Living Large, by Drew Carey and Reason.tv

[MM1E]

You can buy all kinds of expensive toys... when you take out a loan that will take 30 years to pay off. $50 cellphone? Sure, 3-4 hours work... or a month of work when your rent, electricity, transportation and food takes up 95% of your wages... medical insurance? get real, it will always be more than you can afford if you're in the lower 20% of this country's earners. 20%! imagine that, the bare essentials of healthy living are out of reach for a full 1/5 of the people. They get squeezed.

[nurb101]

Also, This was made in 2007-2008, most likely before the housing bubble burst and the economy collapsed.

.

Let's ask those guys with the boats, SUVs, big houses that lost half their value in a matter of months with all their debt how they're doing today, Drew!

[nurb101]

When the top 20% of Americans control 93% of the nation's wealth, that's a big problem. in the 50's and 60's it was the middle class that controled most of the money and therefore could support the economy!

.

How do they expect a consumer based economy to be supported by 80% of Americans who are forced to fight over the remainging 7% and stop spending?

.

If the rich want the most money with "trickle down economics", They can pay the most with "trickle down taxes". Can't have it both ways!

[Benschachar]

@nurb101

Why?

This is a big problem with leftists: pseudomarxist B.S. they have zero perspective on.

Tell me, do you understand the risk/reward paradigm at all? If the lower and middle class real income rose 5% but the upper class income rose 25-30% why exactly is there a problem? Please try to answer these questions without resorting to assumptions about the rich like "they hoard money".

Another thing, the top 10% pay 89% of taxes. Don't you think that's a little unfair?

[seanpennsuxdictators]

I am lower bourgeosie, lol. FUCK the LEFT.

[edisfoamy]

@seanpennsuxdictators I'm a lefty and you can't think for yourself.

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@edisfoamy Right. That's a good one you little cultist freak.

[edisfoamy]

@seanpennsuxdictators You make good ones too, considering you are a hypocrit cultist freak.

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@edisfoamy Why don't you go pledge to your messiah Obama and jizz in your pants for him like all th rest of the Obama zombies do.

[edisfoamy]

@seanpennsuxdictators It's hilarious that you consider Obama a messiah, what makes you think he is amazing and what does Obama have anything to do with what we're talking about?

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@edisfoamy I think he's the Antichrist. Theocratic libtards think he's their messiah.

[nurb101]

@seanpennsuxdictators

You can always spot a conservative christian by how nasty they talk about people who disagree with them politically

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@nurb101 Yeah right doofus. This whole country is viciously against Christians and supportive of the Satanic KKK Democrat communists. Go felch Bill Maher you bum sucker.

[nurb101]

@seanpennsuxdictators

The sad part is that as far right as tea party supporters and conservative christians are, I can't tell if you're joking or serious

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@nurb101 No, get it right you stupid fuck. You far left fucking freaks are the extremists who carry pictures of Chairman Mao. You're the fucks who are totally out to lunch and out of touch with all sanity you stupid Gomer Pyle fuck.

[nurb101]

@seanpennsuxdictators

So you ARE christian. Perfect example of why I gave up the faith. I still forgive you.

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@nurb101 Aw, maybe your messiah Obobo will kiss your boo boo.

[nurb101]

@seanpennsuxdictators

At least he exists

[seanpennsuxdictators]

@nurb101 You're a sick fuck worshiping your black Hitler.

[seanpennsuxdictators]

Here is the big RELIGIOUS ANSWER to EVERYTHING.

LEFTISTS and all of those who lean LEFT are Satanists.

[radiationtherapyband]

The standard for living is not too high, standards for lending are too low. All of the people in this video are in debt up to their necks and are one unforeseeable accident away from medical induced bankruptcy. Drew is a tool for the bankers and corporations who make millions off of our indentured servitude. Fuck you, Drew. To your face and sincerely. Fuck you.

[RentAnEducation]

You know how to find people who are doing well? It's easy. Just go to the lake and approach anyone with a new boat. I don't think anyone is claiming that NO ONE is doing well. This is stupid!

