The Middle Class in America Is Radically Shrinking. Here Are the Stats to Prove it

reply to post by poet1b


when the system collapses, the rich people of course eventually lose the most $$$$ but do never forget they still own the system and have a lot of $$$ still in their possession, so what does it matter if they lose half of their millions, still the other half shall push them in the new direction no ??? but when the middle class has debt and loses their potential in the financial crisis, they have nothing left to restart !!!

reply to post by Sunlionspirit


No, they will lose far more than half, and will only be in control of a broken system, that will most likely be replaced by what emerges.

It has happened many times in history.

www.marxists.org...

neo-capitalism, neo-liberalism, neo-conservatism, lots to learn about it because it is not easy to understand those powers in place and the ones that control us : we the puppets in their system.

reply to post by Sunlionspirit


When the system collapses, they who had they most toys, will stand out like sore thumbs. I do not endorse violence in any way, shape or form, but clearly, history shows that human nature in all of its atavistic glory, will push the next alpha male(s) to claim what he deems as rightfully his(theirs). And so on, and so on, and Scooby dooby dooby.

the only stat that the average American needs to look at, is the balance in their checkbook at the end of the month. That tells it all.

reply to post by Sunlionspirit


"Modern Corporatism" is what I like to call our current system. And -for the record- we live in a Republic with a representative democracy. We are not now, or ever were, a democracy. Firstly, because our founding fathers were landowners, they were the ONLY ones to make decisions (no women or other "lesser" people allowed). And now we only think we vote on issues, when in reality, we are given a choice of people that "closely represent our idea" and vote for them, hoping and wishing that they will keep their word (HA!).

[edit on 25-7-2010 by pivilu]

We had a strong and vital middle class as recently as the 1950's-early 60's. During that decade and a half it was growing by leaps and bounds.

A main cause of this growth was the increase in buying power for the working and middle classes. A "trickle-up" economics was in play at that time.

Union activity and other social pressures raised the minimum wage for the lowest-paid workers. These workers gained in purchasing power and began consuming more. In turn, those on the next rung up also began to see an increase in income and so on as the economy grew. As more and more citizens were able to afford a better lifestyle the middle class also grew rapidly.

The economy began humming, not because the money of the rich was "trickling down" to the less prosperous classes, but because of the increase in buying power of the average family. Consumer demand for cars, better food, household appliances, etc. was steadily increasing.

Since about the mid-60's, the economic philosophy of the government and the average person began to change, until it reached it's nadir in the Reagan administration. The prosperity of the working and middle classes was no longer considered a vital element in the economy. Preserving and increasing the wealth of the top 2% was of utmost importance to the government and in popular economic philosophy.

We have seen the results. The middle class has been shrinking rapidly for years and if we do not change our economic priorities we will soon have a few uber-rich people and a majority of the population poor, as in third world countries. We need to see the wealth of the nation begin to "trickle up" again.




[edit on 25-7-2010 by Sestias]

Originally posted by poet1b
What is true wealth in our modern world?

Technical prowess.

Yes. Especially the technical prowess to solve problems related to industrial pollution and national energy use.

When a Chinese company has to come to America to show Americans how to build energy efficient traditional housing, that's the sign that America has been on the wrong energy track. China and India will solve their own energy problems with no help from us, i.e. starting an industry that an American middle class should have been benefiting from years ago.

continuing on....along the same idea, though...

Animusmors mentioned about Nixon and China. Before Nixon was in China, guess who really opened up, made it possible for Nixon's overtures? Oil companies. Foreign oil companies had already been working with the Chinese govt to open up their oil fields for China's use.

It was only years later, when the "problems" of setting up industrial infrastructure and transportation of (especially oil intensive plastic) goods to America (requiring many more oil burning ships) was overcome, that the wholesale job transfer began. Originally, the manufacturing went closer to home...a few feet south of the American border. in Mexico

And let's not forget clothing made by the old Commie archenemy, Viet Nam.

