80 Percent Of U.S. Adults Face Near-Poverty

[Papa bull]

You seem to have this illusion that the answer is for everyone to be chiefs. It doesn't work that way, the average American worker is a brave. Everyone can't be the boss, start their own business, top level management, etc. This is a story about the middle class, what part of that don't you understand? The middle class IS the low end job, the middle class IS the Wonder Widget Plant worker, there's nothing wrong with that and that is what most jobs are in the U.S. now.

Well, if the middle class is the low end job and people are happy with that, then what the hell is all the bitching about? If you want more, you have to do more. That's not saying you must either want more OR do more. It's just saying that all the bitching about how the "American Dream" is dead is hot air. Now if we could just harness all that hot air from the hand wringers as alternative energy, we might be onto something.

 

[Papa bull]

This isn't the 50's or 60's, it's a different world... try comparing apples to apples.....

US population, 1950: 150,697,361
US population, 1960: 179,323,175
US Population, 2010: 308,400,408

• Half the population
• Most of the world's production
• A small fraction of the "necessary" consumer crap we must all have today
• Modest health care costs for modest healthcare treatment
• A time when most of the free world was rebuilding from the rubble of world war II and needed consumer goods.

Yes, it was good times. Expecting such a windfall opportunity to last forever is a bit foolish, though. The kind of opportunity the USA had for growth after WWII is something the world may never see again.

 

[paddymcdougall]

You guys are missing the point, that IS what the middle class is, they are average. They are increasingly getting less and less for their contribution to the American engine. This is not an argument about how to get more or how to get rich. It is a story about what the average American's prospects are.

I imagine most of the people in this thread are average? Are you not?

Yeah, we're not talking about burger slingers. We're talking about people working hard, in jobs that do take some skill, but who, although they are more productive, are not getting raises. The CEOs and other high level people are taking the profits instead of sharing it with the people who make it happen.

In terms of minimum wage in the 50s- it has NOT kept pace with inflation. $1 then could buy more than the $7.25 can now.

Even burger sliingers deserve to have their wages stay up with inflation.

 

[Fenton]

You guys are missing the point, that IS what the
middle class is, they are average. They are increasingly getting less and less for their contribution to the American engine. This is not an argument about how to get more or how to get rich. It is a story about what the average American's prospects are.

I imagine most of the people in this thread are average? Are you not?

Meh, I'm a bit above average but when I was " average " I never thought to blame it on some " Corporate evil Rich Guy " narrative. I contiued on with my education and made sure my skills were going to be marketable.

It really wasn't that difficult.

Where were all of you folks when Clintons Tech bubble was turning geeky computer scientist into Millionaires ?

The "eeebil rich guy " narrative was no where to be scene.

As for the expanding chasm between rich and poor, you can thank the Democrats for that.

There are Consequences for being suceptable to plattitudes and manufactured narratives.

 

[Fenton]

Yeah, we're not talking about burger
slingers. We're talking about people working hard, in jobs that do take some skill, but who, although they are more productive, are not getting raises. The CEOs and other high level people are taking the profits instead of sharing it with the people who make it happen.

In terms of minimum wage in the 50s- it has NOT kept pace with inflation. $1 then could buy more than the $7.25 can now.

Even burger sliingers deserve to have their wages stay up with inflation.

Where would you people be if not for your manufactured meme's ?

You might have to address reality.

 

[paddymcdougall]

Where would you people be if not for your manufactured meme's ?

You might have to address reality.

Was that an answer? or just a rant?

 

[Fenton]

Was that an answer? or just a rant?

There was a QUESTION MARK after one of those sentences right ?

I just think your "eat the rich" narrative is funny that's all.

I mean, think of all the pressing reality you have to ignore to agree with the OPs conclusion.

The middle Class is shrinking because the least of us decided our path in 2008 and 2012. They bought into a bunch of empty plattitudes and nonsesne and voted for " change ".

I'm just here to remind you that there are consequences for being so maleable. There are consequences for electing a Jr Senator with radical ties to run a free market system who happened to be the least qualified candidate in Washington.

 

[Papa bull]

In terms of minimum wage in the 50s- it has NOT kept pace with inflation. $1 then could buy more than the $7.25 can now.

Even burger sliingers deserve to have their wages stay up with inflation.

In 1950 the minimum wage was .75 an hour. It was worth 7.27 today. So you are right minimum wage then was worth more then than now but only 2 cents more than the 7.25 we have today. Pretty damned close if you ask me.

