Why Are So Many Concerned With a 'Disappearing Middle Class'?

Question

I keep reading in the paper and hearing on the news: 'The middle class is disappearing...' Why are we only concerned about the middle class? Is it because the news is run by the middle class? Is it because most of the country fits into the middle class? What about the low class? If the middle class are becoming poorer then things must be completely miserable for the people living at the bottom. And isn't it outrageous that some poeple have hundreds of millions? I'm always called a communist (with bad connotations) when I advocate equality for all. Of course, in our economy, to sustain Democracy we need an open market and the ability to freely make as much as we want. I believe, however, that even the worst of people, who would let others die in the gutter while they over-feed themselves, would change their mind about our economy and system of government if they were forced out on the streets (no home, food, protection, medicine, etc.). I'm interested in your thoughts...

Answer 1

I think its mostly because people are afraid of being classified as "poor." I dont think that people in the poor class are getting poorer- they are already poor. I think that the majority of the middle class is getting poorer.

But if you think about it, is the middle class really "middle"?

I think the middle class people have always been poor, most are living on credit, everything they own is on credit.
Most middle class people admire the rich and want the same things as the rich, thats why they are willing to live on credit.
Most Middle class people are "cattle like", only going with the flo trying to keep up with the rich. Most middle class people are also living paycheck to paycheck to pay off all this credit. Most are hardworking, stressed out, bitter and unhappy. Because of that most lack passion, dont want to see the struggles of the poor.
The majority of middle class people lack passion because they are earning for the wrong reasons. When you get things on credit its not really yours, yes you work for it, but you didnt have to work to get it .... its a different feeling. Think about the mindset of the MAJORITY of middle class people. Credit companies play off of peoples lust and greed.

Most Poor class people have always been poor, they were raised in it, accepted it and dealt with it. The ones who dont end up becoming a Rags to Riches story because they know truly what its like to be on bottom .. they use all their struggles and passion to get to the top.
Poor class people are also mostly "hustlers"- they make money on the side anyway they can. They know the ins and outs of how to make money and hustle. Think about the mindset of the MAJORITY of the poor class people.

Answer 2

There is also a concern for the workinpoor.The "disappearing" middle class is actually becoming poorer. The few that are rich are getting even richer. It is a sad state. The reason for this is because our jobs have gone to other countries and the ones that are here do not pay well. It is almost impossible for a mom to stay at home with the kids anymore. The minimum wage is ridiculous. Insurance and prescription drugs are outragous. It is like our own government is against us. If something does not change in America I fear that it will crumble. When people have to decide between electricity or food somebody is really f*cking up.

Answer 3

The middle class is the bridge between the upper and lower classes, as the middle class declines so too do involvement by multiple classes in social activities leaving a gap between the upper and lower class. The middle class serves as a buffer between the rich and the poor who have (from conflict theory) competing interests. According to Karl Marx if the middle class gets small enough the working class will rise up against the owners of production, i.e. revolution. Not to mention what earlier replies were saying about the rich getting richer and the poor getting poor under the US economic policies of the past thirty years.

Answer 4

The reason we are worried about the demise of the middle class is that if we lose the middle class then democracy as a whole will disappear. We will revert back to the middle ages of the landlords and servants. The poor will soon lose all rights and privileges and will soon be subservient to live in a world as only the rich see fit. The rich can strip away the rights of the poor, leavinng the poor with no defense for themselves.

Answer 5

Look up historical data. As we evolve from an industrial nation to a service oriented economy the people in the middle are suffering. In the past our economy depended on production jobs to employ the masses. Now we are seeing companies outsourcing factory positions to foreign countries to maximize profit. If I were a CEO of a company...why would I pay union workers $17.00 with full benefits, when, I can take my company overseas and pay my labor a third of what I was paying in the U.S.?
As we see more people going to college it creates something called "degree or educational inflation." Meaning that there are college educated people in the workforce than it can support. So, we see people with college education working in fields other than their educational background.
Another thing I noticed with outsourcing is we are losing skilled tradesmen. It is sad to admit, but many skilled workers have become obsolete. We see evidence every day at our local mega store and see these piece of crap, pre-stamped, low quality furniture. Everything I have mentioned has contributed to the eventual disappearance of the middle class. Eventually, if things continue as they are, we will only have the rich and poor. Countries with such a disparity of wealth have a lot of social issues.

