Do you think the middle class in America has now been wiped out?

Question

Hi all! I got a question about the economy for you. For a long time, there was a poor, middle, and rich class here in America. Do you think the middle class in America has now been wiped out? I mean, think about it. Most people will never even gross a million bucks in their working lifetime but there are building ceilings and mall floors that cost a million bucks alone. A million is still hard to make but a million definitely buys less than it did in the past a few years ago. No doubt! As funny as it sounds to me, it also sounds to me like there's an unequal distribution of income in this country in my opinion. I personally think there's only a poor and rich class nowadays in America. Average people work harder nowadays than ever before but they also get a lot less in return when they get their paychecks. Is there anyone or any people to blame for all this, such as the government? Any responses would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

No we have a bigger middle class than ever

here in the US we really do not have poor people

yes there are people struggling to live paycheck to paycheck I should know I am one of them

but in other countries people are literally starving in the streets and dying of simple things that an antibiotic could cure

Average people are the middle class look at history all economy has it's ups and downs it is part of any democratic society and in the US the recession or depression lasts a little shorter we bounce back even faster

But, don't you think we create the panic someone on the news said recession so people stopped spending money and then other people canceled vacations so jobs started getting laid off and it was a snowball effect.

Answer 2

More accurately, I believe that there are 4 classes in the U.S. economy. These are The Rich, The Middle Class, The Working Class poor and The Destitute/Poor. I see The Middle Class as those who are able to afford a home in a decent neighborhood, two cars, can put 1 or 2 children through private schooling, eat-out twice or more a week and still have disposable income. The Working Class Poor are those who generally live from paycheck to paycheck, enroll their kids in public schools, may have one dependable (but not new) vehicle, eat-out from time to time and struggle to pay a mortgage. I'm not sure what you are getting at here. If your intention is that the rich should support the poor and working class poor, then to what extent? Surely you are aware that the 12% who are the wealthiest in the U.S. foot close to 75% of the current tax burden. Also, most of the people I know who are making over $70,000 per year are professionals who have put themselves through college, dedicated themselves to a career path and have reaped rewards from their efforts. Our society has too many who abuse welfare programs,want the government to continue to pay their way and refuse to put any effort into self-betterment. Simply put, if you can't afford to feed a large family, stop pro-creating! As it is, there are hundreds of programs available to educate people and offer health care and other benefits for no cost. I feel it is up to the individual to choose their own path and be responsible for their own decisions/actions.

Answer 3

I think the total configuration of rich and poor as a 2 class system is close to becoming a reality....Corporate America is still in the middle of taking all valued items and properties and continued manipulating of prices for food, staples and fuels. Along with outsourcing jobs and then leaving an open boarder situation that spreads all necessities even thinner while sucking billions of dollars out of America and therefore weakening the economy even more.  And using war and terrorism threats to keep us all in line...Money and fear always works the best to control a group of people.(Americans)

Big Corporate America has all the money and the poor folk has all the fear.

Answer 4

Yes America is cluttered. In many direction.

Answer 5

world government is working on it , lower the middle class, make them dependent on the rich and the government and we will be like most the third world countries which will benefit the rich

Answer 6

Not yet but close.

And the middle class life has been downgraded by the need for two-incomes to provide for a family. We have more stuff, but the quality of life has gone down.

Answer 7

No, the middle class has not been wiped out. It still exists. Your question to me sounds like you are wondering if it's possible to leave the middle class for a higher class.

Based on that I would say you're probably right, it's very hard. Expenses like homes, gas, food are preventing people from saving money, so they will never be able to leave the middle class.

I would blame bankers. They have created a system where you have to borrow money to buy everything, cars, homes, education.

Answer 8

If Obama has his way!!!

Answer 9

work in process. assets are evaporating and prospects of layoffs and cutbacks loom large. this could be the big one, mate!

think small.

Answer 10

The middle class is shrinking because the wages and salaries are stagnant while more of the household income is needed to buy fuel and other necessities like Health care, food  and education for the children. The normal cycle of the economy and bad policies from the government are responsible for most of the problem. It is only logical that if we keep sending the jobs overseas, Americans with no jobs will not be able to continue buying  those foreign made products. A free market economy only works when the consumer buys the products. We are still the biggest consumer market but I do not know for how much longer.

Answer 11

Practically everybody I know in the US is middle class.  Every time there is an election, politicians start playing to the middle class because they know that's where the votes are.

The average individual income is 35,000 (48,000 is the median household)... a person working for 40 years will gross 1.4 million by themselves.

Of course there is an unequal distribution - THAT'S CAPITALISM!!

Every human being is responsible for their own actions.