Yes, the game is interesting. Too bad the middle class has been taken advantage of for three decades in order to discourage them from benefiting in the global economy, except to be a receptacle for cheap goods.

reply to post by pivilu


yes ok you could call it "modern corporatism" but this is a term too gentle and only a part of the total system that we have to call by name : neo-capitalism. Modern corporatism is just one of the pillars on which the system does grow : the others are monopolism, financial manipulation of the markets (www.investopedia.com...), diminishing state control and reglementation, black ( and in Italy maffia ) economy, etc etc ..
www.marketoracle.co.uk...
I am not a economist, I am not a specialist but I think we have to use the right term : neo-capitalism because of neo-liberalism by neo-conservatists.

reply to post by Sestias


The prosperity of the working and middle classes was no longer considered a vital element in the economy. Preserving and increasing the wealth of the top 2% was of utmost importance to the government and in popular economic philosophy.

very right, greed greed greed in all possible ways and f..k the rest of society !
Reagan/Tatcher boys, remember ??

Originally posted by virgom129
reply to post by David9176

 

• 66 percent of the income growth between 2001 and 2007 went to the top 1% of all Americans.


I'll like to see another set of figures showing WHO pays the most in taxation....

I'm guessing the Middle Class wins again!!

here's what they tell you..."the wealthy pay the vast majority of tax dollars"...which is true

here's what they DON'T tell you..."as a % of income, the middle class and poor pay the most taxes"

at a tax rate of 10%...a person making 50,000 a year pays 5,000 in taxes...
at a tax rate of 10%...a person making 5 million a year pays 500,000 a year

combined, the total is 505,000, with the person making 5 million a year paying 98% of total tax dollars, with the person making 50,000 a year paying less than 2% of the total tax dollars.

so, when you here republicans talk about the rich paying THE VAST MAJORITY OF TAXES IN THIS COUNTRY....all i have to say DUH!...SO WHAT!!...they should be paying alot more than they are now!!

reply to post by David9176


My heavens what a revelation! I had no idea...well actually,
Is this even news to anyone? Middle class people are drifting in some sort of waking delusion of freedom. The reality is we are only slaves. We are working to ensure the wealthy KEEP their wealth (which includes some of the only remaining unspoiled places on the planet)....isolated and far apart from our dirty, filthy, calloused and money grubbing hands in every way possible.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Washington (CNN) -- Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says the Obama administration will push for letting tax cuts for wealthy Americans expire while extending them for the rest of the nation.

Let's see how we do with this. Watch who fights it.





[edit on 25-7-2010 by rusethorcain]

Here's my theory. The new elite consist of tech sector people and the old elite consist of the manufacturing people. The new elite aren't the problem folks. Most of them started with nothing so they know what its like to go without.

The old elite had their money handed down from generation to generation. They never went without. The old elite (under GOP policies) are desparately trying to keep their wealth using scare tactics. They refuse to just reinvent themselves to compete. Green will be the future and oil will be the past. Technology is the future and manufacturing is the past.

So they spent the better part of 30 years robbing from the middle class. Which in turn, took money away from the lower class. The old elites in history are slowly fading away. So they are fighting tooth and nail to stay relevant.

I think we should eat the rich, that way we will all be full and we will all be poor.

reply to post by endisnighe


I am sick and tired of your BS. You live in a fantasy land...and spend most of your time insulting other members.

Your ideology is BS....all of t hem are. You are just another fool who believes in a "belief" on how this country and the world should run.

You are a fraud. Quite frankly I've grown to despise your endless BS. Go suck up on the Birsch Society...which you love.

You aren't an American...and if you are legal...you shouldn't be...because you are a coward. You don't give a damn about other people in this country.

SO WHY DON'T YOU TAKE YOUR BLOWHARD BS TO A SHAREHOLDER MEETING WHERE IT MEETS THE SAME OPINION.

reply to post by David9176


I know, this country was based on everyone believing the same thing.

This country was based on stealing from some to give to others.

This country was based on empire expansionism.

