Bernie Sanders says it over and over again: 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Centrist critics swear this is false. Once we sort through the noise, we see Bernie is right on the money.
I say it’s a little more than that as well. We’re seeing and hearing people, make sacrifices in their lives that they didn’t think they’d have to make. Like deciding against having a kid, why? Because the pay isn’t good enough anymore for single-family. People having to decide when to specifically shop and go without necessities, why? Inflation. People having to upset their entire living to try and go elsewhere in town or even another state, why? High rates. Why are people knee deep in credit card debt? Having to take out personal loans? Or any loan? Why are people looking to be with someone, just so they can have someone else simply help out expenses?
It’s not a damn mystery.
I have been getting into with neoliberals on Lemmy who are adamant that the economy under Biden has never been better. Survey anyone who has to do actual work for a living and they can tell you it’s a shit show. I was week nigh bartending this summer and fall and my good shifts i would take home $20, where as the same shift 2 years ago my bad nights i was still taking home $80 in cash tips, and it wasn’t just my bar. All the restaurants in my area are struggling because peopme have zero disposable income anymore.
But stocks had never been higher and “everyone is hiring!” (despite it actually being impossible to get a new job) back in November, so obviously everything was just fine.
I have never seen this. The economy under biden was getting close to recovering from the trump years but the only time I hear its the best ever is from people saying it was not the best as they heard say. Its like trump with his folks are sayin. It was better than it had been before him but not better than like the 90’s
I mean, have they tried not being poor? /s
Yeah, just buy more money. What’s the problem here?
What could a banana cost, Michael?
Like $10!!
Thanos: “Everything”
In all seriousness: if extreme poverty was good enough for most of my ancestors, it’s good enough for me?
The real Paleo diet
The couple years where I didn’t have enough money for food got me down to a normal BMI.
It’s way more than that. Did they exclude retirees watching their savings dwindle as the stock market crashes, and prices and inflation rise?
Like my folks are retired, well off, but… They are by no means anything beyond their own self imposed paycheck to paycheck. And as shit gets worse they’re stretching things every which way to avoid part time work before death.
On top of that I get taxed more than some billionaires. I feel like an empty tube of toothpaste where some leech has to squeeze out every little bit.
I’m surprised the number is so low. It feels more like 90%.
The most important factor, quantitatively speaking, is slightly technical and takes a bit of explanation. If you want to use household wealth data to determine what share of Americans “live paycheck to paycheck,” you have to exclude business owners from the analysis. This isn’t just because — to state what should be obvious — business owners can’t “live paycheck to paycheck,” no matter how poor they are, since they don’t receive a paycheck.
More than business owners, “contractors”.
If you’re a gig worker, including conventional tipped employment to an extent, you’re going to need a buffer because money could dry up. A waitress with a two week cough isn’t making the tips they’re used to and an Uber driver with a blown transmission isn’t making anything.
They couldn’t make it 3 months with no income tho.
Even when you have a career and make better money, better healthcare comes with higher premiums. And 401ks need contributions, so even more people paycheck to paycheck
In 1960, minimum wage was $1.00/hour and the average US home was $11,000.00
:fgy
I have never heard anyone say it was false. Just ignore and talk around his subjects. Im not sure if its higher or going higher but since only those with paychecks can be part of it I see change coming.
This man is STUPID! The DNC Told me everything is FINE!
