The presumptive Democratic presidential candidate told FOX News that he defines the middle class as anyone making under $250,000.
“What I would say is, if you are making more than $250,000, than you’re more than middle class. You’re doing better. If you are making less than $250,000, then you are definitely somewhere in the middle class. And if you’re making $150,000 or less, than I think most Americans would agree that you’re middle class. So that’s why the fact that if you are making less than $250,000, you will not see your taxes go up under an Obama administration,” Obama said.
Man I hope he talks this specific in the debates 
Obama is out of touch with reality if he thinks $150,000 yr is middle class and the Harvard lawyer did not even say upper middle class !
Of course if you really want to be literal he did say under $250,000 yr is middle class
-- Modified on 7/28/2008 1:07:06 PM
-- Modified on 7/28/2008 1:08:13 PM
but I would have to agree that $250k is middle class. It may be the only thing that I agree with Obama on, but I don't believe that taxes on those earning less than $250K will not go up.
Heaven help you though if you make more than $250K however, you will be in for one of the largest, if not the largest tax increase in history. 15.3% more out of every dollar you make over $250K in payroll taxes alone.
Let's see how he can explain to the small business owner why they should be responsible for saving social security instead of having this additional capital to invest back in their business to maybe even create a job or two.
What percentage do you really think make 250,000 yr ?
It ain't middle class
I have to concede your point, but I still don't consider those that make $250K a year wealthy. I'll grant you that it does put you in the top couple of percent, but with so many truly wealthy people in this country I don't consider a two earner family that makes $250K wealthy.
More importantly I don't believe that those that have achieved a modicum of success should be punished by onerous taxation. Everybody should pay their fair share, piling the entire burden of a socialist agenda onto the backs of those who are the most productive just seems unamerican to me.
The fine line dividing middle class, upper middle class, and upper class really depends greatly on where you live. In this area of the country, you can live very well indeed on $150K a year, and $250K would allow you to live a very affluent lifestyle indeed. Other parts of the country though, one would not get by nearly as well on the same salary.
Of course, the debate over where a salary in the $100K-$300K range falls on the class scale would become moot when Obama raises taxes through the roof. Folks in that bracket already pay MORE than half their salary into fed and state income taxes, SS taxes, personal property taxes, innumerable taxes on everything from cell phones to cable service, and finally on sales tax. Apparently though, paying out literally HALF of their earnings isn't enough though, so when Obama gets done with the poor bastards earning top wages, they actually will be reduced to a middle class lifestyle once the gov't is done eating their income.
However, I doubt it. Congress is spoiling to start up with taxation.... with Kennedy out, I suspect there will be a new "leader" in Congress who will almost certainly demand more revenue - meaning "Taxes"! And the next pres - Dem or Rep, will probably go along....
Don't limit the desire to tax to Obama - cause it is not just him.... Someone has to pay for all that pork BOTH parties are promising.
As usual we have to pick the lesser of two evils, and while I agree that we are probably in for a tax increase regardless of who is POTUS I woulch much rather have McCain reluctantly going along than Obama leading the charge to financial ruin.
We've lost our ability to do the following:
Hold a person to their word.
Do the honorable thing.
Be responsible.
Take responsibility.
Tell the truth.
Be self reliant.
Quit the blame game.
I have to agree with you though, it does seem as if we have to choose between the lesser of two evils. My only difference would be that we have to choose between the lesser of incompetents. As I think both have no real vision of a all encompassing plan. Least I've not heard it that would provide for:
A continuation of our place in the world as the beacon of humanity - human rights, justice and equality.
An independent state - free from the influence of those who provide less for their citizenry than real opportunity.
And finally - the right to make your own decisions... be they right or wrong.
The lesser of the incompetents is an accurate appraisal.
The main difference between the two is that I know that Obama will wreck the economy, raise my taxes by hundreds of thousands over his term and undo what little good we have finally started to do in Iraq. With McCain I doubt very much of anything will happen, and that while not the lesser of the incompetents is certainly the lesser of the evils.
$4 gallon gas, housing & credit crisis, bank failures, unemployment creeping up, & a budget surplus in Jan. 2001, 8 yrs. later has been turned into multi-billion dollar defecits - all thanks to a Republican administration....
