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01-12-2008, 07:06 AM | #2 | |
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01-12-2008, 07:32 AM | #3 |
Genious
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Traditionally, middle class were owners of small businesses or professionals. People with money, but not nobility. They had economic independence, but not power or social standing. We have no nobility in this country making these artificial distinctions a little harder to maintain. Nobody wants to be 'lower class' so the definition has slid. Now everybody above poverty line considers themselves middle class. Where sociologist's draw the line I have no idea.
I tend to think of middle class as corporate middle management, professionals, and small business owners.
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01-12-2008, 07:33 AM | #4 |
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People's egos get in the way of doing what's right. They'll do anything to appear wealthy (teaser rate mortgages, fancy car with 72 month loan, etc.). It finally comes to light that they were living on borrowed time. And they want my sympathy?
As for "middle class," that definition is tricky. A couple making $80K/year can live pretty well. If they have five kids that's another story. |
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01-12-2008, 07:39 AM | #5 |
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01-12-2008, 07:41 AM | #6 |
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Isn't middle-class traditionally defined as the middle three quintiles in earnings? I don't know what that range is but am guessing that $100k may fall into it. It's always been a wide range of salaries.
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01-12-2008, 07:48 AM | #7 |
Genious
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all hail wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_middle_class The American middle class is an ambiguously defined social class in the United States.[1][2] While concept remains largely ambiguous in popular opinion and common language use,[3][4] contemporary sociologists have put forth several, more or less congruent, theories on the American middle class. Depending on class model used, the middle class may constitute anywhere from 45% to 49% of households. Sociologists such as Dennis Gilbert of Hamilton College commonly divide the middle class into two sub-groups. Constituting roughly 15% to 20% of households is the upper or professional middle class consisting of highly educated, salaried professionals and managers. Constituting roughly one third of households is the lower middle class consisting mostly of semi-professionals, skilled craftsmen and lower level management.[5][2] Middle class persons commonly have a comfortable standard of living, significant economic security, considerable work autonomy and rely on their expertise to sustain themselves.[6]
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01-12-2008, 07:56 AM | #8 |
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Depends on what you are trying to support when you invoke "middle class" into a discussion.
The current crop of politicos keep refering to helping the middle class by reinstating taxes on the wealthy and lowering the tax burden on the middle class. Sounds cool.... Until you look deeper and find out the tax increases on the rich will be for those people making over $50,000. On That basis, Id say you are rich, and as a result evil if you make over $50,000.
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01-12-2008, 03:23 PM | #9 |
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Here are the latest 2006 estimates from the Bureau of the Census. (The number of households seems too small, but I'm too lazy to check.)
Code:
Total: HH in Category % in Category HH in Category OR Below % in Category OR Below Less than $10,000 8,898,696 8.0% 8,898,696 8.0% $10,000 to $14,999 6,639,877 5.9% 15,538,573 13.9% $15,000 to $19,999 6,222,117 5.6% 21,760,690 19.5% $20,000 to $24,999 6,499,511 5.8% 28,260,201 25.3% $25,000 to $29,999 6,162,001 5.5% 34,422,202 30.8% $30,000 to $34,999 6,284,821 5.6% 40,707,023 36.5% $35,000 to $39,999 5,733,333 5.1% 46,440,356 41.6% $40,000 to $44,999 5,699,321 5.1% 52,139,677 46.7% $45,000 to $49,999 5,078,803 4.6% 57,218,480 51.3% $50,000 to $59,999 9,465,003 8.5% 66,683,483 59.7% $60,000 to $74,999 11,756,886 10.5% 78,440,369 70.3% $75,000 to $99,999 13,214,551 11.8% 91,654,920 82.1% $100,000 to $124,999 7,933,973 7.1% 99,588,893 89.2% $125,000 to $149,999 4,230,233 3.8% 103,819,126 93.0% $150,000 to $199,999 3,981,276 3.6% 107,800,402 96.6% $200,000 or more 3,817,000 3.4% 111,617,402 100.0% Using this universe, I would probably define it more narrowly as the middle third of households - $33,000 to $73,000 or so. However, recall that there are all types of households in the country - single young people, elderly widows, empty nesters, DINKS, and others. Politicians like to pander to the traditional American image of a household that includes a sweater-wearing father, pearl-and-high-heel-wearing mother, football-playing son, and tight-cheerleader-sweater-and-short-cheerleader-skirt wearing daughter. Those traditional family households are different, with much higher incomes. Here's their information: Married-couple households with children under 18. Code:
HH in Category % in Category HH in Category OR Below % in Category OR Below Less than $10,000 363,901 1.5% 363,901 1.5% $10,000 to $14,999 396,082 1.6% 759,983 3.1% $15,000 to $19,999 553,348 2.3% 1,313,331 5.4% $20,000 to $24,999 727,654 3.0% 2,040,985 8.5% $25,000 to $29,999 804,576 3.3% 2,845,561 11.8% $30,000 to $34,999 952,683 3.9% 3,798,244 15.7% $35,000 to $39,999 968,108 4.0% 4,766,352 19.7% $40,000 to $44,999 1,058,847 4.4% 5,825,199 24.1% $45,000 to $49,999 1,068,090 4.4% 6,893,289 28.5% $50,000 to $59,999 2,246,312 9.3% 9,139,601 37.8% $60,000 to $74,999 3,313,612 13.7% 12,453,213 51.6% $75,000 to $99,999 4,354,664 18.0% 16,807,877 69.6% $100,000 to $124,999 2,843,333 11.8% 19,651,210 81.4% $125,000 to $149,999 1,522,822 6.3% 21,174,032 87.7% $150,000 to $199,999 1,465,501 6.1% 22,639,533 93.7% $200,000 or more 1,510,052 6.3% 24,149,585 100.0% I would wager that the "traditional households" help define the middle class more so than all households, even though I think all households should be considered.
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01-12-2008, 03:26 PM | #10 |
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Somewere above me
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01-12-2008, 03:30 PM | #11 |
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is your side business internet porn? Middle Class here we come...
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01-12-2008, 03:31 PM | #12 |
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Wow....obviously a HUGE difference between middle class in Cali and middle class in Middle America.
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01-12-2008, 03:36 PM | #13 |
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Scientifically speaking, the middle class is right above the lower class, and right below the upper class.
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01-12-2008, 04:40 PM | #14 | |
umm...what do I say here?
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pron?
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