Yes the Middle Class is Shrinking

 Yes, the middle class (of income) is shrinking. But it's not because people are getting poorer. 

Minimum Wage Is Not For the Poor

The average household income of someone earning minimum wage is over $50,000.

It's The Household Composition, Stupid!

As the endless wailing about income disparities continues, it is useful to examine one of the principal reasons for the differences. Scan the table below from the US Census Bureau for 2011. Notice anything? Like higher earning households have more earners in the household? Now this shouldn't be surprising, but it seldom gets reported. Why? Because the solution -- i.e. get married to someone who has income earning potential -- doesn't sit well with those whose agenda is to encourage even more single-earner households. Nor does the solution probably require a massive new government intervention program.

Income range	Households (k)	Percent	Mean # earners	Mean household size
Under $5,000	4,261	3.52%	0.23	2.02
$5- $9,999	4,972	4.11%	0.36	1.81
$10-$14,999	7,127	5.89%	0.42	1.74
$15-$19,999	6,882	5.68%	0.57	1.96
$20-$24,999	7,095	5.86%	0.75	2.14
$25-$29,999	6,591	5.44%	0.85	2.22
$30-$34,999	6,667	5.51%	0.97	2.34
$35-$39,999	6,136	5.07%	1.06	2.41
$40-$44,999	5,795	4.79%	1.2	2.46
$45-$49,999	4,945	4.08%	1.32	2.55
$50-$54,999	5,170	4.27%	1.32	2.52
$55-$59,999	4,250	3.51%	1.49	2.72
$60-$64,999	4,432	3.66%	1.49	2.66
$65-$69,999	3,836	3.17%	1.58	2.75
$70-$74,999	3,606	2.98%	1.63	2.82
$75-$79,999	3,452	2.85%	1.7	2.89
$80- $84,999	3,036	2.51%	1.73	2.86
$85-$89,999	2,566	2.12%	1.8	3
$90-$94,999	2,594	2.14%	1.79	2.96
$95-$99,999	2,251	1.86%	1.87	3.09
$100-$104,999	2,527	2.09%	1.78	2.94
$105-$109,999	1,771	1.46%	2.01	3.18
$110-$114,999	1,723	1.42%	1.96	3.11
$115-$119,999	1,569	1.30%	1.98	3.06
$120-$124,999	1,540	1.27%	2.01	3.16
$125-$129,999	1,258	1.04%	1.97	3.08
$130-$134,999	1,211	1.00%	2	3.17
$135-$139,999	918	0.76%	2.1	3.18
$140-$144,999	1,031	0.85%	2.12	3.26
$145-$149,999	893	0.74%	2.11	3.21
$150-$154,999	1,166	0.96%	1.86	3.09
$155--$159,999	740	0.61%	2.04	3.11
$160-$164,999	697	0.58%	2.05	3.29
$165-$169,999	610	0.50%	2.15	3.17
$170-$174,999	617	0.51%	1.99	3.05
$175-$179,999	530	0.44%	2.09	3.08
$180-$184,999	460	0.38%	2.12	3.28
$185-$189,999	363	0.30%	2.3	3.32
$190-$194,999	380	0.31%	2.22	3.17
$195-$199,999	312	0.26%	2.3	3.28
$200-$249,999	2,297	1.90%	2.06	3.24
$250,000+	2,808	2.32%
Total	121,084

The Rich are Getting Richer Lie

 The Rich are getting richer and The Poor are getting poorer. Everybody knows that because it's repeated over and over. Only, it isn't true. Over time, both The Rich and The Poor have become richer. But maybe recently that's changed? The Democrats rant every day about incomes becoming more unequal. Surely the recession has disproportionately impacted poorer households.
The most recent report from the Congressional Budget Office shows this data over the last three reporting years (which coincide with the most recent economic downturn).

 

Every income quintile increased it's share of after tax income except the top quintile. This is a result of a huge income decline amongst the very highest earners (The bottom quintile actually gained in after tax income).



Lies may make good political fodder, but that doesn't mean that they are not lies.