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Is there still an American middle-class dream?

neddy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
How shocking is it that we find out that the bankrupts in US are the
- middle-class, not just the poor
- parents with children, not just the young or old
- people who are financially responsible, not the credit card junkies

This is not just about America, other countries with 2-income families need to take note as well. Check out the segment from 22-26 mins.



Elizabeth Warren discusses how the dreams of the middle class american family are being depleted by the dramatic increase in bankruptcies and foreclosures.

Warren discusses the role that credit card companies and ballooning interests rates have played in rapidly increasing mortgage rates as well as the how the over consumption myth is clouding our understanding of the average middle class family, who is in fact experiencing a lower standard of living than their parents and still finding themselves one payment away from losing their home.

Elizabeth Warren is the Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and chaired the Congressional Oversight Panel created to investigate the U.S. banking bailout .

This program originally aired in April 2004. it is being re-aired because Professor Warren's predictions of economic disasters and the reasons for them have proven correct, and she is a candidate to head a commission to guard against recurrence.

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neddy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
31' to 35' segment about credit card companies strategies - lest we forget.

41' about how mortgage companies can double the interest rates at will.

53' makes the loansharks sissy. how people with prime loans got into subprime re-financing.

56' to end of video, reminds us again who really runs America.
 
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neddy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
At the end of the day, we have to stop the bankers!
American bankers is setting a very bad example for the rest of the world.
 

wendypoh

Alfrescian
Loyal
America is big, not big big like Russia or Canada, but big. Because it is big, it depends on the person to make the dream.
 

neddy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Should also watch the oscar winning documentary Inside Job. It talks about all this and how the American bankers were never punished for the crap they created.

Crony capitalism in USA rear it's ugly head after the fall of communism.
I predict a capitalist famine, starting with the massive cornfields of Iowa USA where the poor returns from corn will see farmers quitting the land. But, with biofuel, this scenario will be delayed.

Have you read, Gold is now legal tender in Utah state.
 

Ash007

Alfrescian
Loyal
Crony capitalism in USA rear it's ugly head after the fall of communism.
I predict a capitalist famine, starting with the massive cornfields of Iowa USA where the poor returns from corn will see farmers quitting the land. But, with biofuel, this scenario will be delayed.

Have you read, Gold is now legal tender in Utah state.

Hah, going back to the gold standard. By the way, forgot to mentioned that LHL was also interviewed for the program. He did not say much, just some mumbo jumbo that when the crisis happen he wasn't sure how long its going to last.
 

Ash007

Alfrescian
Loyal
Just finish watching it. All the points has been expounded in other documentaries I've seen so far. I especially like the quote where it says it used to take 52 paychecks to pay for the mortgage and now we need 104 paychecks. You are right in that the two income trap is not just happening in the US. I see some of my friends here facing the same problems. Both working and wants to earn at least 300K in order to make their monthly repayments. I think its happening in Singapore as well.
 

Aussie Prick

Alfrescian
Loyal
Crony capitalism in USA rear it's ugly head after the fall of communism.
I predict a capitalist famine, starting with the massive cornfields of Iowa USA where the poor returns from corn will see farmers quitting the land. But, with biofuel, this scenario will be delayed.

Have you read, Gold is now legal tender in Utah state.

Hmmmmm. You might be onto something. Financial Guru Suze Orman in her new book cites the "American Dream" is dead. Now the focus is for Americans to become more frugal and to live below their means. She also writes high priced university degrees are a waste of money these days.

Even more shocking - she states in the last 40 years the stock market returned 11% per year. She predicts the stock market will return only 4% for the next 40.

We are truly living in interesting times........
 

neddy

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Just finish watching it. All the points has been expounded in other documentaries I've seen so far. I especially like the quote where it says it used to take 52 paychecks to pay for the mortgage and now we need 104 paychecks. You are right in that the two income trap is not just happening in the US. I see some of my friends here facing the same problems. Both working and wants to earn at least 300K in order to make their monthly repayments. I think its happening in Singapore as well.

The Aussie Tax System is responsible for the current high property price.
Do I see any change in the coming years - No. The pollies are too nervous changing the CGT structure. The Henry tax-reform is well and truly dead!

Hmmmmm. You might be onto something. Financial Guru Suze Orman in her new book cites the "American Dream" is dead. Now the focus is for Americans to become more frugal and to live below their means. She also writes high priced university degrees are a waste of money these days.

Even more shocking - she states in the last 40 years the stock market returned 11% per year. She predicts the stock market will return only 4% for the next 40.

We are truly living in interesting times........

Buy silver.
PIMCO sold all its US Treasury holdings. God Save America!
 

Ash007

Alfrescian
Loyal
The Aussie Tax System is responsible for the current high property price.
Do I see any change in the coming years - No. The pollies are too nervous changing the CGT structure. The Henry tax-reform is well and truly dead!



Buy silver.
PIMCO sold all its US Treasury holdings. God Save America!

This is the second time today someone told me to buy silver.
 

axe168

Alfrescian
Loyal
Great ! I thought I'm gona lost my account- axe168 for life ! Unable to reply for the last few weeks. Lets see if this works.
 

Ash007

Alfrescian
Loyal
Still waiting for visa loh. What to do? Melbourne too cold for me. You have opportunity for me in Melbourne?
 
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