middle class

oldgutpile · #1 03-01-2018, 11:55 AM

This last cluster of a budget has gotten me thinking; All of the politicians keep touting the term "middle class". Who are the middle class?
I have never been able to get anyone to give me a clear definition (especially politicians) of exactly who this "middle class" is that they all claim to be fighting for. I even get the impression that the politicos even consider themselves in this group, so maybe some of the "middle class" (namely themselves) are getting looked after.
A few years back I think I was bundled into the poverty class, but now that I have put some coin away for my retirement, I may have finally climbed the social ladder! One thing I do know for sure, is that if everyone in Ottawa is fighting for me and mine, they are doing a very lousy job of it.
Has anyone ever been given a clear definition?

Norwest Alta · #2 03-01-2018, 12:11 PM

Well I've always been a middle of the class guy if that helps. I've never really thought of how the gov't has fought tooth and nail to make sure I'm doing well. Good point on a lousy job they're doing.

dmcbride · #3 03-01-2018, 12:50 PM

Hope this helps.

http://www.macleans.ca/economy/money...-middle-class/

Red Bullets · #4 03-01-2018, 01:03 PM

What is middle class you ask?
"Middle class" in ancient chinese is written: 中產階級 . Translated "middle class" means "Rat who runs race".

HunterDave · #5 03-01-2018, 02:14 PM

There is no middle class according to Justin. He campaigned on raising taxes on the upper class and lowering taxes for the middle class. If that's true, and I am by definition middle class, why have my taxes increased approx $3K per year with the loss of income splitting ($500), beer tax, carbon tax ($3K), etc? Everyone got hooped with tax increases, even the lower class, so there is no point in listening to Justin's rhetoric about helping the middle class. Smoke and mirrors.

coastalhunter · #6 03-01-2018, 02:36 PM

He's trying to appear on the same page as the taxpayers.

Grizzly Adams · #7 03-01-2018, 04:38 PM

the middle class. Smoke and mirrors.

There you go.

Grizz

mattthegorby · #8 03-01-2018, 05:03 PM

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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HalfBreed · #9 03-01-2018, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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That's a ****ty but true summation I believe.

mooseknuckle · #10 03-01-2018, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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Amen brotha.

bat119 · #11 03-01-2018, 05:18 PM

Homeless
Poor
Just making it
Middle class
Doing ok
Doing better
Semi rich
Rich
Uber rich
Super uber rich

ab_hunter · #12 03-01-2018, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bat119

Homeless
Poor
Just making it
Middle class
Doing ok
Doing better
Semi rich
Rich
Uber rich
Super uber rich

Spot on.

ward · #13 03-01-2018, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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Well done.

Newview01 · #14 03-01-2018, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ab_hunter

Spot on.

Meh.

With all the handouts these days, and leftist politicians claiming to help the middle class I would peg it between homeless and poor.

roper1 · #15 03-01-2018, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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That's a good one!!

ditch donkey · #16 03-01-2018, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

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Ha! Isn’t that the truth!

My wife says- you don’t need more stuff, you need time to use the stuff you already have!

oldgutpile · #17 03-01-2018, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmcbride

Hope this helps.

http://www.macleans.ca/economy/money...-middle-class/

This may explain why no-one can give me a straight answer!! It appears it all depends on comparitively where you live and how much the other "classes" have set themselves up with

Little bit of a dry read but it does offer a good comparison.

oldgutpile · #18 03-01-2018, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattthegorby

If your middle class you can afford a safe full of rifles and a truck, but not the time off work to go hunting.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

Nailed it!
I keep compensating myself for not having a life, with buying more guns

Just had to add another safe. Now if only I had the time to take them out and play with them.

thumper · #19 03-02-2018, 08:13 AM

Justin regards his fan clubs and entourage as 'middle class'. Anyone who's not is lower class.

Suzukisam · #20 03-02-2018, 08:40 AM

The definition of middle class. It is where the govt gets it money from. Lower incomes don’t have enough to get from. Upper income not enough of them to get. So guess what we get to bend over and take it

bobalong · #21 03-02-2018, 08:58 AM

30-50k a year with no tax breaks,
no write offs.
40hr./week.
2 week holiday
no lawyer or accountant
very few if any managers
no company perks
work and pay taxes/EI/CPP for 35-40 years or more
THIS IS THE WORKING CLASS

79ford · #22 03-02-2018, 07:01 PM

Middle class is your 130-250k group from what i could gather. Disposable income, vacation time,

Losing your job means setting a budget for a year or two vs going homeless

EZM · #23 03-02-2018, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 79ford

Middle class is your 130-250k group from what i could gather. Disposable income, vacation time,

Losing your job means setting a budget for a year or two vs going homeless

I'd agree that's probably a pretty good description.

Here in Alberta those numbers stretch in both directions (due to our higher incomes and higher costs of living).

Unfortunately I know lots of people earning toward the higher end of that range and still in debt (with high threshold debt loads) with little or no real disposable income to invest in their retirements.

But hey, they have fancy rides and nice homes and even get to go on some nice tropical vacations - but heaven forgive them when they need to dish out for an unexpected home repair or family emergency - good thing there are credit cards !!!!!!!!!! lol.

That's also the middle class.

Newview01 · #24 03-02-2018, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 79ford

Middle class is your 130-250k group from what i could gather. Disposable income, vacation time,

Losing your job means setting a budget for a year or two vs going homeless

Ha. Nice try.

HighlandHeart · #25 03-03-2018, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobalong

30-50k a year with no tax breaks,
no write offs.
40hr./week.
2 week holiday
no lawyer or accountant
very few if any managers
no company perks
work and pay taxes/EI/CPP for 35-40 years or more
THIS IS THE WORKING CLASS

Why don't people in this income group get any write offs?

Norwest Alta · #26 03-03-2018, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighlandHeart

Why don't people in this income group get any write offs?

I don't understand this write off stuff. People say that as a farmer I can write this off and that off. Perfect but it still takes money to buy it. Same as my business. Why waste money to buy something I don't need to write off some of what I'd owe in taxes.

Dewey Cox · #27 03-03-2018, 10:40 AM

Most people don’t know what a “write off” is.
Common consensus is that my business can get stuff for free by “writing it off”.
“You can just write that off”
Oookay.

Norwest Alta · #28 03-03-2018, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Most people don’t know what a “write off” is.
Common consensus is that my business can get stuff for free by “writing it off”.
“You can just write that off”
Oookay.

Right on. Thanks I'm glad I'm not missing out on writeoffs

79ford · #29 03-03-2018, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

I'd agree that's probably a pretty good description.

Here in Alberta those numbers stretch in both directions (due to our higher incomes and higher costs of living).

Unfortunately I know lots of people earning toward the higher end of that range and still in debt (with high threshold debt loads) with little or no real disposable income to invest in their retirements.

But hey, they have fancy rides and nice homes and even get to go on some nice tropical vacations - but heaven forgive them when they need to dish out for an unexpected home repair or family emergency - good thing there are credit cards !!!!!!!!!! lol.

That's also the middle class.

You can probably be working class at any wage or level of profitability. Middle class would probably be a higher level of financial flexibility than working all the time to keep up with expenses while not saving for retirement in any concrete form.

The middle is where the next year or two of paycheques doesnt create financial instability. Or something like a disposable income ratio... i usually spend about60% of what i make and would have to get creative in order to spend all the money i make each month. To me that is middle class, maybe middle of the middle or lower middle. Middle is like my boss who drives around in his 450 horse car and buys weird teas, cigars and other knick knacks because he doesnt know what else to do with his money after saving a bunch for retirement