We are in the midst of a middle class meltdown, which has been going on since 1973, when the middle class reached its peak!
For 24 of those 40 years, we had Republicans in the White House, working to undermine the ability of the middle class to make a liveable wage, and meanwhile, the elite kept on gaining tax cuts under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, making America the most stratified nation in the developed world!
It is unacceptable when nine of ten most common occupations give workers a wage that is unlivable, and often with no or meager benefits as well!
The following occupations pay their workers, on the average, less than $30,000 per year:
Retail salesperson
Cashier
Food Prep Worker
Office Clerk
Waiter
Laborer
Janitor/Cleaner
The following pay under $35,000 a year:
Customer Service Representative
Secretary/Administrative Assistant
Only Nurses ($68,000) make a real living wage of the top ten occupations.
This is a tragedy of massive proportions for the long term future!