Where did the middle class go?

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by apple92680

Why do you think need those things in Los Angeles, but not where you live in Knoxville, Tennessee?

It's just weird

I'll never understand posters like you who think if you live in Southern California that you have to be flashy and ostentatious?

The great majority of us Southern California natives and longtime residents don't live like that, and don't have a need to.

Good question, guessing he's afraid of minorities

[ram2]

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

On the other hand, income, income, income... hard to match that in my former locale, of which the screen-name is a relic.

When I was investigating jobs in LA early in my career, the LA salaries were no higher than the midwest salaries.

[msgsing]

You have to look at things in perspective. A solid middle class only existed in this country for a relatively short time in our history. It really began in the late 1940’s into the 70’s. Through the 50’s and 60’s Europe and Asia were struggling to rebuild their economies after World War II.

The US did not have a lot of competition from foreign countries. Japan right up to the early 60’s was making cheap toys and exporting Godzilla movies. China was an agrarian country wracked by the cultural revolution. Western Europe still struggled.

By the 70’s foreign nations saw their economies soar to the point they could export a variety of goods that were cheaper than stuff made by the US. The American average workers wage stagnated by the 70’s and the old Unionized blue collar worker who was the backbone of the middle class began to melt away.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by msgsing

By the 70’s foreign nations saw their economies soar to the point they could export a variety of goods that were cheaper than stuff made by the US. The American average workers wage stagnated by the 70’s and the old Unionized blue collar worker who was the backbone of the middle class began to melt away.

Wages did not stagnate in the 1970s. Taxes on the middle class started increasing in the late 1960s to pay for all those new feel good social programs. Compare the total tax bite from a 1960 paycheck to a paycheck from today. It is disgusting.

[Mister 7]

Originally Posted by apple92680

Why do you think need those things in Los Angeles, but not where you live in Knoxville, Tennessee?

Really? Running several errands even in my nook of town in LA would take up a half of a day. Here everything is 5-10 minutes away, at least anything I need. Just going to the grocery store was a hassle, everything was a hassle there. Parking, traffic, how hectic driving is there (I don't think there was one time I drove where I didn't have to use my horn), etc. My doctor when there said 75% of his patients were on xanax or some benzo.

Originally Posted by apple92680

It's just weird

No, it's pretty simple to understand. When you live in a city with 700,000 or so (counting metro) it's a lot easier to live a less stressful life than a city with over 10 million. Do you know what this thing called population density is?

Originally Posted by apple92680

I'll never understand posters like you who think if you live in Southern California that you have to be flashy and ostentatious?

How is living in a house you can't even see from the street flashy and ostentatious? That would be my ideal house. And you're really going to try to say that Los Angeles ISN'T one of the flashiest cities on earth? Seriously? Yes, if I could afford a house in the hills with a view and seclusion I'd love Los Angeles. But I'd have all of my errands done from help I would hire. That's not flashy either, it's just the only way I'd ever live there.

Originally Posted by apple92680

The great majority of us Southern California natives and longtime residents don't live like that, and don't have a need to.

Okay, well....in Los Angeles proper or any decent part of town they do.

[Mister 7]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

Good question, guessing he's afraid of minorities

Only people like you would turn an otherwise decent discussion into an accusation of racism, accusing me of that crap.

I'm gay in a same sex marriage for crying out loud, I'm technically a minority. Though I live a pretty quiet and peaceful life and don't make a spectacle of my homosexuality like so many gays do.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by Mister 7

Only people like you would turn an otherwise decent discussion into an accusation of racism, accusing me of that crap.

I'm gay in a same sex marriage for crying out loud, I'm technically a minority. Though I live a pretty quiet and peaceful life and don't make a spectacle of my homosexuality like so many gays do.

I know you're gay, being gay doesn't mean you automatically don't have any other prejudices. Look at Milo Yiannopolous....

[Mister 7]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

I know you're gay, being gay doesn't mean you automatically don't have any other prejudices. Look at Milo Yiannopolous....

On what basis are you accusing me of being prejudiced then?

I don't agree with BLM and MSM and Hollywood and think they are racist and awful, and I hate to tell you but half or more than half of the country agrees with me 100000% even if they won't admit it. The white male is under unfair attack and it's F'ing ridiculous.

I guess a "woke" person could call that racist, since they do for anything else.

These people like you think a "gentle giant" was a man who robbed a residence once and held a gun to a woman's abdomen while his goons cleaned out the place.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by Mister 7

West LA is super nice, but outrageously priced. You have to be pretty wealthy to make it in WLA.

Now it is. Not as much years ago, though.