[Wormtail81]

I don't feel like they can afford all of that stuff.

[Benschachar]

So many today simply don't understand wealth or why they have it better than everyone else, it depresses me whenever they vote some pseudo-socialist douche into office to stick it to the man because the only people they're sticking it too are the high school grads who can't find a job because the minimum wage discourages hiring them or the elderly whose medication is substandard because of health care rationing, or the poor who can barely afford to eat because of the taxes on food.

[italoirish888]

It's ok to be make a "middle class" salary if you're single. Then you can afford lots of nice toys. I'm an officer in the miltary making a decent salary (around 70 k) and I have more money than I can spend. But, if I had two kids, and was saving for their college, being middle class wouldn't allow me to afford any of those luxuries. It costs 45k a year to send a kid to a good private college. You'd better be making 150 k a year to keep a good quality of life and still be able to afford that.

[lordaltay5]

@italoirish888 It doesn't cost a penny to send your kid to college. Colleges and foundations give scholarships. Kids can get jobs and pay for their own college like my father did.

If your kid can't earn a scholarship and/or is unwilling to work his way through college, it just proves you were a bad parent.

Problem is, Americans are lazier than ever before. 18 year olds are adults. Parents shouldn't be paying for their education, cars, housing, or health care.

[foxworth1313]

I dont get why Drew Carey made these videos with Reason TV, Drew Carey sounds more like a mainline republican than a Libertarian.

[hollrahd]

I love you drew. you speak the truth.

[CountArtha]

Houses might be a bad example in hindsight. lol

[zeo285]

I aggree, better now then back then, but geting rid of inflation is, in my opion, the simplest and best way for helping the middile class. And the way we do that...

End The FED!

[4Barbudos]

"Trickle Down Economics" = The Rich are Pissing on You

[hoppinglark]

@4Barbudos have you studied economics? The actual title is Supply Side Economics

[cooperbry]

Sure the media may go to one extreme, but, I think this video goes to the other. Everything is great, people are rich. Meanwhile, 50% of society is unproductive. The other 50% take care of the unproductive. Not better than the past? We now have a president proposing tax after tax on who? The middle class because they are the slaves of the society. The people that pay the public debt. So, next time a rich X TV start says everything's great, tell him to offer to pay more taxes voluntarily.

[ulgrum]

Drew, drew, drew....

Sure things are "cheaper" when you factor in the doller per hour cost (which I agree is the best way to estimate). However, the vast majority of those pretty toys you saw being "owned" by the middle class are in fact owned by the credit company that financed it. Therein lies the problem,

try tackling that buddy.

[Jobbarn1933]

You are right on spot.

[ulgrum]

Thanks

[hoppinglark]

@ulgrum easy to tackle. They get to use it now, don't they? Only buy things you really want and it'll be worth it.

[westkan]

Drew go back to playing the middle class on TV. Granted it's difficult to be balanced in the time generally allocated, but you used up 7.5 Minutes of our time, but those you criticized, generally have much less. You became a shill for those who have an interest in perpetuating an economy based on consumption

[58robbo]

what a load of tripe. i think mr carey forgot to mention what these guys are on the hook for. he also forgot to mention that most of these toys were funded by phoney home equity. all of this consumption fuelled further growth until we maxed out our cards. go back now and see what they say

[CountArtha]

Coolidge/Mellon '12!

Back to the Golden Age!

[LPBguy]

Sorry, but that was the stupidest video I have ever seen on reason. The middle class HAS been the most burdened in our economy, because it is the most affected by inflation. Inflation resulting from the printing authorized by the Federal Reserve acts as an undetected tax to the middle class, decreasing the dollar's purchasing power. These people who have a greater amount of assets in cash than property are disproportionately more harmed by this phenomenon than the wealthy.

[malachitransfer]

If the middle class was really having that much trouble wouldn't the poor be dead and the middle class be the new low class? So isn't your very statement a complete oxymoron?

