Middle Class was 61% in 1971

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That was right as we started letting foreign companies dump their cheap goods on our shores for less than they cost to manufacture, allowed foreign entities to poach great American companies, made it easy for companies to ship jobs to other countries. If we had cracked down on these things starting back then, we'd be an entirely different economy right now.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Now it's down to 49.9%. Actually, I'm surprised it's even that high.

LINK



I agree, I don't trust the accuracy of the mass media or the gov't statistics departments at all. I too would bet that it quite a bit less than that, perhaps about 38-40%.

So called "Free (UNfair) Trade" is what put the knife in the America as we knew it for the past 30 years or so.
 
I think that both sides have a problem with the middle class. They tend to be thinkers on issues, and in my experience, the majority of my peers are swinging voters on issues.

As to the bookends of the middle class, one are always voting for low taxes and corporate welfare, and the other are voting for receiving someone else's money and expanding welfare.

So either side panders to "their" core group of voters, and the middle class, who have completely transparent income/tax streams get nailed from either side.
 
It's been on a downswing since 1980. Don't know what the reasons are exactly, but very little has been done to counteract it all this time, or even to recognize it as a problem until recently.

I think that the upper middle class is headed for a fall. After Citizens United, they are about as politically powerless as the poor folk and even less well organized. They just don't know it yet. A $500 political donation doesn't count for anything in an era of unlimited campaign donations.

Yet, unlike the rest of the middle class they have significant bucks that can be used to offset tax cuts for the wealthy.

I think we will see them go after the mortgage interest deduction pretty soon.
 
Over my years I noticed the general decline and later, looking back, thought it started in the early 80's. Turns out, like this metric, it was about 10 years earlier. That said, what's with the goofy 'mcmansion' stuff going strong again=didn't folks learn/re-evaluate after all the previous nuttyness with that? Probably mostly 'oldmoney'I spose
 
Don't forget MCJobs that adults are currently working that high school kids and teens were the main employeesin the past. Stagnant wages for lots of Americans and job layoffs.

But everything is just rosy in Washington.... while 8000 people apply at a newly built Walmart Supercenter.
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Now it's down to 49.9%. Actually, I'm surprised it's even that high.

LINK


But using the chart in the link that you provided, it shows growth in both the lower and upper class. And it shows a 7% growth of the upper class and just a 4% growth lower class, which means that while some of the middle class are moving to the lower class, even more are moving into the upper class.

I've never quite understood why people choose to sit around and play the class warfare game. If you want to improve your economic standing, there is ample opportunity to do so. But I can guarantee you that the 7% upper class growth wasn't from people sitting around on a discussion forum complaining about everything.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Merkava_4 said:
Now it's down to 49.9%. Actually, I'm surprised it's even that high.[/color][/url]
I've never quite understood why people choose to sit around and play the class warfare game.



The 'class warfare game' has worked very well for many politicians. My former Senator, who is now running for President, lives in the richest, least diverse place in the state yet she talks up 'class warfare' for her political benefit.....it's called DIVIDE and CONQUER.
It's hard to take somebody seriously who has become uber wealthy through 'public service' (never owned a business, invented anything etc...).
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
That was right as we started letting foreign companies dump their cheap goods on our shores for less than they cost to manufacture, allowed foreign entities to poach great American companies, made it easy for companies to ship jobs to other countries. If we had cracked down on these things starting back then, we'd be an entirely different economy right now.


Yet people on here swoon over it.
 
Originally Posted By: dishdude
That was right as we started letting foreign companies dump their cheap goods on our shores for less than they cost to manufacture, allowed foreign entities to poach great American companies, made it easy for companies to ship jobs to other countries. If we had cracked down on these things starting back then, we'd be an entirely different economy right now.

It was also the same time as computers and technology started to replace human jobs.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
I've never quite understood why people choose to sit around and play the class warfare game. If you want to improve your economic standing, there is ample opportunity to do so. But I can guarantee you that the 7% upper class growth wasn't from people sitting around on a discussion forum complaining about everything.


Couldn't agree more.

These class labels are just those: labels. You have the middle class, the upper middle class, the lower middle class, the upper lower class, the lower upper class, etc. Politicians and the media measure it to try to make news.

Work hard, spend modestly, save aggressively, don't worry about what class you're in, and you'll be fine.
 
Our current leadership in D.C. would love to see the middle class completely disappear and EVERYONE become reliant on the government...
 
When I lived in Chattanooga in the 70s through the 80s, the want ads on Sunday were about 6 pages long. Now, maybe 2 pages and most of them are really junk jobs. By 1985 , factories there were getting somewhat shaky and in 10 years several foundries were gone and now Chattanooga is a tourist meca. Oh, yeah, they do have a VW plant. Now I live in Cookeville tn and the want ads here,I may start laughing. Population with the college, maybe 35,000.If it wasn't for the college , I think the town would die ...
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PS, it is nice in Cookeville. We don't have shootings like other cities, no riots and that sort of thing and folks in the country still wave and smile..........don't tell the Yankees, they might move here and muck it up.
 
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Okay I agree there may not be many job openings, but who lists them in the paper anymore? That's not the place to look for a job.
 
The divide and conquer strategy is working perfectly. Worry about what the so-called "Rich" make, instead of bettering yourself.

There is still opportunity. But it's hard work that many will not do...
 
The decline has been going on since the end of the Viet Nam war. No figures to back that up, just life experience. Right now, I am taking home 30% less than what I made 15 yrs ago. As for those the jobs sent overseas, forget them. They're gone. Technology and innovation is the only way out.
 
I keep hearing how horrible the economy is.

The mobs of people at the mall buying high end designer merchandise and electronics tell me otherwise.
 
The real unemployment number is around 15-17%

When 300,000 McJobs were created last month, the bozos in Washinton are bragging they are creating jobs. Mean while folks that are hard working such as military vets have a very difficult time finding work. With 2 major wars over.... the military is forcing folks who want to stay in, out on the streets.

Veterans are in for a very rude awakening if they think the average civilian HR boss cares about their military service.... in reality most civilians could give a hoot about veterans, except on Veterans or Memorial Day since it's a holiday and that means sleeping late, having a BBQ / drinking alcohol.

Sad but true.
 
Even though I think the U6 unemployment number from BLS is better than the oft quoted U3 it misses, as Mr. Nice suggests.

How many of us lost jobs and took new jobs with lower pay? I am not even talking about the worthless "number of jobs created" number, which, truly, means nothing. I am talking about professional, skilled jobs. Those of us who still hold jobs for 10+ years will eventually lose them due to mergers, management changes, or simply couched discrimination. Tenure means nothing anymore. And, when they can you, your next job will pay less, almost guaranteed.
 
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