Answer 12

I beleive we still have a middle class but the micddle class no longer has the economic power it once had due to so many jobs having been shipped offshore and so many illegals coming into this country.

Some of the above say the "average income is $35,000.  If that is a typical Middle Class annual income, it isn't much because that $35,000 won't buy what the average Middle Class worker made in the 1950's and 1960's whihc was a lot less than $35,000.  In the 50's and 60's a man could hold a decent middle class job and if he cold handle his money well, buy a house and a working car and raise a family.  Today, it takes two people working excellent high paying jobs to afford a home in most cities.  Of course our spending habits have changed also.  in the 50's and 60's people weren't buyng cell phones and computers or $50 jeans and $100 tennis shoes or $45,000 cars.  Back then you spent 1/4 of your salary on your housing, 1/4 on expenses, 1/4 on taxes and 1/4 in savings.  Today you spend 1/2 to 3/4 on housing, 20% on taxes, the rest on food, clothing and excessories.  Where does the rest come from?  Credit!  In the 50's and 60's there weren't credit cards.  You paid as you went so debt was very low.  People saved for big itemns such as a house or a car or education.

So the middle class is still here. But who are they and what is their life style?  I think our lifestyle is catchingup to us and is dragging us down.

Answer 13

A goodly percentage of them. All those eight and ten dollar an hour jobs won't buy a house. My mom bought one and raised 6 kids on 1.65 an hour. That was in the fifties

Answer 14

Not yet.,The Bush administration and the Republicans have done much damage to the middle class.  They are trying to eliminate it.  They have the idea of having the wealth trickle down,is the way to do go, but mostly it never gets to the bottom, because they are keeping it all at the top!  Democrats like to have a peculator effect, where it starts building at the bottom at works its way up.  Many large corporations today  have received special consideration and laws and tax provisions to help them grow and smaller business is getting snuffed out, since they do not receive the same advantages.  They want Americans to work for nothing or as low as other third world countries and imports are coming in at a huge cost to Americans and its workers  .

The ones benefitting are  the large corporations and it is making everything cost more because the  small business and large business is gone.  When  China keeps buying business' and sending more imports here and there is no alternative product, they can charge what they want.  Five yrs ago, I was gong to buy my mother silverware, two choices one from here one from china at a huge savings, now there is no choice it is all from China and it is now as high as it was, only American steel is gone. China has bought the IRon ore plant inthe UP in MI, oour governor thought it was great to have a few jobs, but now they control the market.  Not us and the list goies on, the cars were the beginning, they lifted the tarriffs and yet our cars have tarriffs.  Other countries protect their country and people and ours is selling us out.

Some people start carrying on calling people liberals and socialist when they say something about the disadvantage that our govenment has put  into action because they just dont know its not capitalism  anymore like its supposed to be.  Laws have changed the constitution has  been violated, it is too bad many people dont have aclue, they buy into propaganda that "explains" why alll the banks are broke, the ceos are collecting millions while americans are loosing jobs,homes, retirement money , the crooks are protected at our expense.  The weallllthiest  is gettijng more and middleclass is disappearing and becoming poor. The standard of living is dimishing with our paychecks. We are getting less for more.  While the large corps are getting rich sellling less for more!

Then there is illegal immigration and work visas and best if you check out www.loudobbs.com just to get a clue its too much.

Yep its our govenment to blame, its a disgrace.  Just wrong and criminal and its been corrupt.   People need to pay attention, its their duty, and start putting an end to this.  Too many people dont know and odnt care. They might wake up when its too late, its getting there!  

We n eed to work together in  this nation to keep it great in all aspects, not work for the rich we are AMerica , we are not a third world country, and some Ceo that want s us to work for nothing while they get a few extra million can buzz off, its not acceptable. Its un american. We are a free country we do not work for one and so they can have all.  Thats what slaves do in other countries we should not help ourselves become that way

Answer 15

It is harder to live a middle class life now in the U.S.  Gone are the days when the average high school graduate can be assured of a middle class lifestyle by building cars or skyscrapers.  That's an unintended consequence of the fall of the Soviet Union and worldwide embrace of capitalism (China, Eastern Europe, India, Southeast Asia, etc.).  There's a lot of average high school graduates around the world now who can build cars and skyscrapers for a lot lower wage than the U.S. can.  So, harder yes, wiped out, no.  Fault?  None really.  Someone will post this question on Yahoo Answers China in 50 years wondering if the Chinese middle class is wiped out when their jobs go to emerging Africa.

Answer 16

The middle class is not yet gone, but it is quickly and undeniably becoming overtaken by the upper and the (mostly) lower class.  A scary thought indeed, but it is quickly happening, and the middle class will soon no longer exist as we know (or used to know) it.