The Middle Class

[tabs]

The hand writing was on the wall back in the 70s about the decline of the American Middle Class. After WW2 the USA had the ONLY undamaged or destroyed Industrial Plant in the world. Germany and Japan were virtually destroyed. Great Britain, France and the USSR were damaged. That left only the USA to p[roduce capital goods With the rise of Unions in America in the 50s the average Joe Blue Collar could become Middle Class. This was the Golden Age for the American Worker.

By the 60s Germany, Japan etall more or less recovered and started to compete with America. Yet America plowed on as if nothing was happening. BY the 80s Korea and Taiwan were competing with the USA. the heavy industrial plants were closing, TVs and Autos were being made overseas, and US corps began to get lean and mean by cutting its White Collar work force,to compete, until then it had predominatily laid off its Blue Collar force. We beagan to switch to a service economy instead of an industrail one. The Middle class found that it took 2 incomes to maintain it Middle Class lifestyle.

Now with China, India, Brazil and a host of other countries competing, US companies found sound economic reason to leave American Shores. They could hire cheaper labor and avoid stricter EPA regs by leaving the US. So now it takes 2 incomes and a Credit card or Home equity line of credit to maintain the Middle Class lifestyle. Now we are finding that even our service economy is being whittled away. All the while the American worker has been seduced into a state of well being while watching the Super Bowl.

GM has finally said enough, the Health and Welfare Bennies of its Union labor have crippled the company and to avoid BK hav e bought out a good portion of its Union employees. This is the defacto end of the Middle Class in America as we know it.

That Golden Age of prosperity for the American worker is gone, it was an abnormal period in history. Brought on by the unusal circumstances of WW2. Never before has the average worker had such a high standard of living and it has to adjust downward relative to the rest of the competition in the world. The Middle Class will continue to shrink, with the rich getting richer, and the greater number of former Middle Class slipping into the poorer class. Only the smart well educated will enjoy a prosperous life style.

[sewell94]

agreed, boy it really makes since when put it that way

[svandamme]

Originally posted by tabs

That Golden Age of prosperity for the American worker is gone, it was an abnormal period in history. Brought on by the unusal circumstances of WW2. Never before has the average worker had such a high standard of living and it has to adjust downward relative to the rest of the competition in the world.

does this mean y'all will no longer use the WW2 excuse to blackmail Europeans into agreeing with y'all?

[HardDrive]

Good post Tabs. Cheers.

[Nathans_Dad]

Maybe the middle class lifestyle is not what it used to be. Perhaps that's why the "middle class" is having trouble. Maybe they are trying to live like the upper-middle class of years ago. Just a thought.

[Flatbutt1]

Originally posted by svandamme
does this mean y'all will no longer use the WW2 excuse to blackmail Europeans into agreeing with y'all?

It could happen, but first, you have to stop using "y'all". that's reserved for our Southern US brethren.

[red-beard]

Yeah, that's like a European calling a Texan a "Yankee"! It's just not done.

[svandamme]

Originally posted by red-beard
Yeah, that's like a European calling a Texan a "Yankee"! It's just not done.

or an American calling a Belgian Dutch
or a Swede , Danish
Swiss, French, or etc etc

happens all the time

[widgeon13]

How are you defining middle class? Income, net worth?

[on-ramp]

the middle class is getting screwed because the government and corporations in thie country need more money for their accounts.

some factors that put pressure on middle class:

higher RE taxes
higher gas prices
higher health care costs
higher home heating costs

stagnant to decrease in wages

lawmakers pass laws that benefit themselves, corporations, and lobbyists. they don't care about the middle class.

the borders are wide open because it's cheap labor for companies. illegal immigration is pushing down wages even further. also, exporting of jobs

America is a playground for the rich, while the rest of us need 2 full time jobs just to make ends meet.

