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Old 01-21-2013, 12:19 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,668 times
Reputation: 1314

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The middle class has been disappearing, is disappearing, and will continue to disappear unless there is a massive up-rising/ revolt and all current members in government are forcefully thrown out. The reason is simple, the US is run by the top 1-2 percent of the income earners, the wealthy elite. NOT the politicians. Politicians are bought and paid for before they even run for office. We can keep arguing Republican Democrat, this candidate that candidate. It's just different faces same bullsh&t. They are are like puppets on a string and we know who's pulling that string. Nothing changes if nothing changes
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Old 01-21-2013, 12:21 PM
 
Location: NJ
18,665 posts, read 19,934,632 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by middle-aged mom View Post
The prosperity of the 50-60's was due to a unique set of reasons that are impossible to duplicate today, the Great Depression, the destruction of the rest of the world's infrastructure, failure of potential foreign competitors to educate their people and a highly restricted supply of workers.

Unions peaked in the 50's because the U.S. was a closed market. Everything the U.S. consumed was manufactured in the U.S.

There was also a mindset that understood the need to pay for the accumulated debt of the Great Depression and war and do so via taxation.

Begining in the 70's manufacturing jobs began to be outsourced. Technology changed the employment landscape, forever. This has nothing to do with politics.
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Old 01-21-2013, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Barrington
63,919 posts, read 46,608,492 times
Reputation: 20674
Quote:
Originally Posted by supertrucker212 View Post
The middle class has been disappearing, is disappearing, and will continue to disappear unless there is a massive up-rising/ revolt and all current members in government are forcefully thrown out. The reason is simple, the US is run by the top 1-2 percent of the income earners, the wealthy elite. NOT the politicians. Politicians are bought and paid for before they even run for office. We can keep arguing Republican Democrat, this candidate that candidate. It's just different faces same bullsh&t. They are are like puppets on a string and we know who's pulling that string. Nothing changes if nothing changes
Unlike the 50-60's the U.S. is not the only game in town.

I can certainly appreciate what unions did to uplift people into the middle class at their peak in the mid 50's when the U.S. did not have to compete in a global market and it required armies of people to manufacture anything.

Increase wages for Mc Donalds/Walmart and the like and everyone's wages will increase right along with prices for everything, negating the increase.
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Old 01-21-2013, 03:20 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,668 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by middle-aged mom View Post
Unlike the 50-60's the U.S. is not the only game in town.

I can certainly appreciate what unions did to uplift people into the middle class at their peak in the mid 50's when the U.S. did not have to compete in a global market and it required armies of people to manufacture anything.

Increase wages for Mc Donalds/Walmart and the like and everyone's wages will increase right along with prices for everything, negating the increase.
Outsourcing along with the weakening of the unions was the beginning of the end for the middle class
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Old 01-21-2013, 05:27 PM
 
Location: NJ
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The middle class is hardly gone; it now requires post secondary education and/or training, whereas , when we had no competition in an unnatural era, it required just four working limbs.

We can still do well; we simply need to exert more effort now.
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Old 01-22-2013, 09:18 AM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,668 times
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Originally Posted by bobtn View Post
The middle class is hardly gone; it now requires post secondary education and/or training, whereas , when we had no competition in an unnatural era, it required just four working limbs.

We can still do well; we simply need to exert more effort now.
College is not for everyone. I struggled as a student through grade school and tried college for a year, it wasn't for me. I learn by doing something, screwing it up until I eventually get it right. I don't learn in a classroom setting so I guess I'm SOL? I know people with degrees struggling. It seems like you need a masters degree at minimum to succeed
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Old 01-22-2013, 06:56 PM
 
Location: NJ
18,665 posts, read 19,934,632 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supertrucker212 View Post
College is not for everyone. I struggled as a student through grade school and tried college for a year, it wasn't for me. I learn by doing something, screwing it up until I eventually get it right. I don't learn in a classroom setting so I guess I'm SOL? I know people with degrees struggling. It seems like you need a masters degree at minimum to succeed

I said and/or training. The reality is 12 years is simply inadequate today. Training is available for an enormous amount of professions.
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Old 01-22-2013, 10:51 PM
 
Location: OCEAN BREEZES AND VIEWS SAN CLEMENTE
19,893 posts, read 18,409,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tamajane View Post
So true. If someone is still playing keep up with Joneses on credit in THIS economy, they are triple dog idiots.

Middle class does not have to be in debt. If you are in debt to actually survive, that is different. If you are in debt to think you are cool, or because you can't handle the truth that you are not upper middle class, .

I think people have strange ideas about what constitutes middle class and how it must be displayed.
You make some very valid points. Know how many people i know barely making it, but have to have that big screen that teddy next door just got on sale.

Know how many people i know spend their money on booze no lie. Or on things of non necessity, and cannot afford them.

I can, and i am not trying to put anyone down here. But i can, and i don't. That is the difference. If i do not need it, i don't want it. And when i do buy, i buy a lot online, and make deals with every single person i talk with. I want a deal, call me cheap don't care, but get the best deals i can, with the best quality.

I have certain sites i buy on reguarly, have for years now, and get very special treatment.

Why not if you need something, ask the manager for a special deal the worse he can say is no. Most of the time, i have this down pretty good, and get my way.

If you have to buy everything on credit, you don't need it, and the worse you can do is max out your credit cards. For gosh sakes i know people who have to use credit cards to buy groceries. Then their credit cards are taken away from them, then they can't buy groceries. It is a vicious cycle.

In this economy it should be priority.

I have money put away for little things that come up. And always putting in my checking accounts, saving accounts, and stocks.

As far as having degrees, i know many many people who do, and that did not stop them from making it to the unemployment lines. I know people who went to tech schools or training programs, that are still working. In this economy, can't win for losing.
But i also understand, if the middle class are not using credit cards, some cannot make it and it is a vicious cycle.
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Old 01-23-2013, 06:16 AM
 
62,727 posts, read 28,935,937 times
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Originally Posted by supertrucker212 View Post
Outsourcing along with the weakening of the unions was the beginning of the end for the middle class
Along with massive illegal immigration.
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Old 01-23-2013, 09:30 AM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
1,035 posts, read 1,394,668 times
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If you look at the big picture the middle class is being systematically eliminated. This is no accident. Ok so you need college today. What has college tuition done over the past 25 years? Sky-rocketed! Therefore since the middle class finds it harder to make ends meet it will be harder for them to send their kids to college, thus continuing the vicious cycle
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