Do you feel like a sucker if you grew up Middle Class and your family obeyed all of the rules...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure what everyone thinks they deserve. 20, 30 and definitely not 40 years ago did we have the expense of Starbucks, cell phones, travel soccer, and everything else that eats into our pockets. Look at the difference in how we live now vs then, honestly, and then compare. Also, not everyone deserves to be rich because you think you do.

I don't need to be rich or even need a vacation every year or ever. I just want to not live pay check to pay check and be paid commensurate to my education and experience. I would also like people to pay their fair share of taxes. Yes, I think people who are the top 20 percent and above should pay more taxes so that we can feed poor children. Call me a socialist or whatever you want. I just think feeding and educating children is important.

When was the last time you fed a starving child?

I pay my taxes unlike rich people.

Please educate yourself.

From the Tax Foundation:

In 2015, the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers (those with AGI below $39,275) earned 11.28 percent of total AGI. This group of taxpayers paid approximately $41 billion in taxes, or 2.83 percent of all income taxes in 2015.

In contrast, the top 1 percent of all taxpayers (taxpayers with AGI of $480,930 and above), earned 20.65 percent of all AGI in 2015, but paid 39.04 percent of all federal income taxes.

In 2015, the top 1 percent of taxpayers accounted for more income taxes paid than the bottom 90 percent combined. The top 1 percent of taxpayers paid $568 billion, or 39.04 percent of all income taxes, while the bottom 90 percent paid $428 billion, or 29.41 percent of all income taxes.

The 2015 IRS data show that taxpayers with higher incomes pay much higher average income tax rates than lower-income taxpayers.[4]

The bottom 50 percent of taxpayers (taxpayers with AGIs below $39,275) faced an average income tax rate of 3.6 percent. As household income increases, the IRS data show that average income tax rates rise. For example, taxpayers with AGIs between the 10th and 5th percentiles ($138,031 and $195,778) paid an average effective rate of 14.0 percent – nearly four times the rate paid by those in the bottom 50 percent.

The top 1 percent of taxpayers (AGI of $480,930 and above) paid the highest effective income tax rate, at 27.1 percent, 7.5 times the rate faced by the bottom 50 percent of taxpayers.

Taxpayers at the very top of the income distribution, the top 0.1 percent (with AGIs over $2.22 million), paid an even higher average income tax rate of 27.4 percent.

https://taxfoundation.org/summary-federal-income-tax-data-2017/

Yes, you are unfortunately correct. The affluent in this country pay a disproportionate amount of taxes relative to other groups, so crying that they don't pay their fair share of taxes is hardly helpful.

I've long concluded that if we want to approach a European style social safety net and nationalized healthcare, everyone's taxes has to go up. Not just the "rich" but the entire middle class too. And substantially. Your basic middle class taxpayer actually gets back more than he pays in taxes, unlike the rich. So it's better to say that the middle classes need to pay their fair share of taxes.

[Anonymous]

As another poster pointed out, the world belongs to those who hustle.

If you put in the 9-5 lifetime grind with the same employer you're not going to go far.

You're a teacher? Hustle your way into administration and become a VP and then P. Then go into education consulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel like a sucker if you grew up middle class...your family obeyed all of the rules...worked the proverbial "9-5" and had nothing to show for it? I feel like we were suckers to work so heard and then couldn't even afford to go out (ever) nor go on vacations. I suspect most Americans are like this and only the uMC/rich get to enjoy the perks/profits off the backs of the MC

Boo hoo. News flash, you are not entitled to anything. Why do you feel that by growing up middle class and following the rules you are entitled to a certain lifestyle?

You probably live in comfortable home with heat, a/c, several televisions, and have a car. There are many people who have much much less. Are you sad because you don’t drive a Lexus and vacation in Paris every year? Not everyone can live in a McMansion.

Finally, it’s really not that hard to figure out how to have a high income if that is your priority. If you did not grow up rich, you will need a profession that pays well to have a more comfortable lifestyle. For example doctor, banking, big law. Engineering or business owner is another option. It’s not exactly a secret the professions such as teaching are hard work but pay less. Are you expecting to live a cushy lifestyle on a teacher salary?

You are totally correct. Teachers are worthless and have no place in society. How dare they expect the dignity of a living wage.

Please actually read my comment before posting inane replies. No where did I say anything even remotely close to your comment.

Most teachers I know (family and friends) work incredibly hard at a very very difficult job. I personally believe that teachers in most geographies in the US are significantly underpaid. Not only underpaid, they are undervalued compared to other public sector workers such as cops and firefighters.

However, not one of them whines about being a ‘sucker’ (what an infantile term) for going into their chosen profession. Salaries are publicly available and stable. No one went into teaching expecting to be able to take European vacations each year and drive a Range Rover. While they are underpaid, they certainly make a living wage.

