<p>Yes, many of them are apparently. So sad for you professional whiners and do-gooders. I came from that poor underclass so no reading required.
FYI I read about 4 papers a day, listen to NPR and never watch FOX or any TV news much at all. I prefer the cooking and home related shows, some college football, and a couple of current network shows (Office, Reaper, and Pushing Daisies).</p>
<p>China, just before election, acquiesces to Bushie long standing request to float its currency against US $. (ROC/Taiwan simultaneously follows). OPEC institutes market basket of currency for oil purchases. Saudi’s thank Bush for increasing mideast security and to show its goodwill, buy’s defaulted subprimes. US Universities increases total enrollment numbers, with nearly all of the increase going to foreign Asian students. Latinos returning home because remittances worth considerably less and cost of living in USA increases dramatically. In deference to State of Washington, Boeing sells a skyfull of 787’s worldwide but US carriers have high fuel costs.</p>
<p>Dow will hit 15,000 and Phelps will win 200-m breast in China in 2008.</p>
<p>China’s economy will slow in direct proportion to the number of new McDonalds franchises opened in their borders. Who wants to work when they are sleeping off a Big Mac and fries? Oh, and a diet coke!</p>
<p>“I came from that poor underclass so no reading required.”</p>
<p>My point exactly, Barron. The underclass today is nothing like the underclass from which you come. Google underclass and read a recent sociologist’s analysis of what makes up the underclass today. Pay special attention to the numbers.</p>
<p>[Underclass</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underclass]Underclass”>Underclass - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Okay, I bit. I googled underclass and clicked on the first link. Pretty much what I thought of as underclass. </p>
<p>My prediction: Global warming will continue and I won’t have to spend $900 every 6 weeks to keep my tootsies warm here in Fairbanks. :)</p>
<p>The percentage of people living in poverty in the US has been relatively flat since 1970.
There has always been a core underclass in my lifetime.</p>
<p>Momof1, Wikipedia isn’t a reliable source usually, so I didn’t check what you had read. The underclass today as discussed by economists and sociologists is different then what it used to mean. That is the point I intended to clarify.</p>
<p>Good luck with those tootsies!</p>
<p>I just now had the opportunity to read the Wiki article on the underclass to which you referred. Thanks for looking, and sorry I didn’t have the time yesterday.</p>
<p>To a large extent it is accurate. However, senior citizens are mentioned no where in the article, and they are a huge, uncounted part of the underclass today. Who do you see in Barnes and Noble and Starbucks all over the country, as well as wandering about doing nothing?</p>
<p>In fact, many that the government includes in its economic statistics today are really the underclass being mislabeled. Because of this, none of the figures released about unemployment, and the state of the economy can be accurate. Many who are counted as the middle class are really the underclass.</p>
<p>It is 48 where I am today!</p>
<p>“In fact, many that the government includes in its economic statistics today are really the underclass being mislabeled. Because of this, none of the figures released about unemployment, and the state of the economy can be accurate. Many who are counted as the middle class are really the underclass.”</p>
<p>How do you define “underclass.”</p>
<p>Zoosermom, if you are asking me, the Wiki article I was referencing gives a good explanation, and was lacking in the little I added. It is a good introduction.</p>
<p>I have other articles on a computer at a different location I will be happy to share when I can access it.</p>
<p>I can’t wait to join the old folks wandering around B&N and Starbucks. That’s a full day entertainment. Stretching the meaning of poverty to include anyone not driving a new car or living a grand lifestyle is absurd. Do they have food, shelter, healthcare and such? Then they are not poor. What is your definition exactly?</p>
<p>Barrons, it can’t be described thoroughly in the space here, but the Wiki article that comes up and many others, are good explanations, when you Google underclass. Rather than cut and paste the Wiki article that is long, see if you can find it (and others) googling.</p>
<p>Those elderly people working are doing so to pay for health insurance, medical expenses, and the increased cost of living. These are not people who are working to increase their style of living. It is so they are not homeless.</p>
<p>Poverty in the US has been relatively constant for decades. SS has become more generous over time as more people who get it have long work histories including women who rarely worked full-time until the 70’s. That has the poverty industry rushing to define more people as poor or at least less than middleclass whatever that is so that they can continue to expand the programs that keep themselves employed or profiting.
I do not for a second believe it is worse than it was any time in our history and it is in fact much better. In some cities it has become more visible due to the homeless wandering the streets. Their stories are as varied as can be ranging from drug addiction to mental problems and the closing of treatement homes.</p>
<p>Bumping this so that people can review their predictions and see which ones came to pass…or fell short.</p>
<p>Hey I called that Davidson basketball thing, didn’t I??? D didn’t have any interest in Yale, or any Ivy for that matter…but waiting on a few top 25 LAC’s</p>
<p>Not a bad year. Made less money but also had more time off to enjoy so that was fine. Overall investments held up OK. Wife just got a nice raise and our work is picking up so 2009 could be better. Buying some undervalued stocks. Would love to have a good reason to buy a new car at current lower prices but really don’t have one. Lover our Toyotas and both only have around 40K miles and are nearly paid off. Would rather invest now than buy stuff.</p>
<p>Interesting how some posters predicted the Obama win. Also interesting that John McCain was NOT predicted as the republican candidate.</p>
<p>I’d give a prize to TheresaCPA (post 16) -
and UriA702 (post 17) -
</p>
<p>They hit the nail on the head.</p>