Middle class running as fast as it can

[MNeagle]

Middle class running as fast as it can
Commentary: Another day older and deeper in debt

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — This recession has strangled the American middle class, but it was in a weakened state long before anyone heard of subprime mortgages.

The great middle of American society has been falling for 30 years or more, a product of vast economic, social and political forces, both foreign and domestic. It won’t be restored with one congressional election, or even a presidential one. Its troubles are much more serious than that.

The Census Bureau reported this week that the inflation-adjusted median household income had fallen 0.7% in 2009 to the lowest level since 1997. The typical household earned just under $50,000 a year. Read more about the big increase in poverty in 2009.

The Great Recession has taken away the small gains made during the 1980s and 1990s and ripped open wounds that were festering for 30, 35, or 40 years. The middle class is more anxious now than at any time in generations. The worries aren’t new; they are just on another level.

After a great leap forward in the three decades after World War II, the typical American family has barely improved its financial status in the three decades since the 1970s. Any increase in income has been largely due to working longer hours, including sending Mom out into the world to earn a paycheck.

Unfortunately, that paycheck is getting smaller. The average weekly pay, adjusted for inflation, has dropped 13% since peaking in 1973.

In this new world, as Alice found, “It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.”

In the mid-1970s, the average working family could afford to own a house and a car. It could pay for a visit to the doctor and for college for the kids.

Today, even with both spouses working, it’s harder to afford the necessities.

The decline of the middle class was slow and relentless, even during the good times. The U.S. economy hollowed out. More and more of our manufacturing output went overseas, and the domestic economy became more dependent on consumer spending and fancy financial footwork. Good-paying jobs disappeared. So did pensions. Fewer companies offered health insurance benefits, and college tuition climbed out of reach.

To maintain their consumption and to keep up with the Joneses, the middle class made an unholy pact and borrowed against an uncertain future. And now the devil wants his due.

I don’t want to idealize the past. The 1970s were awful in many ways. Racism, sexism and homophobia were rampant. A hopeless war and a corrupt president divided the nation. The air stank, and the water in places was literally flammable. Inflation got out of hand. Disco was popular.

But, in some ways, for the middle class, the 1970s were a golden age.

Median income for those in the middle of the middle class was about $44,000 in 1974 (in today’s dollars, adjusted for inflation) and it was about $50,000 in 2009, rising just 13% in 35 years. Over the past 10 years, median income actually fell 5%, after peaking in 2000.

The share of total national income that was earned by the bottom 60% of households declined from 35% in 1975 to 27% in 2009. These 70 million families earned an average of $29,000 last year, 13% more than their parents did a generation ago.

In the meantime, the share earned by the top 5% jumped from 16% to 22%. These 6 million households earned an average of $295,000, up 79% in the past 35 years.

With their incomes stagnant for decades, many American families turned to debt to maintain their living standards. The debt burden of the American family rose from 53% of annual income in 1975 to more than 115% in 2009.

Much of the additional debt load went into buying a house. In 1975, the average home cost about three times the median annual income. By 2006, that had soared to 4.6 times median income.

The steady increase in home prices in the past decade persuaded many people that owning a home was the way to get rich. Other get-rich-quick schemes also proliferated, all based on the idea that there was free lunch out there waiting just for you.

Legalized gambling took off. After all, the lottery wasn’t any more of a sucker’s game than working your fingers to the bone for a few scraps.

For a while, the stock market also promised instant wealth.

But only a few managed to grasp the brass ring, only a few won the lottery, or flipped their house in time, or bought the dot-coms at the bottom and sold them at the top. It’s become a winner-take-all society, with very few winners and a great many losers.

It’s no wonder the great middle class feels betrayed. Their government didn’t protect them, neither did the market, or the big corporations, or the unions, or the schools, or the media, or the church. In the end, even their house betrayed them.

