The Middle Class defined...
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From: NH
The Middle Class defined...
Since this is an election year and you hear everybody talking about ”The Middle Class” I found some interesting reading:
The Middle Class I
”The National Center for Opinion Research says 36% of people earning less then $15,000 a year call themselves middle class. Among those with incomes between $35,000 and $50,000, half claim to be middle class. And what about those wealthy Americans who earn more than $75,000 a year? 71% of them describe themselves as middle class. They can't all be middle class, but Dr. John Russo with the Center for Working Class studies at Youngstown State University says the responses don't surprise him...”
”If you are now thoroughly confused about whether or not you belong to the middle class, Dr. Toni Horst, the senior economist at economy.com provides this litmus test. Is your household income between $32,000 and $50,000? Do you have a positive net worth, that is if you sold everything you owned, could you pay off all your debts and still have money left over? Is at least one person in your household a high school graduate? You might expect a college degree to be required, but only one in four Americans graduates from college...so a high school degree can get you to the middle. Do you have health insurance? Do you have a credit card? And finally, do you still believe that if you work harder or smarter, the opportunity exists to move up the economic ladder? Horst says if you can answer yes to all of those questions, congratulations, you're probably middle class.”
The Middle Class II
”One way economists define the middle class is to divide American families into five equally sized groups, with 20 percent of families in each group. The lowest fifth includes families who earn less than $24,000 a year, and the top fifth covers families who earn more than $165,000 annually.
In the middle are families whose income ranges from about $40,000 to about $95,000 annually, according to 2002 census data released this year.”
As you may have surmised it is not easy to define ”The Middle Class” and thus for all political parties it seems nothing more then a nice buzz word to use during campaign speeches, more so for the Democrats since they “supposedly” want to help the middle class.
It would be nice if during the next debate one of the moderators actually asked each candidate to “specifically” define with income levels just who the middle class is and who, again specifically by income, are the rich.
This way we would know just who, by income, they are supposedly going to help and who they are going to screw to the wall…
The Middle Class I
”The National Center for Opinion Research says 36% of people earning less then $15,000 a year call themselves middle class. Among those with incomes between $35,000 and $50,000, half claim to be middle class. And what about those wealthy Americans who earn more than $75,000 a year? 71% of them describe themselves as middle class. They can't all be middle class, but Dr. John Russo with the Center for Working Class studies at Youngstown State University says the responses don't surprise him...”
”If you are now thoroughly confused about whether or not you belong to the middle class, Dr. Toni Horst, the senior economist at economy.com provides this litmus test. Is your household income between $32,000 and $50,000? Do you have a positive net worth, that is if you sold everything you owned, could you pay off all your debts and still have money left over? Is at least one person in your household a high school graduate? You might expect a college degree to be required, but only one in four Americans graduates from college...so a high school degree can get you to the middle. Do you have health insurance? Do you have a credit card? And finally, do you still believe that if you work harder or smarter, the opportunity exists to move up the economic ladder? Horst says if you can answer yes to all of those questions, congratulations, you're probably middle class.”
The Middle Class II
”One way economists define the middle class is to divide American families into five equally sized groups, with 20 percent of families in each group. The lowest fifth includes families who earn less than $24,000 a year, and the top fifth covers families who earn more than $165,000 annually.
In the middle are families whose income ranges from about $40,000 to about $95,000 annually, according to 2002 census data released this year.”
As you may have surmised it is not easy to define ”The Middle Class” and thus for all political parties it seems nothing more then a nice buzz word to use during campaign speeches, more so for the Democrats since they “supposedly” want to help the middle class.
It would be nice if during the next debate one of the moderators actually asked each candidate to “specifically” define with income levels just who the middle class is and who, again specifically by income, are the rich.
This way we would know just who, by income, they are supposedly going to help and who they are going to screw to the wall…
Certified Goat Breeder
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,182
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From: the moral high ground
We have over 50,000 members here.
If everyone would give me one dollar, I could be middle class.
I would represent this site with distinction. I would tell all my new middle class friends what you did for me.
I wouldn't forget you. I would report back here on middle class vacations I went on and middle class resturaunts I went to.
Think about it for a minute before you dismiss this.
I truely want to represent you, so please consider sending me to the middle class.
[this message approved by the Raoul for middle class committee]
If everyone would give me one dollar, I could be middle class.
I would represent this site with distinction. I would tell all my new middle class friends what you did for me.
I wouldn't forget you. I would report back here on middle class vacations I went on and middle class resturaunts I went to.
Think about it for a minute before you dismiss this.
I truely want to represent you, so please consider sending me to the middle class.
[this message approved by the Raoul for middle class committee]
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,919
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From: Western Massachusetts
Raoul, I'll support you as a rep of the middle class. In fact I'll e-mail you a dollar right now!
I guess I'm middle class, and you know what? I don't need the government in my buissness. I'm doing fine without the help of some liberal. Most of us are doing fine. The people who want the hand outs are the ones who don't want to have to work to be "middle class". 01, you have got to be totally sick of all the BS going on up there. I want to smash in my TV every time I have to hear Peter Jennings refer to our president as Mr. Bush. Who says we have a liberal media?
I'm not a democrat or republican but this three ring circus in NH right now (and in IA earlier) has got me praying that none of thoes charictors ends up getting the chance to "help" me!
