Bye, bye middle class America???
By Mommy_Money
@Mommy_Money (74)
United States
December 2, 2007 8:31am CST
What is going on in our country? I can remember being about 10 years old and, sitting in the back seat of my dad's car and, hearing a radio talk show host say that in a few years there will be hardly any middle class in America. I didn't really know what that meant at the time but, for some reason I really do remember it being said. As I watch our economy, talk to friends, family and, look at my own circumstances I have to wonder if the statement I heard so many years ago is coming to pass. Are we really losing our middle class in America? What is going on and what can be done?
2 people like this
6 responses
@nangel78 (1454)
• United States
2 Dec 07
In my opinion, wages are not keeping up with cost of living. For Example, rising prices of gas, food, electricity, and so forth make it more difficult for people to be able to spend as much. I remember in 1999 gas prices in my area being around .99 per gallon and now we are talking around $3.00 per gallon. When I need to be able to afford to drive to my job, yes that is a big matter. I intend to take the next year or so to look for a better job because I do not feel the one I am currently at will keep up. That is the way things have become lately.
@Mommy_Money (74)
• United States
2 Dec 07
I totally agree that the wages are just not keeping up. Some people think that increasing the minimum wage is the answer, unfortunately, as wages do go up so will the cost of everything. The minute companies have to pay more for wages is the minute they increase prices so it all ends up being the same. So you have the right slution to try to find something that will pay better without wages necessarily going up accros the board. For many people, myself included, finding something with better pay means going back to college. Going back to college also means spending money. I am praying it will pay off.
@prashant1984 (3)
• India
3 Dec 07
i think america is growing very fast and there is no more like middle class in america
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
3 Dec 07
There really is no middle class anymore. There are the "haves" and the "have nots". A lot of us fall into the "have nots" according to what the average family should be making in America, my family was middle class, but now we are considered lower middle class which is just like saying poverty really. The only thing that can be done to bring middle class back is to offer better jobs, and to lower prices and taxes.
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
3 Dec 07
Well its too a point where stateside has significant corruption in government (both parties, not just one, and all levels). There is overspending on the government's part and some concerns in both public and private sector. Programs get funded but the quality is terrible (education, transportation, etc). Healthcare both current and "proposed changes" is a problem. And then there are people who are no longer part of the middle class, by circumstance or choice. There are some people do get away nice working the system (hard to do, but it happens), but those by circumstance the support and programs are lacking there too.
If you want to read more, I posted in response to a challenge laid by a mylot member. Instead of just complaining, the discussion asked HOW to fix problems (when it comes to stateside).
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1319452.aspx
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
3 Dec 07
I think it is happening all around the world. These days, there are the poor and the rich, those who are in between are just at the ends of either. My family is classed as poor, but i came from a middle class background. I doubt we will ever be in a position to own our own home or a decent car, but that's ok!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Dec 07
It has been driven to the rich and the poor - middle class is on its way out. We can't afford to be middle class anymore. It costs to much to be middle class yet we earn to much to be classified as poor. So we are the weakest link - and you know what happens to the weakest link...