And now it’s their time to flail at anyone they can, especially the politicians who think the good old days are still here.

http://ei.marketwatch.com/Multimedia/2010/09/16/Photos/MD/MW-AG349_mid_cl_20100916153117_MD.jpg

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/middle-class-running-as-fast-as-it-can-2010-09-17?pagenumber=1

[mrnhtbr2232]

"It’s no wonder the great middle class feels betrayed. Their government didn’t protect them, neither did the market, or the big corporations, or the unions, or the schools, or the media, or the church. In the end, even their house betrayed them."

B.S. - every person is the master of their own fate. The government has NEVER protected anyone, or corporations, or unions, or schools, or churches as the article tries to convey. If left to their own skills and abilities, people the world over would be better off. This entire dependency and entitlement mindset is for suckers. While they *think* they are living in a world of virtue and common sense, they are cutting their own throats - AND getting in the way of those of us that DO work hard, manage our lives, and deal with the constant theft of our labor. The "Middle Class" is an image, a make-believe materialistic self-gratifying slope down the hole of debt. Nothing more.

[Saul Mine]

This entire dependency and entitlement mindset is for suckers.


True, but you could not have said that to their faces while the price of their extra house was rising. The idea to steal something always seems like a brilliant inspiration.

[Joe King]

The middle class, as well as every other class have cut their own throats because they wer tot n skool about "checks and balances" and mistakenly thought that meant they didn't need to pay any attention at all as to where the ride was taking them.


It's like my Mom tells me. "But son, people want to be able to trust their government". ::) ::)

[Awoke]

It's like my Mom tells me. "But son, people want to be able to trust their government". ::) ::)


This is soooooooo true! Even when you have PROOF of the conspiracy.

[Stop Making Cents]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.

[Joe King]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.

[Rebel Yarr]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of shit Ted Kennedy for.

[Joe King]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.

[Fortyone]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.

[Book]

About MarketWatch

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:oo-->

Article from KosherCentral...lol.

[Joe King]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.

[uranian]

always thought this is an instructive chart in this respect (even more when you consider that gold has been supressed for so long):'

http://www.thefinancialhelpcenter.com/Economy-Pics/Median-Income-Gold.jpg

[Fortyone]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.


Whites werent the only participants in SS ,all were included in that.In the 60s they were concerned with overpopulation,therefore they push pro abortion and other Zionist/Communist principles.So while your theory does hold water, im not convinced. BTW, My Grandfather wasnt here then.

[Joe King]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.


Whites weren't the only participants in SS ,all were included in that.In the 60s they were concerned with overpopulation,therefore they push pro abortion and other Zionist/Communist principles.So while your theory does hold water, I'm not convinced. BTW, My Grandfather wasnt here then.

The "white" part of my statement is based upon the fact that it was white males who devised, sold, and implemented the scheme upon the American population which just happened to contain an overwhelmingly white majority who went along to get along.
i.e. it was the voluntary participation of the majority then, that screwed us over today.

As far as abortion, immigration has helped make up for that, too.

As far as my "theory" goes, keep in mind, the politicos in DC aren't going to come out and explain exactly why they do certain things when they do. Because they know if they did, their reasons would never fly. It's more about "how do we sell this idea to the sheeple?"

Just like they didn't give the true reasons as to why "health care" was suddenly so important that it was a "must pass" type of Bill in the middle of the worst economic downturn in 80 years.
Or the real reasons to invade Iraq.
Or almost anything else they've done. The list could go on for days.

If you want to know the real reasons, simply look at the results they get from their actions. If the results do not mesh with the stated reasons and nothing is done about it, you can rest assured that they got what was intended.

So if you're waiting for the gov to make clear to you, their actions, you gonna die of old age first.


BTW, then blame your neighbors grandpa instead.

[Fortyone]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.


Whites weren't the only participants in SS ,all were included in that.In the 60s they were concerned with overpopulation,therefore they push pro abortion and other Zionist/Communist principles.So while your theory does hold water, I'm not convinced. BTW, My Grandfather wasnt here then.

The "white" part of my statement is based upon the fact that it was white males who devised, sold, and implemented the scheme upon the American population which just happened to contain an overwhelmingly white majority who went along to get along.
i.e. it was the voluntary participation of the majority then, that screwed us over today.

