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Right on. I am so sick of this area. I am tired of the power hungry, greedy lawyers, lobbyists, public relations executives and trade association leaders ruining the image of the city. The rampant corruption and totally inept management by the DC government doesn't do any favors either. The District of Columbia is like a third-world city: you have affluent white neighborhoods next to poor black and Latino neighborhoods. There's no middle-class with families in DC anymore. You only have the rich and the poor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by YoAdrian
Oh, I know all too much about it. I still find it soul-sucking and depressing.
Totally disagree. There are very affluent black neighborhoods in DC. It's obvious you don't know too much about the city to make a backwater comment like that.
Totally disagree. There are very affluent black neighborhoods in DC. It's obvious you don't know too much about the city to make a backwater comment like that.
I'm not sure the poster would necessarily like the rich neighborhoods no matter who was living in them.
But this brings up an interesting point anyway -- do you think there's truth in his statement that there is no middle class in DC, just a top and a bottom? What is your idea of "middle class" in this context?
I'm not sure the poster would necessarily like the rich neighborhoods no matter who was living in them.
But this brings up an interesting point anyway -- do you think there's truth in his statement that there is no middle class in DC, just a top and a bottom? What is your idea of "middle class" in this context?
the middle class cannot afford to buy a house in the DC area. they have to go way out to centerville, frederick, columbia, woodbridge, etc.
Yes, it's an expensive city. And DC itself is known for being corrupt. But I contend that there are worse things than making a high salary doing really interesting work and raising a family in Columbia, Germantown or Frederick....obviously, the big downside to this is traffic.
To me, I guess I weigh 1) great jobs, 2) great schools 3)interesting and diverse people pretty heavily. If you want a laid back, warm community thing, DC is probably not the best fit.
I second this. Being a native of New Orleans and now living in the DC area, I can confirm that crime is much worse down in the Big Easy than it is here.
New Orleans is a friendlier city though, at least people smile and greet you before they rob you down there.
Yes, it's an expensive city. And DC itself is known for being corrupt. But I contend that there are worse things than making a high salary doing really interesting work and raising a family in Columbia, Germantown or Frederick....obviously, the big downside to this is traffic.
To me, I guess I weigh 1) great jobs, 2) great schools 3)interesting and diverse people pretty heavily. If you want a laid back, warm community thing, DC is probably not the best fit.
There's a lot of dumb assumptions made by people about the DC area..
but... IMO on the topic of middle class.
THe middle class... in America.. is disappearing...
The idea that you could just work in a factory or construction and afford a roof of your head and such by doing only that... those days are long gone...
If you want to know why the middle-class is getting squeezed in the Washington, DC metro region, just look at the labor economics.
The income gulf between well-educated, high-paying professional workers and everyone else is growing at alarming rates. You have two distinct groups: the Masters and the Servants to the Masters.
The Masters of the DC economy:
Corporate Lawyers.
Lobbyists for private industry and trade groups.
Public relations executives.
Owners of federal government contracting firms.
Industry trade association executives.
Real estate developers.
Members of the US Senate, US House of Representatives, The President of the United States and high-level government appointees in the executive branch.
The Servants to the Master Class:
Clerical office workers.
Janitors.
Restaurant workers (waiters, bartenders, hostesses etc.)
Landscapers.
Construction workers.
Taxi cab drivers.
Building security and office concierge.
Small-retail shop owners.
Event planners.
So where is the middle-class in Washington, DC? They pretty much reside in Federal Government agencies, WMATA and a cross of section of private industry functions such as IT engineering for software and internet, business consulting, accounting, personal investment management, and managers in local government agencies. However, I think salaries are stagnating for most of these professions.
BTW...I define middle-class as a household making less than $150,000 in annual income in the Washington, DC region. Trust me...$150K doesn't equal a luxurious style of living in this area. It might get you a two-bedroom cottage in Spotsylvania, VA or a house in a crime-ridden area of PG County.
If you want to know why the middle-class is getting squeezed in the Washington, DC metro region, just look at the labor economics.
The income gulf between well-educated, high-paying professional workers and everyone else is growing at alarming rates. You have two distinct groups: the Masters and the Servants to the Masters.
The Masters of the DC economy:
Corporate Lawyers.
Lobbyists for private industry and trade groups.
Public relations executives.
Owners of federal government contracting firms.
Industry trade association executives.
Real estate developers.
Members of the US Senate, US House of Representatives, The President of the United States and high-level government appointees in the executive branch.
The Servants to the Master Class:
Clerical office workers.
Janitors.
Restaurant workers (waiters, bartenders, hostesses etc.)
Landscapers.
Construction workers.
Taxi cab drivers.
Building security and office concierge.
Small-retail shop owners.
Event planners.
So where is the middle-class in Washington, DC? They pretty much reside in Federal Government agencies, WMATA and a cross of section of private industry functions such as IT engineering for software and internet, business consulting, accounting, personal investment management, and managers in local government agencies. However, I think salaries are stagnating for most of these professions.
BTW...I define middle-class as a household making less than $150,000 in annual income in the Washington, DC region. Trust me...$150K doesn't equal a luxurious style of living in this area. It might get you a two-bedroom cottage in Spotsylvania, VA or a house in a crime-ridden area of PG County.
I guess I'd probably fall into the servant category. Don't do any of those things though. I always considered myself middle class.
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