[LPBguy]

Thank you for correcting what was a poor choice of words by me. Clearly it is both the middle AND lower class who are being greatly affected by the advent of inflation, because they have the least assets and the loss of dollar's purchasing power. Let's not be fooled by appearances either--the flow of credit and debt which has allowed us to live lavish lifestyles is starting to greatly decline.

[Whoo69]

Plus, it's a lie to say that "wages are falling." Are you kidding me?? If you're in a high-income, high-skill job, your wages are gonna rise with inflation and cost of living. They always have. It's mainly low-skill jobs that have seen stagnant or lower wages.

And it kind of makes sense, from an economic perspective. Low-skill jobs don't require much out of a person, so what's the incentive of an employer to keep raising wages? Productivity isn't gonna increase by much over time.

[Whoo69]

It's also a result of us becoming more postindustrial and a service economy. As we transition, industrial jobs are gonna become less important, and their wages won't really matter a whole lot to employers. High-skilled, college-educated workers are a much narrower pool of candidates, so they are paid more.

It's simple economics, guys. There's not a lot else to say. That's why, on one hand, I kind of find a minimum wage a ridiculous idea, esp. when most workers in the US don't work it.

[Whoo69]

Surely, in even a low-skill employer, you should be able to SOMEHOW increase your skills and show why you deserve a promotion or wage increase. That would seem more efficient and faster than bitching to the gov't and waiting for a min. wage increase.

[Whoo69]

In a lower-skill job, you're disposable. The employer could easily fire you and find someone else within a day or two.

[ai4fu]

And that same "low-skill" worker can find a new job in a day or two... and yes I am one of them.

[Whoo69]

Great video, Drew! I'm a progressive, but I never really bought into that Democratic crap that "the middle class is shrinking." Shrinking HOW?? So a few million people lost their jobs over a decade and a half since NAFTA in manufacturing. That's a tragedy, but that doesn't mean we're anywhere near to being 3rd-world. A few million is a very small percentage of our workforce: 150 million strong. That's half the population, the other half either retired, not working or too young.

[Whoo69]

I always get weary whenever I hear the Dems bitching about how people are "still poor", as if we can somehow eliminate poverty 100%. Even Denmark, which has the lowest Gini coefficient (most standard-of-living "equality", so to speak), isn't anywhere near 0% poverty. It's more like maybe 8 or 9% in its best economic years.

[sabinal17]

Tell me about it, Whoo. I've lived in the US all my life and if people really want to see poverty, they should go to Bangladesh, Mumbai, or Sao Paolo. Talk about slums. The author of that book is right...there will *always* be suffering; heck, I remember the same concern over the middle class back in 1979.

[frisco1529]

The middle class "squeeze" is mostly the result of a bunch of dumbasses who can't or won't come up with a budget and stop buying unneeded consumer items on credit instead of saving.

[oski2005]

Damn Drew, if you actually cared about the country and not your ego maybe you'd revisit this video and tell us about how great things are. I assume you forgot all about this and it probably won't resurface to show how you derided the people who had the foresight to see what was coming.

[roversrawsome]

Thanks for the advice! I will remember that!

[roversrawsome]

Sorry dude, I live in a town with no jobs around. All the jobs are taken, I lost hope in everything, I don't believe in my self anymore. It's easy to judge someone, if you don't know them. It's like jail, I am just trapped here. I need a way to make money, and understand this is not a laughing matter.

[annilita]

Friends visited recently from the Philippeans. They stayed with us for 2 days and it was a huge eye-opener for me. Both work and are "middle class" in the Phils, but were shocked by things we consider basic here; that we have an 1800 sq ft home for just 4 people, the machine that washed our dishes for us, even our shower was way cooler than the bucket they used at home. We don't even realize how good we have it as middle class Americans.

[roversrawsome]

I agree, I wish I was atleast middle class. The middle class life is so good, and middle class people are rich to me. The average middle class may have a crappier car than I do, but they drive something newer.I have a 1995 BMW 530i, broken in my garage. They have fancy cell phones, cool Ipods, an Xbox360, GTA4, a bunch of CDs, flat screen TV, and many great amenities. Please, somebody help me become middle class.

