America Without a Middle Class

by Guest Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:27 am

America today has plenty of rich and super-rich. But it has far more families who did all the right things, but who still have no real security. Going to college and finding a good job no longer guarantee economic safety. Paying for a child's education and setting aside enough for a decent retirement have become distant dreams. Tens of millions of once-secure middle class families now live paycheck to paycheck, watching as their debts pile up and worrying about whether a pink slip or a bad diagnosis will send them hurtling over an economic cliff.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-warren/america-without-a-middle_b_377829.html

by NYCman Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:45 am

I'm still wondering why the whining? There is an education bubble because the gov guaranteed the student loans...and of course pampered little Courtney and Matthew wanted all these luxuries in college so the colleges gave it to them an an inflated price....now comes the time to pay back the loans and whoops..

We all say back to basics well college should be cheap. basic shared dorm rooms cafeteria food, nothing fancy...

Here is a link to learn more how today's kids are ripped off......and why are kids today so afraid of fixing anything.....nothing wrong with being a plumber.

http://edububble.com/dpp/

by JoanB Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:54 pm

NYCman wrote:I'm still wondering why the whining? There is an education bubble because the gov guaranteed the student loans...and of course pampered little Courtney and Matthew wanted all these luxuries in college so the colleges gave it to them an an inflated price....now comes the time to pay back the loans and whoops..

We all say back to basics well college should be cheap. basic shared dorm rooms cafeteria food, nothing fancy...

Here is a link to learn more how today's kids are ripped off......and why are kids today so afraid of fixing anything.....nothing wrong with being a plumber.

http://edububble.com/dpp/

Yes, stop whining, America! More plumbers! Less bubbles!

Hunh? confused

by Guest Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:05 pm

As usual Joan, that was a good one!

Also, if I am not mistaken, you can't just decide one day you want to be a plumber. I think some "education" is involved in this trade and it isn't free. Plumber also benefit from Student Loans and Pell Grants.

Maybe we do need more plumbers in this country, Washington is so full of crap, I can see more opportunity in this field! affraid

by 54andpoor Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:18 pm

Student loans will be the next bubble. The default rate for all those for-profit schools students will skyrocket and taxpayers will have to bail out the student loan institutions. As usual, Europe has the right idea with government sponsored trade and vocational schools. Here somebody has to make a buck off it. Here in Los Angeles, you will see 10 commericals an hour for these for profit schools. They always feature minorities and women who can't figure out the stupidity of paying $30K for a certificate for a $11/hr dental assistant job.

by Brain Droppings Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:22 pm

I'm thinking of becoming a plumber ... I've already mastered how to wear pants in this field ... Razz

by JoanB Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:40 pm

54andpoor wrote:As usual, Europe has the right idea with government sponsored trade and vocational schools.

Hey, that's Socialist, and French, and gay! Stop it!

by 54andpoor Wed Apr 06, 2011 6:19 pm

JoanB wrote:
54andpoor wrote:As usual, Europe has the right idea with government sponsored trade and vocational schools.

Hey, that's Socialist, and French, and gay! Stop it!

Actually it's more German, Danish and Swedish.

by Falcon7 Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:05 pm

I have a senor in HS at this time and the cost of college is obscene, she is being recruited to play a sport at the DIII or DII level, the cost for every school that has shown an interest (7 at this time) are all in the $45K to $52K per year range! (FYI these schools are in IN, KY, MI and Ohio.)

by Guest Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:52 pm

Falcon7 wrote:I have a senor in HS at this time and the cost of college is obscene, she is being recruited to play a sport at the DIII or DII level, the cost for every school that has shown an interest (7 at this time) are all in the $45K to $52K per year range! (FYI these schools are in IN, KY, MI and Ohio.)

Its terrible isnt it? we have a daughter in 9th grade and we are just now starting to talk about college. it is very scary

by **Jobless_in_Ma** Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:03 pm

NYCman wrote:I'm still wondering why the whining? There is an education bubble because the gov guaranteed the student loans...and of course pampered little Courtney and Matthew wanted all these luxuries in college so the colleges gave it to them an an inflated price....now comes the time to pay back the loans and whoops..

We all say back to basics well college should be cheap. basic shared dorm rooms cafeteria food, nothing fancy...

Here is a link to learn more how today's kids are ripped off......and why are kids today so afraid of fixing anything.....nothing wrong with being a plumber.

http://edububble.com/dpp/

You are wondering why the whining?? Boy those words sound familiar to me.

What whining are you talking about? Are you actually unemployed? Does not sound it to me. In fact Ive yet to see any comments you made that were in support of the unemployed. SO if in fact you are not unemployed I request you leave these forums.

by lendmeflight2 Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:11 am

I would kill somebody to be a plumber. Unfortunately it takes years and years and years of apprentice-ship in which you get paid hardly anything.

by New_Wave_Princess Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:39 am

Being a plumber is great but not everyone has the talent for it. Personally I get so angry when people think because I went to college I was pampered or that having a degree means nothing. I have a masters and that SHOULD matter to employers but sadly it doesn't. I just got several emails from employers wanting to interview me. Need I mention they are offering about $8 hour? That's minimum wage and in other words I'd be making the same as a high school kid or a high school dropout. Yes that makes me feel great.

Btw I did everything right and it didn't pay off. I got great grades, made contacts, got experience, etc and look at how well it paid off for me.

by JoanB Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:10 am

Jobless_in_Ma wrote:
You are wondering why the whining?? Boy those words sound familiar to me.

