"Occupy" Movement is Baaa-aaack at the Inner Harbor (taxes, money)

[hueyeats]

Stupid means to more stupidity.
Must be in their diet.
(they don't eat good so they cannot think & is easily controlled via hype)

[Henry Bowman]

Here are those poor oppressed people that are repressed by the 1%


Real Time with Bill Maher March 16 2012 - Alexandra Pelosi Interviews Welfare Recipients in NYC - YouTube

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

All good points about living within means, etc - and that is how we live, so I know it well - That doesn't describe my grandfather's living situation. They had vacations, color TV, giant cars - all the trappings of 50's life on the GI bill mortgage plan. There was a time when this life was more available to more people, cheaper - you do agree on that, right? There are economic reasons for the change and one need not assign blame to them. But people are emotional, so they do.

I do agree with that. WWII ended with most the industrialized world in flaming ruins, while the USA was not only unscathed, but building more industrial capacity to win the war. (But I still say the average middle class lifestyle in 1950 would appear to be poverty to our debt-heavy gadget and convenience obsessed society of today.)

So, no wonder we were on top of the world for 60 years. But, good times and easy money don't last forever. The rest of the world was going to catch up at some point. That is what I see happening. If anyone wants America to keep our standard of living for 300,000,000 people at a level that far above the rest of the world, we better start bombing Europe and Asia back into oblivion. I bet the outsourced jobs return them.

[mrboltonman]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

If anyone wants America to keep our standard of living for 300,000,000 people at a level that far above the rest of the world, we better start bombing Europe and Asia back into oblivion. I bet the outsourced jobs return them.

That is a solution

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by mrboltonman

That is a solution

A facetious one. Sorry, I forgot the eyeroll.

[End-User]

Honest question though: would this be considered middle class, poor, or poverty today?

Family of 4
2 incomes
No cars
1 cell phone, 1 landline
basic cable with internet
1 desktop, 1 laptop on wifi
The 2 kids share a bedroom and bathroom
No eating out or delivery, just home cooked meals with tons of leftovers

Personally I would call this lower middle class, but am I wrong?

[westsideboy]

Originally Posted by End-User

Honest question though: would this be considered middle class, poor, or poverty today?

Family of 4
2 incomes
No cars
1 cell phone, 1 landline
basic cable with internet
1 desktop, 1 laptop on wifi
The 2 kids share a bedroom and bathroom
No eating out or delivery, just home cooked meals with tons of leftovers

Personally I would call this lower middle class, but am I wrong?

The "no cars" is a key variable to me. If you live in a place where you don't need a car to get around I think "lower-middle class" is a pretty good description.

If you live in a place where the lack of car is a huge hinderance towards getting to work, school, shopping, etc., then I would is probably use the term "working class" considering it is a two income household.

I will admit these terms are somewhat variable though. My home situation is pretty similar to that, and I would call it, and my neighborhood, "lower middle class" or "upper working class."

Only difference being we have 2 cars, one that is 16 years old, the other 5. Of course in Cumberland, there is virtually no public transportation so cars are necessary for most people.

[mrboltonman]

Debt, income, assets, and age need to be considered in my opinion.

[End-User]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

The "no cars" is a key variable to me. If you live in a place where you don't need a car to get around I think "lower-middle class" is a pretty good description.

If you live in a place where the lack of car is a huge hinderance towards getting to work, school, shopping, etc., then I would is probably use the term "working class" considering it is a two income household.

I will admit these terms are somewhat variable though. My home situation is pretty similar to that, and I would call it, and my neighborhood, "lower middle class" or "upper working class."

Only difference being we have 2 cars, one that is 16 years old, the other 5. Of course in Cumberland, there is virtually no public transportation so cars are necessary for most people.

I never really considered that "working class" was distinct from "middle class" but I can see how that would be an apt description. You're of course right about the ability to get around being a big variable; but like so many other wealth/class indicators it depends on specific locations. And now you've got me wondering if availability of public transit could be used to measure how well a family is doing.

mrboltonman, I will create a fairly pessimistic, but mathematically simple and increasingly common hypothetical of wealth: no debts, no assets. Middle aged couple with teens but with no clear plans on how to retire or pay for college. Income, I dunno, but with the possibility of saving some real money by cutting other expenses.

[ToneGrail]

Originally Posted by Henry Bowman

Wow...I can't even wrap my brain around this concept that you have a right to determine how much money I should have or should be able to pass down to my heirs.

It's my money, not yours and not "society's". Mine. I earned it.

Can you even articulate a cogent reason beyond "doesn't seem right" that can justify the position that you have a moral right to determine how much money I, or anyone, should be able to have?

Such thinking is typical of class-warrior types.