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Kiran C asked in Politics & GovernmentPolitics · 9 years ago

Can we all agree the shrinking of the middle class began in the Reagan years?

After looking at the chart, can we all agree the shrinking of the middle class began in the Reagan years? What set of policies started that slide?

"[I]n 1970, the middle class held 62 percent of the income in the country. The upper income held 29 percent. Those numbers have now flipped: The middle class is at 45 percent and the upper income class is at 46 percent. "

http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/08/th...

10 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Libs can because it is the truth. But as usual, cons will lie, deny, and blame the Black guy.

    ~

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    Why is it that liberals cannot conceive of the possibility that the middle class can 'shrink' in two directions. In a liberal's mind, the only way a person can 'leave' the middle class is to become poor. They never consider the possibility that a person can leave the middle class by becoming wealthier.

    So, think on that for a second.

    Now me? Personally? I don't give a crap. In America, the Land of Opportunity where NO ONE is standing in anyone's way or holding anyone back, if a person is poor, they have NO ONE but themselves to blame. There is no oppressor. There is no law or rule that limits someone's ability. There is free education and all sorts of options for higher education. Nothing, in this country is standing in anyone's way except their own lack of drive, initiative and effort. NOTHING. So, I'm sorry. If someone's 'poor' out there, it is their own fault. Period.

    But perhaps part of the reason they remain this way is because we have the richest poor in the world. The 'poor' in America are provided with a home, food, health care and an allowance sufficient for them to buy a flat screen TV and a Disney vacation once a year. We have ALL seen them do it! So maybe, part of the problem is, we've made being poor far too comfortable. So comfortable that it has become a lifestyle.

    We've spent 17 trillion dollars on this War on Poverty and as a percentage, we have the exact same number of poor in America as we did fifty years ago. I'm sorry. You can't help someone if they won't help themselves.

  • 9 years ago

    The Reagan Years birthed the greatest run of economic expansion in our history. I prefer to focus on the "here and now" in any case. "The rich always gets richer" will always be the rule (unless of course you're advocating some kind of law to prevent those who can make money from doing so?) and you know what? WHO CARES IF THEY DO? So long as I can fill my tank with $1.80 gasoline and buy a $2.99 a pound rib eye steak for dinner... What I DO OBJECT TO is how everytime the stock market makes "record profits", we here from the left how great Obama is and when it doesn't how Wall Street is to blame for everything! Meanwhile, while we all pay nearly $4.00 a gallon for gas and that same steak is now $6,99 a pound and we're all suffering under the Obama malaise, Wall Street makes those "record profits" for bragging rights for the man who has done NOTHING to improve the economy! He blames Congress which everyone cheers but no one asks why he simply doesn't write little fiats to fix the mess just like he does for border state gun laws to immigration amnesty! Wall Street isn't the problem or the solution; they make their money either way. ITS GOVERNMENT

  • 4 years ago

    The "conflict on the middle type" began with FDR. Johnson and his democrat congress prolonged it. Carter went somewhat added by making use of offering advantages to immigrants that never paid in. Reagan did no longer carry a candle to those 3. the deepest earnings tax is the biggest gun in the "conflict". a number of the different weapons may be the assaults on the 2d modification and our belongings rights by way of eminent area. edit: Michael S. - Friedman did no longer fail to attain that the marketplace has no thoughts. He found out it finished nicely. What he found out is that in case you attempt to place thoughts into the marketplace you may in ordinary terms screw it up. Its like saying Darwin did no longer understand nature has no thoughts. The loose marketplace is an very just about ideal reflection of nature. survival of the fittest. in case you may no longer adapt you grow to be extinct.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    Yes.

    Not coincidentally the same time the Baby Boomers took over Congress. Everything the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation built up, the Boomers have flushed down the toilet. They think America is just a get-rich-quick scheme.

    Thanks hippies! I hope Woodstock was worth it.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    Yes, many middle class Americans became rich due to Reagan policies.

  • Samm
    Lv 6
    9 years ago

    Carter.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    No we can agree that Obama is the first Food Stamp President

  • ?
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    False.

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    No.

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