I hope that you are not teaching my children with your demonstrated level of reading comprehension.

If you are the "boo hoo/newsflash person", you know you just totally contradicted yourself. Why shouldn't teachers have cushy lifestyles? Seriously, why shouldn't they make 6 figures?

Again, reading comprehension. Try it.

There is nothing wrong with choosing profession or 9-5 that aligns to your interests and abilities, despite it not being high paying. My problem is with the OP and public school teacher posters who lament choosing a 9-5 / middle class profession and then gripe about not being able to afford luxuries in life. If you want to be UMC and afford a cushy lifestyle, then you need an income that pays more. Teaching does not pay for an UMC lifestyle and everyone knows this.

hahahahaha. You actually think teaching is a 9-5 job? Also why should teachers not make 6 figures? They work 60 hour weeks if you know anything about teaching and they have to pay for continual professional development. This is like an office worker who sits around all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My rich aunt Recently told my husband:

“You’re middle class and middle class people are suckers.”

Very simple. We are suckers until we vote for people who advocate for our interests. Until then we can sit and watch the people around us struggle. Very fun!

I agree with this. We're not suckers as individuals for not gaming the system, we might be suckers for not trying harder to change it.

What exactly are you looking for......government handouts? How is it being a sucker to raise your children to be good people and to provide for your family? What rules exactly are you contemplating to break?

Np. I think maybe that we are the only ones who pay 33% taxes on our money. We don't have enough to pay people to figure out how to pay less.

But it's never been easier and cheaper to do your taxes and maximize deductions and tax planning. Twenty years ago you'd have to hire an expensive accountant but today you can pay $10 for an online tax software package.

But it's all straightforward. People who just have basic deductions on income are the ones paying 33% with no other options. The. Little people paying the taxes.

Rich people pay all the taxes. There is no magic deduction where rich people don't pay. Often greater than 50% including fed , state, real estate, sales , utility, alcohol, gas, phone surcharges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I want my littles to be successful and not have to live like I did. Me and the hubby are MC but it’s hard. We have to put 5 kids through school and it’s going to be tough. But we can do it. Blessings.

Wow, "littles," "hubby" and "blessings" all in one post. That's a DCUM trifecta.

I’m sure they’re “thriving.”

[Anonymous]

Couple things.

It's proven that in the USA if you do these simple things 95 percent will be middle class or higher.

1) graduate highschool
2) don't get pregnant before marriage
3) have a job.

Somehow foreign Asians are able to thrive here almost immediately. Copy them.

The things people have said already are true. People consume so much more today than in years past. When I grew up in the 70s in Potomac our house didn't have air conditioning, we maybe went out to eat 4 times a year. Kids clothes were bought at Sears and hand me downs. No cable. No cellphones. No air travel. 1 week Vacation at ocean city. Kids played outside no planned activities, tutoring etc. kids got themselves to sports practice on bikes. 1 car.

It was awesome!! The fun roving packs of kids outside all day is unmatched today.

The biggest violation I see today is big education. The colleges are putting young people in massive debt right at the start of their lives for no good reason. They are enriching themselves on the backs of our youth out of pure greed and need to be raked over the coals. I cannot believe young people haven't rioted. In the 70s people would have rioted. My total college bill was $12000 for the whole thing all 4 years. There is no excuse for the government/big education collusion with government loans to pump college income into the stratosphere. With today's technology college can be slashed to almost nothing but the entrenched leaches (who deserve to be shot) have walled off the threat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel like a sucker if you grew up middle class...your family obeyed all of the rules...worked the proverbial "9-5" and had nothing to show for it? I feel like we were suckers to work so heard and then couldn't even afford to go out (ever) nor go on vacations. I suspect most Americans are like this and only the uMC/rich get to enjoy the perks/profits off the backs of the MC

Boo hoo. News flash, you are not entitled to anything. Why do you feel that by growing up middle class and following the rules you are entitled to a certain lifestyle?

You probably live in comfortable home with heat, a/c, several televisions, and have a car. There are many people who have much much less. Are you sad because you don’t drive a Lexus and vacation in Paris every year? Not everyone can live in a McMansion.

Finally, it’s really not that hard to figure out how to have a high income if that is your priority. If you did not grow up rich, you will need a profession that pays well to have a more comfortable lifestyle. For example doctor, banking, big law. Engineering or business owner is another option. It’s not exactly a secret the professions such as teaching are hard work but pay less. Are you expecting to live a cushy lifestyle on a teacher salary?

You are totally correct. Teachers are worthless and have no place in society. How dare they expect the dignity of a living wage.

Please actually read my comment before posting inane replies. No where did I say anything even remotely close to your comment.