I guess I'm middle class, and you know what? I don't need the government in my buissness. I'm doing fine without the help of some liberal. Most of us are doing fine. The people who want the hand outs are the ones who don't want to have to work to be "middle class". 01, you have got to be totally sick of all the BS going on up there. I want to smash in my TV every time I have to hear Peter Jennings refer to our president as Mr. Bush. Who says we have a liberal media?
I'm not a democrat or republican but this three ring circus in NH right now (and in IA earlier) has got me praying that none of thoes charictors ends up getting the chance to "help" me!
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From: NH
wittcom,
Actually it is quite comical here at the moment as it was in Iowa and as it will be until President Bush is reelected.
You have all these screaming liberals running for President and whining about the deficit. You have other screaming liberals who support these morons also screaming about the deficit.
Yet, none of the screaming liberals supporting those running for President, who will lose anyway, but needless to say, not ONE screaming liberal supporter is calling their candidates hypocrites about their positions on the deficit.
If any one of these socialist liberals are elected to office, which they don’t have a chance, but if their wish upon a falling star was to come true it would absolutely bloat the current deficit beyond anything President Bush could imagine. (and we are not talking about money being spent for the protection of America and it citizens, they will scrap all that spending and redirect that money to the lazy and useless)
Now, that is after they all, in different ways, raise taxes. Every single one of them has promised and guaranteed they will INDEED raise taxes.
Who in the hell would ever think about voting for someone promising to raise their taxes AND explode the federal deficit?
It’s indeed a circus atmosphere for the democrats, you have clowns leading the other clueless clowns who think they are going to get something for nothing. Just goes to show how bad our public school system really is, few people know math anymore and it seems less have any kind of common sense or logic…
Actually it is quite comical here at the moment as it was in Iowa and as it will be until President Bush is reelected.
You have all these screaming liberals running for President and whining about the deficit. You have other screaming liberals who support these morons also screaming about the deficit.
Yet, none of the screaming liberals supporting those running for President, who will lose anyway, but needless to say, not ONE screaming liberal supporter is calling their candidates hypocrites about their positions on the deficit.
If any one of these socialist liberals are elected to office, which they don’t have a chance, but if their wish upon a falling star was to come true it would absolutely bloat the current deficit beyond anything President Bush could imagine. (and we are not talking about money being spent for the protection of America and it citizens, they will scrap all that spending and redirect that money to the lazy and useless)
Now, that is after they all, in different ways, raise taxes. Every single one of them has promised and guaranteed they will INDEED raise taxes.
Who in the hell would ever think about voting for someone promising to raise their taxes AND explode the federal deficit?
It’s indeed a circus atmosphere for the democrats, you have clowns leading the other clueless clowns who think they are going to get something for nothing. Just goes to show how bad our public school system really is, few people know math anymore and it seems less have any kind of common sense or logic…
Certified Goat Breeder
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,182
Likes: 19
From: the moral high ground
uh...I guess I should take that as a "no"?
If I don't get some donations I'm gonna be stuck in Low Class.
Look, I ain't askin' to get bumped up to High Class, I just want one year at Middle Class then I'll come back and share whats it all about with everybody here in Low Class. If we don't send me up to scout around we are never gonna know.
1)I'll come back and give you the poop.
2)I'll keep receipts.
3)I could be tax deductable if you're willing to cheat.
If I don't get some donations I'm gonna be stuck in Low Class.
Look, I ain't askin' to get bumped up to High Class, I just want one year at Middle Class then I'll come back and share whats it all about with everybody here in Low Class. If we don't send me up to scout around we are never gonna know.
1)I'll come back and give you the poop.
2)I'll keep receipts.
3)I could be tax deductable if you're willing to cheat.
Certified Goat Breeder
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,182
Likes: 19
From: the moral high ground
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Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 172
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From: Boston Area
Re: The Middle Class defined...
Originally posted by 01 XLT Sport
It would be nice if during the next debate one of the moderators actually asked each candidate to “specifically” define with income levels just who the middle class is and who, again specifically by income, are the rich.
This way we would know just who, by income, they are supposedly going to help and who they are going to screw to the wall…
It would be nice if during the next debate one of the moderators actually asked each candidate to “specifically” define with income levels just who the middle class is and who, again specifically by income, are the rich.
This way we would know just who, by income, they are supposedly going to help and who they are going to screw to the wall…
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 739
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From: Houston and Lil ol' England
I thought is was only us Brits who obsessed about what class we were.
Here's the real test.
Do you have to work? If yes you are Working Class.
Do you not have to work because you are loaded with cash? You are rich. Congratulations!
Class has nothing to do with income.
Here's the real test.
Do you have to work? If yes you are Working Class.
Do you not have to work because you are loaded with cash? You are rich. Congratulations!
Class has nothing to do with income.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Boston Area
Originally posted by EnglishAdam
Class has nothing to do with income.
Class has nothing to do with income.
According to 01 XLT, I'm middle class II.......
But across the pond, I'm lower class at best.......DOH
Hey Raoul,
Your goat sure got a purdy mouth. Pretty soon here in MA, you will be able to marry your goat. And if the stars are perfectly aligned....next election, your goat will have his own government health care card.
