Huffpost right now has a lead “Why the bad vibes”? They come to the unsurprising conclusion that it is because economic life for many people is worse now than during the pandemic.
Surprise!
There are two economies, one for the upper 40% and the other for the lower 60%. The “median” economy looks OK. The “upper” economy looks pretty good. Then there is the “lower” economy. Let me count the ways:
1) child care credit — gone.
2) $2500 per year per person — gone.
3) help with evictions — gone.
4) housing — difficult to move because no affordable rental housing available.
5) buy a house — at these prices and interest rates? Not if you make less than six figures per year.
6) buy a car — interest rates and payments out of sight, especially as most “lowers” had their credit ratings crater during the pandemic.
7) violence / aberrant behavior — affraid to leave the house. You are not alone!
8) homeless camps — everywhere. Used needles anyone?
9) And, that wonderful $15/hr living wage that was supposed to lift many out of poverty? It has been consumed by inflation.
10) Affordable healthcare, still a far off dream. $5000 deductables per person do not affordable healthcare make.
11) Senior care — never good. Now much worse.
12) Child care, don’t make me laugh. What child care! Try to find an affordable day-care recently?
It doesn’t matter that the Republicans are responsible for most if not all of the above problems. For low to middle income Americans all we hear from Democrats are various policy pronouncements that promise change “someday”. It doesn’t do anything for the problems us “lowers” are facing everyday.
It’s no wonder that many people no longer have faith in our Democracy and considering radical solutions — because our Democracy is failing a majority of us.
(And by the way I am not a Republicrap. I would never vote for those slime. But, most Democratic polititions seem totally disconnected from the reality of life for the majority of Americans — but then again, most politicians of both stripes are “uppers”).
