#6 | Posted by redlightrobot

I don't know how some people even manage to pay rent let alone buy a $400k house, which is about the median price these days.

Private equity bought up single family homes and jacked up rent. Harlan Crow (Clarence Thomas' sugar daddy) and his software that allowed apartment complexes and property management firms to collude on rental prices is equally to blame.

#3 | Posted by Zed

It should also be noted that the student debt forgiveness wasn't giving money to anyone.

Those were primarily former students who's already paid back more than what they initially borrowed but still had balances thanks to interest.

The U.S. consumer has been adding debt to maintain consumption, and credit card debt has reached new record levels. This is not a strong economy.

#46 | Posted by look_inward

Because too many employers have cared about quarterly profits and said "F 'em" about their employees.

Wages haven't kept pace with prices for 40 years. Used to be a person could feed a family of four on a job. Thanks to the "greed is good" culture that began in the 80's, a majority of Americans have to work harder just to keep up.

Corporations have posted record profits year after year. $11-15 an hour doesn't cut it. Even $20 an hour leaves most scrambling to pay monthly expenses after withholding comes off the top. America's economy is upside down, favoring those with the most and leaving the vast majority of Americans trying to keep their heads above water.