Quote from SteveD:
But guys, you make the erroneous assumption that everyone stays static. That is not human nature.
If this stream is "fished out" one then moves to another stream with more fish.
It would be interesting to see statistics on how many people 20 years after college graduation are still in the field of their major.
More of the "middle class" are hit by lightening each year than migrate to another country, LOL..
Get real.
I agree we need to take a hard look at the "poor" in this country. Those on the bottom need to be cared for. BUT, and this is the rub. Who and how do we decide the "bottom"?
A person making $10,000 a year in Louisiana is different than in NY. Living in New Orleans, even poor, is a pretty good lifestyle for a lot of those folks. They live in small close knit neighborhoods, similar to other cities 100 years ago. Everybody knows you and your family. They are poor but not homeless. That is a big difference.
Take a guy working for Chevron refinery in Port Arthur. Makes about $60,000 a year. Wife is schoolteacher at $45K. They buy house in 1985 for $75,000 (3BR/2BA) have added on. Both drive relative new cars/truck. Pay cash. Take 3 cruises a year. Has $350,000 in 401K plus her retirement from school district. Both kids went to Lamar University in Beaumont. Hunts and fishes all the time. Plays bridge, high school athletics etc etc.
They live a very nice comfortable lifestyle within their means.
There are simply millions of these types of people in America. No way in HELL is Patel going to do this job, LOL.
Farmers were trading futures on crops before you could spell "daytrader", by the way. New Orleans Cotton Exchange was a flourishing business when Wall Street was still outside in the street.
I assume most of the posters are not Americans and do not live here. The size and depth of this country is simply beyond their capabilities of thought.
Middle class is doing just fine, thank you.
SteveD
Kick ass post.