This country was based on redistribution of property and labor.

This country was based on no freedom of speech.

This country was based on theft.

This country was based on lies.

This country was based on fiat currency.

This country was based on not following the rule of LAW.

Hey, if the government wants to reign in the corporations, why do they not just remove their charter? No, too easy or is it? Maybe if the people woke up to the FACT that the government does not want to reign in the corporations that they are in bed with. They are their golden goose, cannot have that. Why not take the PROFITS created by the federal reserve? Nope, that makes too much sense, better to raise the taxes on the middle class because they are too powerful and the government does NOT want us to be self sufficient. Wonder why that would be.

Dave, your heart is in the right place but you are falling for the cloward-piven strategy. Period.

Nope, I think we should eat the rich, makes lots of sense to me.

Just cut out the middle man and pig out.

reply to post by endisnighe


No EndisNighe, You DON'T CARE. Don't try to dodge what you you know is true. Everything you state goes against the majority of this country. You know DAMN WELL that people need help.

You can continue to berate everyone that doesn't agree with your strict ideological stance, but eventually people will begin to see what I see.

I care.

Do you care?

Do you CARE about your neighbor? Do you care about anyone besides yourself?

Don't you want what is best for your family and everyone else?

If you do...then why do you stick to some ridiculous ideological stance?

This is what angers me about you. You show glimpses that you care...but most of the time you show hatred.

Is the average worker down on his luck out to get YOU????

NO HE ISN'T.

WE ARE ALL AMERICANS.

WHY DON'T YOU ACT LIKE U CARE???

Tell me.

Tell me why you don't want what is best for this country.

reply to post by endisnighe

Dave, your heart is in the right place but you are falling for the cloward-piven strategy. Period.

BS. And I can say u are falling for the "two Santa Clause Theory".

I've put my life on this website. My opinions have changed...but damnit I state what I feel.

Do you?

Are you so lost in one belief that you don't care what the ramifications are?

Do you even consider what others think?

No one ever really challenges you EndisNighe.

I'm challenging you.

Show me that u care.....

reply to post by David9176


Here are my levels of care.

God, Family, Friends, Community, Honor and then maybe country in there toward the end.

For one thing, collectivism does not seem to be working out that well for us does it?

You make this thread on the diminishment of the middle class. Why did this come about?

I believe it is many fold but the main is globalization and the direct influence of the federal reserve and our government.

Tell me, how much money over the years have you paid into the system? Do you actually believe you are getting out what you put in? I for one know that I have not once taken from this government. I do not want anything from this government. I want to be left alone. I want to help who I feel deserves my help. I have been called greedy and now uncaring, bull. I care more than you know. As for the greedy part, so wanting to keep my labor and being able to purchase something and owning it without having to pay my masters to continue to own something is NOT greed, it is righteousness. As for the caring, I would not even being posting here if I did not care. Hell, I would be living it up, which I could afford. No, just posting and pushing my ideals here and elsewhere. Sometimes my emotions get the better of me.

I am a sovereign being, I am not part of the collective, I will not be assimilated to any damn thing this collective wants, especially my soul. There is no salvation in destroying the moral fabric of the world to implement some utopian ideals fomented by a tyrannical elite.

Leave the world alone. Leave the individual alone. And especially leave me and mine alone.

Do not want to live in a pod in the Agenda 21 living quarters. Do not want to pay for wars I have no say in. Do not want to pay for the Federal Reserve owner's island off the coast of Australia. Do not want to pay the salaries of people like Dodd that helped to pay AIG execs millions of dollars for destroying our country. Do not want to pay the salaries of corrupt federal contractors like Acorn and Haliburton.

Nope, sorry, I do not want my labor to be used to institute the New World Order. Sorry, nope, nada, nyet, No lo sé.

reply to post by David9176


The Middle class is being bought and sold, repeatedly. We are a hot item.

Great thread and a lot of good arguments being dragged out on either side. By "sides" I mean RIGHT and WRONG.