Yes, the current economic situation isn't the fault of Barack Obama....
If you live on Telegraph Hill in San Fran, or Beverly Hills, or Manhattan or near the Boston Commons.... $250K a year is lower middle class...
but if you live in Manhattan KS, or Livingston Texas then you can live like a king for $250K a year...
and you are correct... What percentage makes more than $250K (for a single salary)
How one defines middle class can be an interesting task in of itself. I'll bet ya that good ole obamma defines himself as middle class -
but is he? to me Middle class means the average income from like comparisons of the range of salaries wtihin the US. That is from the 25th percentile to the 75th percentile. I think it should also include some calculation of accumulated wealth and education.... but hey that is just me.
In short, lots of folks consider (legitamately) that they are middle class. but for the most part, if you make less than $50K (no matter your location) you are in a world of hurt. and therefore you are NOT middle class. For instance - according to the 2004 census data (and how reliable is that considering that the illegals are NOT included) those making MORE than $200k are only about 2.7% of all households... while those makeing $50-75K a year are approximately 19% of all households...
in short - if Obamma was trying to be cleaver and misleading in the statement that middle class is those making less than $250K per annum, he is correct.... but not accurate. and if he really believes that someone making $200K per year is well "middle class" then he is dumber than a post - and he may well be given the number of times this guy misspeaks.
And by the way - the median household income is $44.6K a year while the average household income is $60K a year... so which ever middle yous picks... obamma is off a few thou....
Putzes - all of em. putzes.
but if you live in Manhattan KS, or Livingston Texas then you can live like a king for $250K a year...
If I was living like a King I would have a different porn star every day..On a paltry 250K I would be broke by the end of March..
Lets keep it Real
He's saying that at $250k, nobody would argue that you are middle class, but below $150k, most everyone would agree that you are middle class, and in between people would argue it both ways.
So, the scale would look like this.
greater than $250k-- definitely upper class.
$150k-$250k-- open to debate
less than $150k-- definitely middle class.
Simple. Do you got that?
-- Modified on 7/28/2008 8:17:17 PM
No ME NO GOT?
The numbers teach that most make well under your $150K... in fact 70% make less than $75 K.
So IF you are saying that those who make between $75K and $150 K are "middle class" I can tell you that statistically that is questionable.
For the most part Middle class would mean those that make from $25K to about $75K - Middle as in MIDDLE.
Now I don't know about you, but I do know that where I live - most folk live in an house they overpaid for, drive SUVs that are costly and cost far too much to maintain and in general live a lifestyle that is, in a word, ostentatious. And, while I am not a person who believes we should go "Back to Nature" (a la AL- fucking up your life for the sake of halting evolution- GORE) I do think that perhaps we were a tad happier in simpler times - when we could actually "get away from it all" without the constant connectivity that enables taking our job with us on vacation.... or the ability of someone to instantly track you down (more like HUNT YOU DOWN) and barrage you with the need to sell ya something, or poll ya or gather info on ya....
a simpler time would be welcome. But it is NOT to be achieved by taxing us more, it is to be achieved by teaching that happiness is within - not external... simple pleasures for a simple species.
The facts, just the facts...
Less than $10,000-------8.00%
$10,000 to $14,999------5.90%
$15,000 to $24,999-----11.40%
$25,000 to $34,999-----11.20%
$35,000 to $49,999-----14.80%
$50,000 to $74,999-----19.00%
$75,000 to $99,999-----11.80%
$100,000 to $149,999---10.90%
$150,000 to $199,999----3.60%
$200,000 or more--------3.40%
-- Modified on 7/29/2008 8:32:00 AM
"do think that perhaps we were a tad happier in simpler times - when we could actually "get away from it all"
I am surely not monetarily rich but I smile with ease every day and I can easily get away from it all .. Nothing like going on a camping trip in the George Washington National Forest with just me and my horse..Well it could be more fun with a lady but her legs are usually sore about the time we get to camp..
How many jobs are created by people making less than $250K vs those making more?
"How many jobs are created by people making less than $250K vs those making more?"
I would think millions of jobs are created by people making less than 250K..
In the late 80s I hired hundreds of people and I didn't make anywhere near 250k.
Now I don't have anyone working for me, but I don't hear any complaining from employees..