Free Republic

Do you consider yourself to be "lower class"? Most Americans wouldn't dream of thinking that way. Even at the toughest times of my own life, I always considered myself to be "middle class". Traditionally, the vast majority of Americans have described themselves as either "middle class" or "working class", but now we are witnessing a huge shift. According to survey results that were just released, the percentage of Americans that identify themselves as "lower class" is now at an all-time high. It is still only 8.4 percent of the country, but the fact that this number is rapidly growing shows...

The federal government now considers a family of four in New York City to be poor if its pre-tax income is below $37,900.Even with full medical coverage. The calculation helps explain why newly revised Census Bureau figures hike the number of poor Americans to 49 million as of last year, further widening an already yawning gap between ordinary perceptions of poverty and how the government sees it. This breathtaking number begs the question: What does it mean to be “poor” in the United States? To the average American, the word “poverty” means significant material hardship and need. It means lack...

What's this? IDB/TIPP poll indicating lower classes are not buying into Obama's "redistribution of wealth" plan? Upper - O 44%---M 51%---U 5% Middle - O 44%---M 47%---U 9% Working - O 56%---M 33%---U 11% Lower - O 46%---M 43%---U 11%

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — At prestigious universities around the country, from flagship state colleges to the Ivy League, more and more students from upper-income families are edging out those from the middle class, according to university data. The change is fast becoming one of the biggest issues in higher education. More members of this year's freshman class at the University of Michigan have parents making at least $200,000 a year than have parents making less than the national median of about $53,000, according to a survey of Michigan students. At the most selective private universities across the country, more...