Most teachers I know (family and friends) work incredibly hard at a very very difficult job. I personally believe that teachers in most geographies in the US are significantly underpaid. Not only underpaid, they are undervalued compared to other public sector workers such as cops and firefighters.

However, not one of them whines about being a ‘sucker’ (what an infantile term) for going into their chosen profession. Salaries are publicly available and stable. No one went into teaching expecting to be able to take European vacations each year and drive a Range Rover. While they are underpaid, they certainly make a living wage.

I hope that you are not teaching my children with your demonstrated level of reading comprehension.

If you are the "boo hoo/newsflash person", you know you just totally contradicted yourself. Why shouldn't teachers have cushy lifestyles? Seriously, why shouldn't they make 6 figures?

Again, reading comprehension. Try it.

There is nothing wrong with choosing profession or 9-5 that aligns to your interests and abilities, despite it not being high paying. My problem is with the OP and public school teacher posters who lament choosing a 9-5 / middle class profession and then gripe about not being able to afford luxuries in life. If you want to be UMC and afford a cushy lifestyle, then you need an income that pays more. Teaching does not pay for an UMC lifestyle and everyone knows this.

hahahahaha. You actually think teaching is a 9-5 job? Also why should teachers not make 6 figures? They work 60 hour weeks if you know anything about teaching and they have to pay for continual professional development. This is like an office worker who sits around all day.

Fairness isn't the issue. Reality is. In reality, enough people are qualified for, and seek, teaching positions at the current salary. So, they won't raise the salary. One thing that I often do to help with my own problem solving is to make myself focus intently on what is true and acknowledge it. The truth is, teaching will always (in our lifetime) be under compensated. What are you doing to hustle for yourself? You could try to go into education administration, or consulting, or something else. But whining that your poorly compensated job is poorly compensated won't help. It reLly won't.

[Anonymous]

The middle class in US hasn’t had a raise since 2000. Now 2 people work to equal what one income made in the 1960s. Yes standard of living has gone down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The middle class in US hasn’t had a raise since 2000. Now 2 people work to equal what one income made in the 1960s. Yes standard of living has gone down.

It has not. Look up what living in poverty really entailed in the 1960s. Almost a quarter of poor people had no indoor plumbing in 1960!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel like a sucker if you grew up middle class...your family obeyed all of the rules...worked the proverbial "9-5" and had nothing to show for it? I feel like we were suckers to work so heard and then couldn't even afford to go out (ever) nor go on vacations. I suspect most Americans are like this and only the uMC/rich get to enjoy the perks/profits off the backs of the MC

Boo hoo. News flash, you are not entitled to anything. Why do you feel that by growing up middle class and following the rules you are entitled to a certain lifestyle?

You probably live in comfortable home with heat, a/c, several televisions, and have a car. There are many people who have much much less. Are you sad because you don’t drive a Lexus and vacation in Paris every year? Not everyone can live in a McMansion.

Finally, it’s really not that hard to figure out how to have a high income if that is your priority. If you did not grow up rich, you will need a profession that pays well to have a more comfortable lifestyle. For example doctor, banking, big law. Engineering or business owner is another option. It’s not exactly a secret the professions such as teaching are hard work but pay less. Are you expecting to live a cushy lifestyle on a teacher salary?

You are totally correct. Teachers are worthless and have no place in society. How dare they expect the dignity of a living wage.

Please actually read my comment before posting inane replies. No where did I say anything even remotely close to your comment.

Most teachers I know (family and friends) work incredibly hard at a very very difficult job. I personally believe that teachers in most geographies in the US are significantly underpaid. Not only underpaid, they are undervalued compared to other public sector workers such as cops and firefighters.

However, not one of them whines about being a ‘sucker’ (what an infantile term) for going into their chosen profession. Salaries are publicly available and stable. No one went into teaching expecting to be able to take European vacations each year and drive a Range Rover. While they are underpaid, they certainly make a living wage.

I hope that you are not teaching my children with your demonstrated level of reading comprehension.

If you are the "boo hoo/newsflash person", you know you just totally contradicted yourself. Why shouldn't teachers have cushy lifestyles? Seriously, why shouldn't they make 6 figures?

Again, reading comprehension. Try it.

There is nothing wrong with choosing profession or 9-5 that aligns to your interests and abilities, despite it not being high paying. My problem is with the OP and public school teacher posters who lament choosing a 9-5 / middle class profession and then gripe about not being able to afford luxuries in life. If you want to be UMC and afford a cushy lifestyle, then you need an income that pays more. Teaching does not pay for an UMC lifestyle and everyone knows this.

hahahahaha. You actually think teaching is a 9-5 job? Also why should teachers not make 6 figures? They work 60 hour weeks if you know anything about teaching and they have to pay for continual professional development. This is like an office worker who sits around all day.