As far as abortion, immigration has helped make up for that, too.

As far as my "theory" goes, keep in mind, the politicos in DC aren't going to come out and explain exactly why they do certain things when they do. Because they know if they did, their reasons would never fly. It's more about "how do we sell this idea to the sheeple?"

Just like they didn't give the true reasons as to why "health care" was suddenly so important that it was a "must pass" type of Bill in the middle of the worst economic downturn in 80 years.
Or the real reasons to invade Iraq.
Or almost anything else they've done. The list could go on for days.

If you want to know the real reasons, simply look at the results they get from their actions. If the results do not mesh with the stated reasons and nothing is done about it, you can rest assured that they got what was intended.

So if you're waiting for the gov to make clear to you, their actions, you gonna die of old age first.


BTW, then blame your neighbors grandpa instead.


The plan was devised ,implemented and sold by Zionist Jews. After seeing Europe rejecting their thievery,Germany in particular, they focused on the US to bleed it dry. The Whites that voted for it are traitors by any standards. I dont remember learning of a public vote on the matter.The Zionist controlled congress did that.

[Saul Mine]

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


My great-great-grandpa was Napoleon.

Napoleon Mine, not Napoleon Bonaparte!

[Joe King]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.


Whites weren't the only participants in SS ,all were included in that.In the 60s they were concerned with overpopulation,therefore they push pro abortion and other Zionist/Communist principles.So while your theory does hold water, I'm not convinced. BTW, My Grandfather wasnt here then.

The "white" part of my statement is based upon the fact that it was white males who devised, sold, and implemented the scheme upon the American population which just happened to contain an overwhelmingly white majority who went along to get along.
i.e. it was the voluntary participation of the majority then, that screwed us over today.

As far as abortion, immigration has helped make up for that, too.

As far as my "theory" goes, keep in mind, the politicos in DC aren't going to come out and explain exactly why they do certain things when they do. Because they know if they did, their reasons would never fly. It's more about "how do we sell this idea to the sheeple?"

Just like they didn't give the true reasons as to why "health care" was suddenly so important that it was a "must pass" type of Bill in the middle of the worst economic downturn in 80 years.
Or the real reasons to invade Iraq.
Or almost anything else they've done. The list could go on for days.

If you want to know the real reasons, simply look at the results they get from their actions. If the results do not mesh with the stated reasons and nothing is done about it, you can rest assured that they got what was intended.

So if you're waiting for the gov to make clear to you, their actions, you gonna die of old age first.


BTW, then blame your neighbors grandpa instead.


The plan was devised ,implemented and sold by Zionist Jews. After seeing Europe rejecting their thievery,Germany in particular, they focused on the US to bleed it dry. The Whites that voted for it are traitors by any standards. I dont remember learning of a public vote on the matter.The Zionist controlled congress did that.
The white people voted for those traitors and as such were their represenatives in government.
i.e. those traitors were speaking for the Sovereign People of this land when they did what they did and not too many seemed to mind.


And you know what? If these Jewish people running the show were so smart as to plan all this and actually pull it off over the course of hundreds of years, and the people have never really been "smart" enough to see it happening at the time, what exactly does that say about the smarts of those involved?

It seems you are saying that white people were just too dumb to see it for what it was when they allowed the "screwing over" to commence.

[ShortJohnSilver]

No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.


Teddy the fat drunk didn't write it ... go look up who actually did ... a member of the tribe of "usual suspects" ...

[Fortyone]

Free trade and mass turd world immigration, along with a full frontal assault on moral standards has destroyed America.


They opened the gates to immigration as a way to help grow the base of pyramid in the ponzi-scheme the white people of the past allowed to be started in theirs and ours collective names.

Don't like the "new" immigration? Blame your great-grandpa. Or possibly great-great-grandpa depending upon however old you might be.


No, another thing to blame that worthless piece of sh*t Ted Kennedy for.
You can blame all of them that voted for it too. But the fact remains that we Americans weren't having enough babies to keep the ponzi-scheme going that our white forefathers started for us. {SS}
So the gov tried filling the gap.