Answer 6

Any country worth living in has a large middle class so that is an obvious reason why we worry.

As far a being a fat pig. In my family I am. I'm responsible every day of my life to go to work, don't do drugs, don't drink and drive and I have a family and mouths to feed. Each and every moment I'm responsible. For my efforts I have lot's of toys (car, boat, pool, nice house). I also care about people and reward thoes that working on a better life.

My brother never works for more then a few days, will quit so he to go to parties orgy, drugs or whatever he feels like. He'll soon be on the street homeless.

Way I look at it I earned my toys (after I pay 42% of my money to the feds) and
He's EARNED his homeless life

I give a rats about people that want to work an opportunity at a middle class life style. I can't stand people calling me a fat pig because some worless jerk chooses to live on the streets.

If that's how you feel I'll let you start sending money to my poor brother so he don't die in the street. You better get a second job because I can give you a hundred more like him. Me, I'll let the bums starve and take a ride on my baot. Sets the example, work hard and you get your rewards.

Answer 7

we are concerned with a disappearing middle class because the people who are disappearing from that class are dropping into the poor class. If the middle class was getting smaller, but the wealthiest classes were getting bigger that wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately the fact is the rich are taking more of the total wealth from the middle class causing more of the total population to be poor and the same small minority to become much wealthier.

Answer 8

A lot of long, winded answers for a simple question. Taxes and values. The middle class pays the bulk of the taxes in this country. The rich have " loopholes " to exploit and the poor have a very reduced rate. Lose the middle class and lose the tax base. Values. Middle class values, such as, work hard, pay your taxes,stay within the law and no gratuitous violence are hard to maintain in other, pressurized conditions, such as poverty or oppression. So, losing the middle class can be tragic for a country.

Answer 9

Here's my take on it: you have the lower, middle, and upper classes. The upper class is small and is very reluctant to let more people in. If the middle class is diminishing, where does it go? To lower class. This means that the lower class is getting larger while the upper class is simply getting fatter. Where does the money from the middle class go as it demotes down to lower class? To the upper class.
I would like to see more of the middle class coming back. That would mean a step up for many in the lower class.

Answer 10

The middle class is what separates us from the wealthy and poor. With the way things are going and how many people are going back to school and educating themselves their income goes up. Many middle class are becoming poorer because so many of them are getting laid off and many jobs are cutting down the number of employees needed and replacing them with mechanical and computerized employees. The problem is that we need people in jobs like truck drivers because without them how do we get goods and food brought to the stores.

We need shipping companies who go overseas to bring back products we use everyday here such as textiles. America has resorted to outsourcing their labor force so much that many companies don't see the point of paying american people benefits when paying someone overseas much less, but product turnout was higher. A lot of the poverty in this country is simple when you place people of the same economic standing in the same place many of them are resorting to self destructive means and with the flood of new immigrants coming to this country they're gradually becoming the new working poor while most Americans are increasing their educational standards and going into fields that are of high demand such as nursing, teaching, engineering, and other professional fields.

The welfare system is not readily available to the working poor like it used to be because the state and the federal government are reforming the system to get those who got on and stayed off the system and into job and work training programs and changing it so that the system only allows you a period of two years and they're only supporting two children so those who have more than two are going to have to come out of pocket to support them. This also applies to those trying to get on section 8 as well since they're slowly weeding out those who are abusing the system and slowly moving up those who have been on the list for a number of years. Currently the section 8 list is closed for new applicants.

If you're advocating equality then you're excusing foreigners to come here illegally and start applying for benefits that are for legal American citizens who come here and apply for legal standing not crossing our borders and establishing themselves and taking what many Americans work their entire lives for only to have some FOB(Fresh off the boat) Mexican or European coming in to work the jobs that many of us will not work such as flipping burgers, driving cabs, cleaning office buildings as janitors and housekeepers, and other jobs that we won't take since we go to college and move up to better pay and conditions.