The middle class is shrinking

[stamperben]

Well, it has come to pass, as we knew it would. In California the middle class is shrinking according to this Tribune article on a Public Policy Institute of California report. We all know that what starts in California ends up spreading across the country. I guess we don't need no more middle class nor their consumer power.

 

[MachZer0]

Interesting. $156K puts your family in the upper class and $43K puts it in the lower class. I guess we have to blame the DINKS and the illegal aliens for that "shrinking" middle class in California.

 

[MattRose]

I'm an upper class twit apparently. You there, tip your hat when I walk by.

 

[stamperben]

I'm an upper class twit apparently. You there, tip your hat when I walk by.

Shore thang boss man! Cans I shine your shoes? I be makin em sos you kin sees yoself in em!

 

[lordbt]

Well, it has come to pass, as we knew it would. In California the middle class is shrinking according to this Tribune article on a Public Policy Institute of California report. We all know that what starts in California ends up spreading across the country. I guess we don't need no more middle class nor their consumer power.

How could this happen in the liberal paradise of California?

 

[thaumaturgy]

How could this happen in the liberal paradise of California?

California is a microcosm of the U.S. We want a lot of services here but we don't want to pay more in taxes for them.

Ultimately that is the question we ask nationwide.

What do we want and do we want to pay for it?

(And remember, California is not monolithically Librul. I live in one of the reddest counties you could ask for and we are just south of the county that gave us Nixon and Reagan, so go figure.)

 

[thaumaturgy]

Well, it has come to pass, as we knew it would. In California the middle class is shrinking according to this Tribune article on a Public Policy Institute of California report. We all know that what starts in California ends up spreading across the country. I guess we don't need no more middle class nor their consumer power.

The parts I resonate with are these from the article:

Now, however, few are moving up. The downturn reduced the fortunes of almost all groups in California, but families who already earned lower incomes were hit hardest

Upward mobility is severely limited not just in California but in most places in modern industry.

What's interesting about our classic "tech companies" is each year they beg Congress for more H1B visas. Now the "thought" is that there are insufficient trained Americans for these tech jobs, but the other thought out there is that H1B visas tend to work cheaper and are less likely to risk it by running around to another company.

So the great "free market" ideal of "choice" is made moot.

That's of course when our tech giants are not disassembling fabs and moving them to Singapore for cheaper labor.

Downward wage pressure or stagnating wages are not just due to lower demand for the product. Look around your house right now; count the electronics you bought in the last 5 years. Is electronic gear "out of fashion these days"? hardly.

(I'm a rarity in that I still have a 30 year old stereo receiver and a 10 year old tube-tv, so my neoluddite tendencies kind of keep me in check, but remember what the true cost of these new electronics really is).

 

[lordbt]

So the great "free market" ideal of "choice" is made moot.

That's of course when our tech giants are not disassembling fabs and moving them to Singapore for cheaper labor.

Hmm. You think you would be happy for the Singaporean laborer who now has an option that goes beyond the scratching of his meager existence from the earth. Capitalism, unlike the altruism of the left, does not end at the US boarder. Like water, it seeks the path of least resistance. Put up bariers to capitalism here and it--along with the jobs and prosperity that accompany it--will flow elsewhere.

 

[rambot]

Nobody cares about the middle class; least of all (Strangely) middle class right wingers.

Posted this without even reading lordbt's post!

 

[stamperben]

Put up bariers to capitalism here and it--along with the jobs and prosperity that accompany it--will flow elsewhere.

...along with what used to be our middle class which will now become a middle class in another country.

WAY TO GO CAPITALISM!!! Put the screws to the US!

 

[MachZer0]

California is a microcosm of the U.S. We want a lot of services here but we don't want to pay more in taxes for them.

Ultimately that is the question we ask nationwide.

What do we want and do we want to pay for it?

(And remember, California is not monolithically Librul. I live in one of the reddest counties you could ask for and we are just south of the county that gave us Nixon and Reagan, so go figure.)

Orange County, a conservative paradise, almost. I understand that your governor is going to ask you exactly that (to volunteer to pay more taxes for your services). We'll see how that works out.

 

[thaumaturgy]

Orange County, a conservative paradise, almost. I understand that your governor is going to ask you exactly that (to volunteer to pay more taxes for your services). We'll see how that works out.

I'd do it, but then I'm that rare American who believes that you do what you say and say what you do.

Try to live my values.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Middle income by definition is the middle quintile of all incomes in the US.

How can a statistical value be shrinking?

The middle fifth will always be the middle fifth.

 

[Needing_Grace]

Orange County, a conservative paradise, almost. I understand that your governor is going to ask you exactly that (to volunteer to pay more taxes for your services). We'll see how that works out.

Actually, that would be San Diego County, as Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, which is in Orange County.

 

[MachZer0]

I'd do it, but then I'm that rare American who believes that you do what you say and say what you do.

Try to live my values.

Then I expect oyu'll get your chance

 

[MachZer0]

Actually, that would be San Diego County, as Nixon was born in Yorba Linda, which is in Orange County.

Nixon is often associated with Whittier, and Reagan with Hollywood but I guessed Orange County because he called it the reddest county, which is not usually the way people talk about San Diego. Then again, there are some research facilities in San Diego County especially around the La Jolla area

 

[thaumaturgy]

because he called it the reddest county, which is not usually the way people talk about San Diego.

I said one of the reddest counties. And indeed, if you knew anything about San Diego you'd realize that that is indeed exactly what they say about San Diego County.

Then again, there are some research facilities in San Diego County especially around the La Jolla area

What does that have to do with conservatives? Oh, yeah, conservatives don't like researching things. Got it.

Well, these are often islands of pretty high intensity investing and profit as well. Big Pharma especially biopharma is huge business down here.

 

[thaumaturgy]

Then I expect oyu'll get your chance

Lookin' forward to it!

I just hope that people who don't want to pay for the services don't make use of them.

(You know, like retirees who receive social security and Medicare but think it's illegal and immoral for the government to take from those who've earned and give to those who haven't.)

 

[MachZer0]

Lookin' forward to it!

I just hope that people who don't want to pay for the services don't make use of them.

(You know, like retirees who receive social security and Medicare but think it's illegal and immoral for the government to take from those who've earned and give to those who haven't.)

The trouble is that it will likely be the people who don't pay for the services that will vote for the higher taxes. Think OWS

 

[thaumaturgy]

The trouble is that it will likely be the people who don't pay for the services that will vote for the higher taxes. Think OWS

I pay taxes and I'd vote for it.