Fill it with what? Parasites? Try again on the white forefathers,somebody else started this crap.
Are you saying that FDR didn't have any support from white America when he started Social Security?

SS is the particular ponzi-scheme to which I was referring in my post. In 1965 they were planning for the future by trying to add more participants to the base of the scheme.

So yea, thank your great grandpa. <---that "you" applies to whoever had a great grandpa alive in the 1930's in America.


Whites weren't the only participants in SS ,all were included in that.In the 60s they were concerned with overpopulation,therefore they push pro abortion and other Zionist/Communist principles.So while your theory does hold water, I'm not convinced. BTW, My Grandfather wasnt here then.

The "white" part of my statement is based upon the fact that it was white males who devised, sold, and implemented the scheme upon the American population which just happened to contain an overwhelmingly white majority who went along to get along.
i.e. it was the voluntary participation of the majority then, that screwed us over today.

As far as abortion, immigration has helped make up for that, too.

As far as my "theory" goes, keep in mind, the politicos in DC aren't going to come out and explain exactly why they do certain things when they do. Because they know if they did, their reasons would never fly. It's more about "how do we sell this idea to the sheeple?"

Just like they didn't give the true reasons as to why "health care" was suddenly so important that it was a "must pass" type of Bill in the middle of the worst economic downturn in 80 years.
Or the real reasons to invade Iraq.
Or almost anything else they've done. The list could go on for days.

If you want to know the real reasons, simply look at the results they get from their actions. If the results do not mesh with the stated reasons and nothing is done about it, you can rest assured that they got what was intended.

So if you're waiting for the gov to make clear to you, their actions, you gonna die of old age first.


BTW, then blame your neighbors grandpa instead.


The plan was devised ,implemented and sold by Zionist Jews. After seeing Europe rejecting their thievery,Germany in particular, they focused on the US to bleed it dry. The Whites that voted for it are traitors by any standards. I dont remember learning of a public vote on the matter.The Zionist controlled congress did that.
The white people voted for those traitors and as such were their represenatives in government.
i.e. those traitors were speaking for the Sovereign People of this land when they did what they did and not too many seemed to mind.


And you know what? If these Jewish people running the show were so smart as to plan all this and actually pull it off over the course of hundreds of years, and the people have never really been "smart" enough to see it happening at the time, what exactly does that say about the smarts of those involved?

It seems you are saying that white people were just too dumb to see it for what it was when they allowed the "screwing over" to commence.



Not at all, seems your trying to turn this into a debate on Whites vs colored instead of addressing the SS program itself.If you had any knowledge of history you would know that back then, people got their info on candidates mostly by either first hand meetings or here say of freinds. There was little radio, No TV,NO internet.So I wouldnt say dumb, I would say misinformed.

[PatColo]

Video: America's poor and impoverished turn to the forest (http://uruknet.com/?p=m69871&hd=&size=1&l=e)

RT, September 17, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGRkC4YM62k&feature=player_embedded

While the number of homeless people in America is peaking, some have been forced to live in the woods for years because they have nowhere else to go. And their numbers are only growing.

Some are familiar with America the prosperous. Many are familiar with America the traditional. But with millions of Americans homeless, there are also those who only know America the broke.

In the US state of New Jersey, picture-perfect homes can be found just 20 minutes away from tents put up in the woods, because the homeless do not have anywhere else to live.

Former saxophone player Charlie Ericson told RT that he ended up there through his own mistakes in life. He is among at least 40 people who live in Tent City – a homeless camp tucked away in the woods of New Jersey.

Tragic destinies have led those forced to move here to call the village home. RT previously visited the camp in the winter and things have changed since then. More tents have appeared, some have come and others have gone.

Many of the people living in Tent City have been there for months, if not years. The questions many of them ask themselves over and over again are, "Why are we still here?," "Are there really no other options left for us?"

Noreen Moss has been a newspaper handler for most of her life. It was her health problems that eventually led her to homelessness.

