and/or engaged in that failed experiment called "Communism."

[2001convSVT]

In 3 decades following WWII, we built the greatest middle class the world had ever seen.

Because the rest of the world was either still recovering from the war and/or engaged in that failed experiment called “Communism.”

Excellent point, American had the only, intact factory/banking/economy in the world. There was only one place people, throughout the world people could turn to rebuild there lives.

[TexasFreeper2009]

The problem is.. people WANT to damn much now.

People like to say .... back in the day a man could work a job and make enough to support his wife and kids and a home with a white picket fence.

Um... lets analyse this

Then, a man could work and support his entire family while the wife stayed home with the kids.

Now, both have to work to support the family.

Why is that? oh! that right, the woman working also means:

- you need an extra car “then” family didn’t have.
- you have to buy a woman a work wardrobe “then” family didn’t have
- you have to pay for day care, that “then” family didn’t have to pay for
- more income taxes because the combined salaries put you in higher bracket.
- ect.

The fact is unless the wife has a REALLY good job, when you add up all the numbers, you’d be better off with her staying home (or the dad staying home if he has the lesser job)

that’s point number 1.

BUT, it doesn’t end there.

Think of all the things people HAVE to have today that didn’t even exist then or if they did only the rich had.

Central heat and air, Homes that come with appliances, homes that sit on foundations and not blocks, insulation, double pain windows, more than one bathroom in a home, cell phones, cable tv, color TV, heck multiple TV’s!!, personal computers, high speed internet, automatic transmission, power windows, air bags, ac in your car, unleaded gas, ect

I could go on and on about all the things people now EXPECT someone earning a modest income to be able to afford.

And that’s not even mentioning all the extra they think they should be able to afford: exotic vacations, going out to dinner all the time, professional haircuts, going out to lunch vs bringing one, ect

[dfwgator]

Now, both have to work to support the family.

Couldn't you make the case also that having women entering the workforce created more supply of labor, thus driving the wages down.

[TexasFreeper2009]

Yes that and the influx of illegal both probably helped depress wages.

[TexasFreeper2009]

many of the first suburban homes were KIT HOMES you could buy from places like the sears catalog!

here is the wikipedia article that talks about them

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sears_Catalog_Home

[TexasFreeper2009]

The average size home in the 1950’s was 950 square feet.

[Joe Brower]

"The American middle class is being systematically destroyed."

Yes, $20,000+ a year in healthcare insurance premiums, deductibles and copays will do that.

Next year it will be more.

[bgill]

KWYM. It’s harder every year. Hubby bought a lottery ticket the week before but decided this week to save that pittance. The legislature cut property taxes this year but ours went up the same as they do every year (what’s the going price for spare kidneys?). Health insurance is up (not that we can go since it doesn’t kick in until $6000 with the new rules). Utilities are up. I’m hoarding a package of reduced soon to expire ground beef in the freezer from last year (yes, need to use it soon) because we can’t afford beef. Our grocery can charge anything they want since they’re the only game in town. We’ve had to learn to repair the important appliances ourselves to get them to last a bit longer. The icemaker broke today and the dishwasher hasn’t worked since I don’t remember. Have been looking up diy on the icemaker today but will be using ice trays for the time being. Christmas presents are all handmade at zero to minimum cost. Haven’t bought a new pair of jeans or shoes since 2008 or 09 and shirts are sewn from free fabrics. Hubby will take a friend to the movies when he wins free tickets off the radio. It’s been beans and rice this week though last night we splurged with dollar burgers but they’ve gone up to $1.39 recently so may be rethinking that treat. Hubby thinks my garden is for fun, but I don’t have the heart to tell him it isn’t. And neither is ruining my hands shelling these little hard shelled native pecans. We never thought this would be our retirement.

[1Old Pro]

The middle class has been decimated by The Democrat Welfare State.

In the 50’s and 60’s a Mom could stay home and the Father could support the entire family. Once they started giving away money to welfare programs the government had to raise taxes and Mom had to go to work. Now two working parents, kids run amuck, taxes thru the roof, the middle class are going backwards.