[Moses]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
Indeed, this is a core, fundamental change in our society where the primary caregivers are now working full-time in order to pay for new cars, vacations, cell phones and cable TV. I don't think the effects of the "day-care" era have yet to show up...

-Wayne

I wonder if we are going to see a shift to a more european lifestyle. Less consumerism, more thrift. Fewer home owners, more renters. It makes sense.

I see a lot of families struggling to keep pace. At some point they will reevaluate their need for the new car, plasma TV and 4,000 square foot house.

The effects of the "day care" era are indeed showing up. And it's not good.

[widgeon13]

Perhaps if they get pissed enough they will get out to vote and change these things for the better.

[Nathans_Dad]

Originally posted by Moses
I wonder if we are going to see a shift to a more european lifestyle. Less consumerism, more thrift. Fewer home owners, more renters. It makes sense.

I see a lot of families struggling to keep pace. At some point they will reevaluate their need for the new car, plasma TV and 4,000 square foot house.

The effects of the "day care" era are indeed showing up. And it's not good.

+1

From what I have seen on TV of European homes (admittedly have never been there myself), they appear to be much smaller than US homes. I think that the US definition of middle class is probably vastly different than the definition of middle class in Europe. Americans are consumers and we seem to be on a big time binge these days. Is it really middle class to have 2 or 3 cars, a flat screen TV, high speed internet and satellite TV??

[Dottore]

Originally posted by tabs
That Golden Age of prosperity for the American worker is gone

So how to account for tradesmen? My plumber drives a Hummer. The guy who was supposed to install a new gas stove for me last week is currently on safari in Kenya. Just two examples. There seems to be a lot of money in blue collar trades these days - at least in this corner of NA.

[on-ramp]

Originally posted by Dottore
So how to account for tradesmen? My plumber drives a Hummer. The guy who was supposed to install a new gas stove for me last week is currently on safari in Kenya. Just two examples. There seems to be a lot of money in blue collar trades these days - at least in this corner of NA.

simple , tradesmen/contractors gouge for their services.

they are the worst crooks and gullible people fall for their exorbitant prices.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally posted by Dottore
So how to account for tradesmen? My plumber drives a Hummer. The guy who was supposed to install a new gas stove for me last week is currently on safari in Kenya. Just two examples. There seems to be a lot of money in blue collar trades these days - at least in this corner of NA.

Skilled trade yes, I actually think that skilled trades have better prospects than the run of the mill BA

[svandamme]

Originally posted by Bill Verburg
Skilled trade yes, I actually think that skilled trades have better prospects than the run of the mill BA

beat me to it...
just wanna add, plumbing isn't glamorous either, it is hard and often dirty work...

[Bill Verburg]

The handwriting was on the wall when stay at home moms became the norm. At first it was a source of a little luxury in ordinary lives, it has evolved into a necessity for most.

I don't see why many moms work, I had lunch w/ an associate the other day, he was telling me about his daughter in-law having to pay $1000/mo for day care. Talk about high taxes being a disincentive

[widgeon13]

Originally posted by Bill Verburg
The handwriting was on the wall when stay at home moms became the norm. At first it was a source of a little luxury in ordinary lives, it has evolved into a necessity for most.

I don't see why many moms work, I had lunch w/ an associate the other day, he was telling me about his daughter in-law having to pay $1000/mo for day care. Talk about high taxes being a disincentive

I would agree with Bill V. I'm not sure that the middle class does a good job of the math associated with the working mom situation. I have known couples who have childcare that can be very expensive and yet they believe they are ahead of the game. They might be considered upper middle class but why work when the cost is damn near the mother's take home salary. Women want a career, not the traditional model of stay at home moms.

They do it for the material thngs and keeping up with the neighbors. I lived in Germany back in early 70's and I can tell you the average person lives in a much more frugal manner that we do. They are not nearly as wasteful as we are.

[Aurel]

So, Tabs, are you interested in the middle class now that you have a middle class job ?

Aurel