California's disappearing middle class (2013, renting, buy)

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Well, since I got there in 1946 I suppose that makes me waaaaay pre-historic.

PS. It was much nicer then. So were the people!

People are nice to babies. But then they grow up. Pretty much into a**hats. Then people aren't nice to them anymore.

Least that's how it worked for me.

[aznkobee]

Even these forums reveal the extreme polarization of the country with the republicans and democrats blaming each other at any given chance, growing further and further apart. Resulting in the inability to get anything done in the state and the country. Its sad.. you guys arguing about politics should be ashamed of yourselves. Both parties should just disband, that's the only way forward.

Did anybody ever caught on that the reason why middle class is disappearing is because we don't have a party? Republicans ($$ money power) represents the powerful 1%, Democrats (people power) represents all the poor. Where is the party for middle class? Nothing. Thats why we are disappearing

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by aznkobee

Even these forums reveal the extreme polarization of the country with the republicans and democrats blaming each other at any given chance, growing further and further apart. Resulting in the inability to get anything done in the state and the country. Its sad.. you guys arguing about politics should be ashamed of yourselves. Both parties should just disband, that's the only way forward.

Did anybody ever caught on that the reason why middle class is disappearing is because we don't have a party? Republicans ($$ money power) represents the powerful 1%, Democrats (people power) represents all the poor. Where is the party for middle class? Nothing. Thats why we are disappearing

Since I belong to neither party and am wholly independent, usually voting both sides of the aisle - there's rarely any middle - I quite agree. Additionally, I'm an equal opportunity disparager. There's not much to like anymore. More's the pity.

[user_id]

Originally Posted by aznkobee

Did anybody ever caught on that the reason why middle class is disappearing is because we don't have a party? Republicans ($$ money power) represents the powerful 1%, Democrats (people power) represents all the poor. Where is the party for middle class? Nothing. Thats why we are disappearing

Both the republicans and democrats largely represent the wealthy, where they differ is how much they think should trickle down to the average Joe or conversely how much wealth should be allowed to flow from the working/middle classes to the wealthy. The differences here are relatively minor, democrats never purpose policies that would dramatically shift the distribution of wealth but they tend to support a bit more equal distributions as republicans.

In any case, the middle-class is shrinking throughout the country so even the republicans are going to have to adjust polices if they to avoid civil unrest. The last thing the upper class wants is a revolution and will throw a few bones to the masses to avoid it.

[aznkobee]

Originally Posted by user_id

In any case, the middle-class is shrinking throughout the country so even the republicans are going to have to adjust polices if they to avoid civil unrest. The last thing the upper class wants is a revolution and will throw a few bones to the masses to avoid it.

I hope you are right because right now it seems the only way Republicans can get elected is by out-extreme their opponents. Then when they slowly creep to the middle to make deals and actually do their job, they get labled a moderate and lose their job to a more extreme candidate. Rinse and repeat.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by aznkobee

I hope you are right because right now it seems the only way Republicans can get elected is by out-extreme their opponents.

Huh? You are aware the House is Republican majority and just about every state that neighbors ours is Republican run right?

[Curmudgeon]

And the Democrat majorities are in the population centers on the two coasts and creep up toward Canada on both as well. The Republican strongholds are in Middle America and the south-east and have let themselves become tainted by the excesses of the Tea Party. That doesn't leave a whole lot for a sane, moderate approach to anything.

[kanhawk]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

I repeat:
What's the problem with people leaving a place that has become overcrowded?

I think that is a good point. There are a lot of people crammed into the attractive narrow coastal area of southern California.
Once you decide you want to slow that down you still have the question of who do you want there. Middle class or dirt poor immigrants legal and illegal. California politicians seem to prefer the latter.

[Teckeeee]

I am tempted to just vote for unknowns. No extremists just average joe and jane. Even the rent is too high seems better than some of these losers.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

And the Democrat majorities are in the population centers on the two coasts and creep up toward Canada on both as well. The Republican strongholds are in Middle America and the south-east and have let themselves become tainted by the excesses of the Tea Party. That doesn't leave a whole lot for a sane, moderate approach to anything.

No, that would be the RURAL Great Plains region with few people, not the core of the Midwest which is more balanced politically. This fact often gets glossed over and it is more of a fact having to do with concentration of cities, population, and density. Completely rural areas that are agriculturally dependent have next to no outsiders and are still large transfer zones for federal subsidies even though they complain about size of government. The Southeast has starker voting patterns that have changed little in the recent past and have become more entrenched. The New South cities that have a diversified and growing economies are a bit more moderate and centrist overall.