Maybe 60 hour weeks with a few months off in the summer. Don’t lecture me about what it’s like to be a teacher, I have been one. Have you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The middle class in US hasn’t had a raise since 2000. Now 2 people work to equal what one income made in the 1960s. Yes standard of living has gone down.

It has not. Look up what living in poverty really entailed in the 1960s. Almost a quarter of poor people had no indoor plumbing in 1960!

+ 1

Standard of living hasn't gone down. It's people's expectations that have increased, along with consumption.

[Anonymous]

Uh the “foreign Asians” who tend to do well here do well bc of selective immigration policies. They don’t just let anyone in. The biggest boom post 1965 was specifically for highly educated Asians who came here for grad school. More recently ther has been a return to preferencing people with money and education. It’s not just a random sampling of people from Asia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I want my littles to be successful and not have to live like I did. Me and the hubby are MC but it’s hard. We have to put 5 kids through school and it’s going to be tough. But we can do it. Blessings.

Wow, "littles," "hubby" and "blessings" all in one post. That's a DCUM trifecta.

It’s actually more of a BabyCenter trifecta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally agree with you, OP.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel like a sucker if you grew up middle class...your family obeyed all of the rules...worked the proverbial "9-5" and had nothing to show for it? I feel like we were suckers to work so heard and then couldn't even afford to go out (ever) nor go on vacations. I suspect most Americans are like this and only the uMC/rich get to enjoy the perks/profits off the backs of the MC

Boo hoo. News flash, you are not entitled to anything. Why do you feel that by growing up middle class and following the rules you are entitled to a certain lifestyle?

You probably live in comfortable home with heat, a/c, several televisions, and have a car. There are many people who have much much less. Are you sad because you don’t drive a Lexus and vacation in Paris every year? Not everyone can live in a McMansion.

Finally, it’s really not that hard to figure out how to have a high income if that is your priority. If you did not grow up rich, you will need a profession that pays well to have a more comfortable lifestyle. For example doctor, banking, big law. Engineering or business owner is another option. It’s not exactly a secret the professions such as teaching are hard work but pay less. Are you expecting to live a cushy lifestyle on a teacher salary?

You are totally correct. Teachers are worthless and have no place in society. How dare they expect the dignity of a living wage.

Please actually read my comment before posting inane replies. No where did I say anything even remotely close to your comment.

Most teachers I know (family and friends) work incredibly hard at a very very difficult job. I personally believe that teachers in most geographies in the US are significantly underpaid. Not only underpaid, they are undervalued compared to other public sector workers such as cops and firefighters.

However, not one of them whines about being a ‘sucker’ (what an infantile term) for going into their chosen profession. Salaries are publicly available and stable. No one went into teaching expecting to be able to take European vacations each year and drive a Range Rover. While they are underpaid, they certainly make a living wage.

I hope that you are not teaching my children with your demonstrated level of reading comprehension.

If you are the "boo hoo/newsflash person", you know you just totally contradicted yourself. Why shouldn't teachers have cushy lifestyles? Seriously, why shouldn't they make 6 figures?

Again, reading comprehension. Try it.

There is nothing wrong with choosing profession or 9-5 that aligns to your interests and abilities, despite it not being high paying. My problem is with the OP and public school teacher posters who lament choosing a 9-5 / middle class profession and then gripe about not being able to afford luxuries in life. If you want to be UMC and afford a cushy lifestyle, then you need an income that pays more. Teaching does not pay for an UMC lifestyle and everyone knows this.

hahahahaha. You actually think teaching is a 9-5 job? Also why should teachers not make 6 figures? They work 60 hour weeks if you know anything about teaching and they have to pay for continual professional development. This is like an office worker who sits around all day.

Fairness isn't the issue. Reality is. In reality, enough people are qualified for, and seek, teaching positions at the current salary. So, they won't raise the salary. One thing that I often do to help with my own problem solving is to make myself focus intently on what is true and acknowledge it. The truth is, teaching will always (in our lifetime) be under compensated. What are you doing to hustle for yourself? You could try to go into education administration, or consulting, or something else. But whining that your poorly compensated job is poorly compensated won't help. It reLly won't.

So 1 I am not a teacher. It is super odd you think that. I happen to be that education admin who happens to think teachers should be appropriately compensated for the hard work they do. I am curious why you are okay with your kids teacher having to work multiple jobs to feed his/her family when they should make 6 figures for making sure your child is literate in all domains. Why do you think this is all about hustle and not about doing good work for the community/the state? Why should someone not be paid a living wage for a professional job? Do you just not believe teachers should have suitable housing and food?