McEconomy: Is America's Middle Class Doomed to Low-Wage Jobs and a Poor Standard of Living?

EXACTLY the 'new normal'?? The whole of society, the economy are being pulled into a black hole with no living wages or ability for anyone to rise above... Another May of grads we are failing in the American promise to provide the opportunity to grow and thrive! Now, it's become a matter of survival with no govt intervention. Praying for strength for our nation to survive it's lack of leadership and direction.

I can understand this topic if your young!!! But At 62 I would take any low paying job.(almost any) But even a young person , unemployed! Take a low paying job to have a source of income then its always easier to find a job while you have one! So better go for a low paying job, to show the critics that we ain't lazy! Take the job then go for the big bucks! But I also understand this topic too! Your skills may take you to a job that used to be a high paying field, but now with the economy one may have to take a low paying job even with great education or skills. Well that is the difference in a great economy and a bad economy. The term used is : Employers market vs employee(job seekers) market. If a great economy and skilled are hard to find the employers pay great salaries. But if its a bad economy and many are out of work, uh oh! Its a employers market!

I understand what you are saying, 1208. But how does someone almost 55 years old, single, live on a part-time, minimum wage job? It can't be done. The alternative is a homeless shelter, if there is room.

They can't survive, when prices and rent are going up.

What is scary is the service economy will collapse too. Who can hire cleaners, or day carers or even afford McDonalds, when there is no more jobs in the end? A few will retain employment via a thin silver of wealthy...but that's it.