Read more

"I worked for the New York Times. And I wound up having a brain aneurysm and two strokes. I was almost dead. I was in a coma for two months, and in the hospital for three months," she said.

Since then, Noreen has given up hope of finding a job. For those still trying to find work the task is close to impossible, with the unemployment rate in the US holding steady at more than nine and a half percent for more than a year now.

Tahsin Uyar is a former chef. He is constantly looking and sending out job applications, but he has been unable to find work.

"It’s very difficult now to find a job", he said.

Those who are able to find work, make less than the minimum wage. Igor Borsh said he works all day long and all he makes is five dollars.

Reverend Steve Brigham set up the camp for the homeless four years ago. He begins church service every Sunday by ringing a hand-made church bell. The reverend said, "at about 12 o’clock, we ring this to let the whole camp know that we’re ready to have our service".

The reverend runs the entire village. He keeps it in order, he built a shower and a bathroom, and tries to get all the donations he can find for those living in Tent City.

Local authorities have been disturbed by the camp’s existence and have tried to shut it down several times. However Reverend Brigham believes the real danger is in the real world.

"People think the homeless’ character is terrible, but the outside world is worse," he said.

The only option offered by local officials has been beds at a local psychiatric institution among the mentally unstable. But the community did not want to move there, saying it is more than they can handle, already living a tough enough life.

"It’s just not a place to live," said Moss.

Everyone at the camp told RT they believe a better place for them is just around the corner. So far, luck has not been on their side. With not much help from the outside world all they can do is hope a better life is awaiting them somewhere.

The US Census Bureau's 2010 report shows that over 40 million Americans – or one in seven – are living in poverty.

Washington activist Graylan Hagler says not much can be expected to relieve the burden on the poor.

"The reality is that when Washington comes up with its formulas, its formulas are always slanted toward those who have more voice, more power and more influence over the system, and more money – and never toward those who are just sort of working class," Hagler said.

[Awoke]

As funny as it sounds, this lifestyle is exactly what I am preparing for, WTSHTF.

Living in the bush, living off the land. I'm building skillsets all the time for this.

[PatColo]

As funny as it sounds, this lifestyle is exactly what I am preparing for, WTSHTF.

Living in the bush, living off the land. I'm building skillsets all the time for this.


They're not living off the land though, they're in a forest, eating canned/donated food, not bark, beetles & berries, with the help of that Reverend/church who built and maintains basic rustic facilities for them.

A little musical interlude, Les Miserables,

Look Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xld1teNnhGA

Do You Hear The People Sing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VR1bOha40U

[FunnyMoney]

Half the country is likely to be on food stamps by the end of this decade. Living in the woods will be a gradual process and I doubt it plays out that way, fema camps are more likely.

By the end of this decade, the middle class will be exhausted from all the running and will realize that there's no longer any such thing as a middle class anymore. It was a short lived trial period, historically speaking anyway.

There will also no longer be anywhere else to run to. The rest of the world will be in as bad or worse shape for a variety of different reasons that I won't go into here. At this point the central banks and govts of the world will return to showing their true nature without window dressing. This is when your plan B gets tested.

[Horn]

I think this "crisis" has the ability to force all classes into the lower one creating a new middle one...

You won't see hide nor hair of the upper one anywhere.

[PatColo]

george4title,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjgRwaMkXEA

[Awoke]

As funny as it sounds, this lifestyle is exactly what I am preparing for, WTSHTF.

Living in the bush, living off the land. I'm building skillsets all the time for this.


They're not living off the land though, they're in a forest, eating canned/donated food, not bark, beetles & berries, with the help of that Reverend/church who built and maintains basic rustic facilities for them.




I understnad that. I was just stating that I am getting prepared for the worst.

[Neuro]

always thought this is an instructive chart in this respect (even more when you consider that gold has been supressed for so long):'

http://www.thefinancialhelpcenter.com/Economy-Pics/Median-Income-Gold.jpg
With a median household income of 50k and a gold price of 1300, the median income is 38.4 ounces of gold now, 'tis going down rapidly