So, here's the gist of the poll.....according to Trump's and Bernie's campaigns, and especially in light of the very dreary picture of America the Donald painted yesterday in his acceptance speech, in which he's assured us by the way that he's the only single person in America who can fix this dystopian society in which we are living....one simple question:
overall (socially, educationally, economically, and regarding national security) is America really in as bad of shape as Trumpsters and Bernie Bots would have us believe? Honest answers please.
It's very hard to answer this for a homogeneous America, because I believe the answer depends very much on one's socio-economic class.
If you're a professional, working in the professional or managerial ranks in government or a fortune 1000 corp, or own a business in a thriving area, or selling a product to corporations or one of the aforementioned professional groups, you're probably doing pretty damn well!
Your house (being in a nice area) has appreciated in value to around or past the peak that occurred before the recent crash, so you've got some equity built-up and it's a reasonably active market if you need to buy/sell/move.
The markets have been flying, your 401K is reflecting this, interest rates on *everything* are at historic lows, and China & Asia are cranking-out goods at record-low prices compared to the general cost-of-living for you to consume! Education for your kids is still high though, but at a professional's, manager's, or owner's salary you're likely to be able to keep them in the better schools, even if it means hitting-up or borrowing against that 401K that's done 300% tax-free over the last 5 years! ROI on fixed investments (bonds/CDs/etc) is painfully low though and that's irksome, but who needs fixed investments when the market's flying and you're making a killing in it?
Now if you're mid-middle or lower middle-class, working-class, or non-professional, you're probably getting squeezed pretty badly. You're earning moderate wages with little increase, and crappy benefits while working long hours, likely including weekends and holidays. Your kids likely don't quality for financial aid, and you can't afford to pay for them, so hello kids to a lifetime of non-dismissable educational loans. With the heavily increasing rents, if you don't already own a house you're going to struggle to get the downpayment and good credit required to land that first one. That's if you don't have student loans of your own! On the flipside, if you *can* get that mortgage the rates are at historical lows, and you'll probably pay less than your rent, especially considering the mortgage interest and property tax deduction on your 1040.
Now if you're one of the many middle-aged or near-retirement-aged displaced union or manufacturing workers now making not much more than minimum wage in some service occupation, and competing with co-workers unable to speak much English and of a culture you cannot relate to and perhaps even dislike, I have nothing more to comment accept I'm sure we'll see you in November when you cast your vote for The Donald because he understands you.
Finally, if you're of a socio-economic group lower than those described above, well it goes without saying you likely feel the American Dream isn't working any longer, and the prospect of near minimum wage for dreary long hours at multiple jobs with no benefits probably doesn't sound much better than public assistance and/or disability - bolstered with cash on the side if you can find it. And it's better than the kind of hustle that can get you in prison. Maybe. At least assistance gets you medicaid, which is better than the unaffordable or non-functional insurance that the lower-middle class one wrung up can't afford, and therefore often do without.