What whining are you talking about? Are you actually unemployed? Does not sound it to me. In fact Ive yet to see any comments you made that were in support of the unemployed. SO if in fact you are not unemployed I request you leave these forums.

Hey Jobless, maybe it was Joe the (not really a) Plumber. Or maybe it was Mike Rowe, who thinks the problem with Americans is that they don't want to get dirty, while making a living doing TV about Americans who get dirty.

by Guest Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:42 am

by delko Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:56 am

NYCman wrote:I'm still wondering why the whining? There is an education bubble because the gov guaranteed the student loans...and of course pampered little Courtney and Matthew wanted all these luxuries in college so the colleges gave it to them an an inflated price....now comes the time to pay back the loans and whoops..

We all say back to basics well college should be cheap. basic shared dorm rooms cafeteria food, nothing fancy...

Here is a link to learn more how today's kids are ripped off......and why are kids today so afraid of fixing anything.....nothing wrong with being a plumber.

http://edububble.com/dpp/

What does this have to do with the topic here about the disappearing Middle Class??

by americatheneedy Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:31 pm

I wish I had just partied in high school like others instead of working my tail off- I would be MORE likely to get a low paying job, because people won't hire someone who is overqualified-HOW can a person do too good of a job?? The joke is on all of us who played by the rules and went to school and tried. Only I ain't a laughin...

by New_Wave_Princess Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:44 pm

americatheneedy wrote:I wish I had just partied in high school like others instead of working my tail off- I would be MORE likely to get a low paying job, because people won't hire someone who is overqualified-HOW can a person do too good of a job?? The joke is on all of us who played by the rules and went to school and tried. Only I ain't a laughin...

I had a friend who was the epitome of lazy and a loser. In high school she barely graduated (I think she was in last place or close to it) because she was too high. When I was in college working my butt off she was busy doing drugs and having a kid on welfare. She refused back then to get a job because she made more off welfare and when she finally got a job it was as a stripper with cash money. During this time welfare actually paid for her to attend college but she ended up dropping out because it affected her drug doing. Long story short she cleaned up her act and she's never had trouble finding a job. While she doesn't make a lot, she make more than some of the jobs who are interviewing me. Now I am overqualified but she never has trouble getting a job.

If I had known all of this I would have been lazy too and instead of getting good grades in college and grad school I would have gotten pregnant and done drugs.

by Guest Thu Apr 07, 2011 4:10 pm

I wouldn't begrudge your friend. She should be proud of her accomplishments! Think of how hard it was for her to overcome the obstacles she was facing. Maybe she made mistakes when she was young, but didn't we all?

by tristen303 Thu Apr 07, 2011 4:18 pm

Well said

by New_Wave_Princess Thu Apr 07, 2011 4:26 pm

DesperateInRI wrote:I wouldn't begrudge your friend. She should be proud of her accomplishments! Think of how hard it was for her to overcome the obstacles she was facing. Maybe she made mistakes when she was young, but didn't we all?

But she's still making mistakes and still drinking so no, there is no accomplishments. She got her job from a temp agency after she was dumped from welfare because she was frauding the system (I reported her). I've made mistakes too but never needed someone to help me I did it on my own. Besides, when I lost my job she was not sympathetic at all.

by americatheneedy Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:27 pm

Places get tax credits for hiring those getting off welfare. No one is begrudging her her turnaround, but she certainly should not be viewed as a more desirable employee because she has a tax credit attached. Or less experience is what princess is trying to say. Where is the reward for those who didn't mess up- Oh that's right no tax credit, so hire the ex-stripper. I filled out an app yesterday full of these welfare tax credit questions and you know what that means, no tax credit vs. some they get a credit for hiring: equals no job for those of us who played by the rules. What does that say to kids about working hard and doing right-I tell you-why bother??? When mediocrity is rewarded above hard work society starts to fall apart.

by New_Wave_Princess Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:33 pm

americatheneedy wrote:Places get tax credits for hiring those getting off welfare. No one is begrudging her her turnaround, but she certainly should not be viewed as a more desirable employee because she has a tax credit attached. Or less experience is what princess is trying to say. Where is the reward for those who didn't mess up- Oh that's right no tax credit, so hire the ex-stripper. I filled out an app yesterday full of these welfare tax credit questions and you know what that means, no tax credit vs. some they get a credit for hiring: equals no job for those of us who played by the rules. What does that say to kids about working hard and doing right-I tell you-why bother??? When mediocrity is rewarded above hard work society starts to fall apart.

Exactly. The company she works for got a tax credit for hiring her and she didn't even have to work hard. Everytime I fill up those tax credit forms I know I will not be getting the job because employers don't get tax credits for hiring us, just those like my friend.

by americatheneedy Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:59 pm

Reward for being a "reformed" loser, none for doing right all along. Boy, hasn't our society really got it right? Part of it is that employers don't necessarily want smart folks, they want idiots who will take orders and kiss a**, and never ever ever want a raise or be possible competition for their own jobs. In other words, as always, smart people intimidate. Same reason that slaves were never allowed to learn to read-they might want something instead of being grateful to the "master."

by New_Wave_Princess Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:59 pm

I downplay my intelligence on interviews because if employers knew I have a high IQ I'd have even a harder time. As it is my masters disqualifies me from many jobs. Employers don't often want smart people they want people they can control.

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