 

[Fisher]

Yeah, we're not talking about burger slingers. We're talking about people working hard, in jobs that do take some skill, but who, although they are more productive, are not getting raises. The CEOs and other high level people are taking the profits instead of sharing it with the people who make it happen.

In terms of minimum wage in the 50s- it has NOT kept pace with inflation. $1 then could buy more than the $7.25 can now.

Even burger sliingers deserve to have their wages stay up with inflation.

In 1950 the minimum wage was .75 an hour. It was worth 7.27 today. So you are right minimum wage then was worth more then than now but only 2 cents more than the 7.25 we have today. Pretty damned close if you ask me.

There are different ways to look at it. If you look at the purchasing power of minimum wage it is down but not at a low. I am not sure how they did their math, because I have seen sources somewhere say that the purchasing power may have been as high as $14 in the 50's, but it is not something that I feel like fishing around for right now.

A history of the minimum wage since 1938 - Economy

"The minimum wage had its lowest buying power in 1948, when it was worth about $3.81 in today's dollars. It had its highest buying power in 1968, when it was worth about $10.56.

At $7.25 in 2012, our current minimum wage is in the middle of those two extremes.

 

[paddymcdougall]

In 1950 the minimum wage was .75 an hour. It was worth 7.27 today. So you are right minimum wage then was worth more then than now but only 2 cents more than the 7.25 we have today. Pretty damned close if you ask me.

the studies I've seen have said if minimum wage kept up with inflation it would be close to $10.50. Somewhat depends on your starting point; this one says that starting from 1968 it would be about 9.25, although productivity increases would put it higher.
The Minimum Wage Is Worth $2 Less Today Than It Was In 1968: Study

this one looks at the last 40 years and says $10.74
Facts | Raise The Minimum Wage

 

[paddymcdougall]

There was a QUESTION MARK after one of those sentences right ?

.

Then I'll just say I wasn't quoting a manufactured meme; I was looking at what is going on these days.

Where would YOU be without your slavish idolation of rich people ruining our society?

 

[Papa bull]

the studies I've seen have said if minimum wage kept up with inflation it would be close to $10.50. Somewhat depends on your starting point; this one says that starting from 1968 it would be about 9.25, although productivity increases would put it higher.
The Minimum Wage Is Worth $2 Less Today Than It Was In 1968: Study

this one looks at the last 40 years and says $10.74
Facts | Raise The Minimum Wage

It was 75 cents an hour in 1950. Use an inflation calculator and do the math yourself. It's always good to check statistics yourself.

 

[calamity]

You guys are missing the point, that IS what the middle class is, they are average. They are increasingly getting less and less for their contribution to the American engine. This is not an argument about how to get more or how to get rich. It is a story about what the average American's prospects are.

I imagine most of the people in this thread are average? Are you not?

Average is C-Student, which is not really where you want to be. Just saying.

 

[paddymcdougall]

It was 75 cents an hour in 1950. Use an inflation calculator and do the math yourself. It's always good to check statistics yourself.

Like I said, it depends on your starting point.

 

[Papa bull]

Like I said, it depends on your starting point.

The bottom line is that it's trended right along with inflation but isn't calculated and adjusted every year.

 

[Josie]

Yet, most everyone still has TV, cell phones, PlayStations and internet access.

 

[paddymcdougall]

Yet, most everyone still has TV, cell phones, PlayStations and internet access.

Really? when my step-daughter was umemployed, she needed her cell phone to have a contact for job interviews. She used a library's PCs when she needed to job search or update/submit her resume. No land line, no internet access at home. & I think she watched DVDs, she didn't have cable or satellite. So it was DVDs or a friend's house.

Everyone decides how to allocate their budget. If I lived in a bad area and had kids, investing in cable and a playstation would make sense to keep the kids off the street. As a low income person, a cell phone with email can take the place of a home landline and DSL.

Basically, everyone's situation is different; be careful before judging.

 

[Josie]

Really? when my step-daughter was umemployed, she needed her cell phone to have a contact for job interviews. She used a library's PCs when she needed to job search or update/submit her resume. No land line, no internet access at home. & I think she watched DVDs, she didn't have cable or satellite. So it was DVDs or a friend's house.

Everyone decides how to allocate their budget. If I lived in a bad area and had kids, investing in cable and a playstation would make sense to keep the kids off the street. As a low income person, a cell phone with email can take the place of a home landline and DSL.

Basically, everyone's situation is different; be careful before judging.

What I'm saying is that how "poverty" is defined by many in the U.S. isn't actual poverty. Even some of our poorest people have luxuries that people who are actually living in poverty can only dream about.