Middle Class Losing Ground

[Angelsjunky]

I saw this first on NPR, but the research was done by the Pew Research Center.

 

 

You can see definitions of what is meant by middle, high, etc. But clearly this is a big problem. What's the answer, folks?

 

 

 

[nate]

No longer taxing the shit out of the middle class to pay for welfare programs is a good start.

[Jason]

I agree with Nate on this.

[nate]

What is considered middle class and upper middle class?

[Adam]

[Adam]

$50K for a family of 4 is middle class? whoa.

 

Maybe in Kansas

[nate]

upper middle class baby!  the government is sucking on my teet.

[Adam]

Why does it feel like I had way more money when I made $30K a year?

[nate]

probably didnt have a mortgage, family and credit cards lol.

[Jason]

I sure don't feel like an upper income individual. All my needs are met but that's about it. Hell, my cars all have at least 100,000 miles and are 10 years old or older.

[Adam]

probably didnt have a mortgage, family and credit cards lol.

 

And 40% of my paycheck wasn't thieved from me

[nate]

I was pretty pissed when that 2% tax increase happened a couple years ago.

 

It is nice here with the sales tax being half what it is in CA.  Rest of the tax rates are pretty similar though.

[Adam]

I sure don't feel like an upper income individual. All my needs are met but that's about it. Hell, my cars all have at least 100,000 miles and are 10 years old or older.

 

STFU Richie

[Adam]

I was pretty pissed when that 2% tax increase happened a couple years ago.

 

It is nice here with the sales tax being half what it is in CA.  Rest of the tax rates are pretty similar though.

 

I get approximately 25% of my annual income if four quarterly payments. The taxes on those checks are sweet!

[gotbeer]

Why does it feel like I had way more money when I made $30K a year?

 

2 kids and a wife.

[nate]

Yeah gotta love those bonus payouts with a 48% tax rate.  I get those too...

[Blarg]

 

You might as well drop the top to the bottom if you are talking about living in the Los Angeles basin and other high rent urban cities.

[Jay]

http://comptonherald.com/average-salary-for-city-jobs-more-than-100k/

 

Average salary for L. A.-area city jobs tops $100k

 

You guys need gubmint jobs.

 

Edited December 11, 2015 by Jay

[Adam]

I don't know many people who have a primary objective in life to gain wealth, but those I do know with that objective are very wealthy. 

[mtangelsfan]

The middle class is disappearing because the policies of both parties benefit either the wealthy or the poor.

The folks that get squeezed for those benefits are the middle class.

Edited December 11, 2015 by mtangelsfan

[gotbeer]

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/americas-20-richest-people-have-more-money-than-these-152-million-people-2015-12-02

 

• America’s 20 wealthiest people — a group that could fit comfortably in one single Gulfstream G650 luxury jet –­ now own more wealth than the bottom half of the American population combined, a total of 152 million people in 57 million households.

 

 

So all we need to do is take care of 20 people?

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

The middle class gets screwed no matter who gets elected or who holds the power.  Measures and taxes aimed at the rich who can afford the best tax guys money can buy get passed then when revenues disappoint the middle class gets hit the hardest.  Meanwhile those paying nothing in income taxes (note I didn't say taxes because someone will inevitably point out that they pay gas/sales//etc. taxes) which represents over half of what the government brings in any given year have little or no skin in the game and some actually have a negative income tax rate after tax credits.  Simplify the tax code, stop squeezing the middle class and reduce the size and funding of the federal government while giving more power to the states to govern.  I don't count on the states doing it much better but it sure would be nice if they could try without some of the ridiculous requirements and laws the feds have in place.  

[Thomas]

• America’s 20 wealthiest people — a group that could fit comfortably in one single Gulfstream G650 luxury jet –­ now own more wealth than the bottom half of the American population combined, a total of 152 million people in 57 million households.

 

All on one plane?  Sounds like the plot of a bad action thriller.

[ABC]

I saw this first on NPR, but the research was done by the Pew Research Center.

 

 

You can see definitions of what is meant by middle, high, etc. But clearly this is a big problem. What's the answer, folks?

 

Looks like many middle class are moving to upper middle and highest. 

 

#landofopportunity

[Tank]

No longer taxing the shit out of the middle class to pay for welfare programs is a good start.

 

it really needs to start here with the fact that not everyone pays their fare share. it puts a difficult burden on those in the middle to make up for it.

 

last year someone here showed us a stat that something like 48% of all households don't pay taxes. that needs to be fixed right away.

 

they could always abandon the income tax and just apply it as a sales tax. whatever will help people to have more of their own money is a good thing.