[idiotsavant53]

I wonder when this was made? The past few years with rising food prices and the cost of energy gasoline in particular many of the middle class find they have to limit themselves in even these most standard of necessities. All those toys shown on this program where probably bought second mortgages on appreciating houses. Now the banks are reluctant to give out such loans and refuse to do so. This program shows it like it was and not how the new American has become and is becoming.

[Libertarianist]

And guess what, labor prices have gone up too, which means wages have gone up.

[LolaJudd]

It isn't just time, but energy.

[ptrix]

the reason why people consume at the rate they do is because of the easy availability of credit cards. the gardner with the boat and hummer can use his CC, own the expensive stuff NOW, and only have to worry about making minimum payments on his balance for the rest of his natural life. We are living in a time where having possession of something does NOT necessarily mean that one has full ownership of it.

[Bttry01]

Well said

[Benschachar]

@ptrix

I think you are correct to an extent but ultimately

I think you are ignoring the central thesis and the evidence in the video.

The costs of everyday items on average has declined precipitously due to factors like mass production and engineering advances.

[LigerSupremacy]

@ptrix

Exactly. People are struggling today because they over-spend on things they don't need/can't afford without going into debt. Everyone just has to have an iphone, ipad or BMW/Benz. If people lived within their means they might not have everything they want but they wouldn't be stressing or complaining about being in debt. America's real problem is excessive consumerism.

[abram730]

This is the most insulting video I ever saw.

[kellnola]

I know, really. This vid was pure idiocy, not to mention lies. BULLSHIT

[pholland]

Where are the lies? Were laptops really cheaper 100 years ago?

[robotguy]

Interesting to note that Exxon, all by itself, paid as much in taxes as the lowest-earning 50% of Americans. Yes, that one company paid as much in taxes as did 65 million taxpayers.

[rudyrodnase]

yeah otherwise the wages would be a little bit down or prices would not have gone down dontya think?

[abram730]

that's a lie.

[robotguy]

tinyurl dot com slash 2y9bkw

Before calling someone a liar, check your facts.

[abram730]

you are not including SS taxes and since the government spends those as income taxes they should be included. See I find it funny that those that fight for an end to SS and say we must end it because the money was spent but them, don't include that as a tax.

[abram730]

As for sympathy for Exxon? Never as they have gotten America into quite a bind. From funding PR people to pose as scientists, to the war in Iraq. On Iraq alone, Big oil has taxed us to the tune of 5-7 trillion(including interest) and thousands of American lives.

They got there profits and now they are mad about the taxes? the execs are still alive, free and should be happy every day for that.

[kmosipov]

what a scumbag, using deflationary products like cellphones and 1900 data for clothing to make comparisons. why don't you take 1666 as a reference point and tell us how much better off we are today than those Londoners dying from the fires and the plague?

[payleryder45]

I think the point is that all, or substantially all of the products now considered indicia of the middle class are deflationary.

[illinoisgrad]

Then tell us the golden metrics to measure comfort, security and prosperity.

[payleryder45]

It is always relative. In biblical times, a man with one pair of sandles and two coats was well to do.

Now, bums have dogs and copious spirituous beverages.

Come to think of it, stuff that is inflationary - health insurance, tobacco, gas - are the things that government has its hands all over. Funny, that.

[robs1642]

while i agree cellphones are a terrible example. they did mention bread and necessities.

his point was that cool luxuries are always coming down in prices.

[pranavb99]

Well, OK, we ARE a lot better off than those Londoners dying from the fires and the plague. What of it? As Carey ended, if things keep going like this, we'll be able to tell our kids how tough we had it compared to them. He very rightly mocked the talking heads for selling pessimism.

[illinoisgrad]

Help me god, Hillary is going to be President and there is nothing I can do about it.

Plan accordingly...

[wptg]

Nothing at all. Utopia's coming. And hell's coming with it.

[Bound4NH]

Where did all the comments go?