The Middle Class American

Posted by admin on March 19, 2009

In the United States, there is one demographic that bears the brunt of socioeconomic problems. It’s not the poor living in caravans or even on the street, (as they can turn to government resources), and it’s certainly not the rich, (for obvious reasons). Instead, it’s the group that appears to have it all– the middle class American.

The middle class American lives life through a façade. They have the cars, the fancy houses and good jobs, but they have no liquid assets. Many of them are living paycheck-to-paycheck with no budgeting flexibility. So, if they do end up losing their jobs, they have to turn to undesirable monetary sources, such as credit cards, second mortgages and payday loans. As a result they end up more in debt than they did before.

Healthcare is another serious problem for the middle class American. Let’s hope they don’t get seriously ill never mind looking for simple headache relief. If they can’t get health insurance from their jobs, they’re stuck paying out-of-pocket for (assuming they get approved to begin with). Yet, if they were poor, on welfare or in jail they could get free healthcare through Medicaid or other government-run services. And if they were rich, they could apply for healthcare as an employer– something that is almost always guaranteed if a company is bringing in good money.

Thirdly, there’s the issue of personal expenses, such as daycare and college. Again, poor people or those on welfare are eligible for free daycare vouchers, where their expenses are virtually eliminated. They also are at an advantage when applying for scholarships. But middle class people must pay for everything.

At most, middle class Americans might get tax deductions from their daycare, or academic scholarships for their education. Of course these things won’t completely eradicate their debt, but I guess it’s better than nothing.

In conclusion, don’t look to the poor for who’s suffering in America. While I’m sure they have it tough, at least they can turn to the government to help with their basic survival needs. Middle class Americans can’t, even if their income is only $1 over the poverty line.