“I tend to think of you know people up to 80 to 90 thousand dollars as being middle income in this day and age . . . I don’t think most people would consider $70,000 to be high income.” (Stephen Harper, December 5, 2005)
Middle Income
12 thoughts on “Middle Income”
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What a grandiose comment from someone hoping to represent the people of this nation. The minimum wage is $7 in Alberta. That puts the minumum full time income at $14,500. Isn’t it great to know that the “middle income in this day and age” is more than 5 times that amount. Way to kick the little guy in the pants Stephen.
Well, this line of reasoning would explain why I always feel so poor.
Then again, it’s pretty easy to say you have the support of the ‘middle class’ when these are the folks contributing to your campaign.
I mean all those $90,000/yr makers are the one’s buying $200 plates at PC fundraisers, right?
…just another reason to vote Green.
harper is very out of touch, about this and many other things…but good grief i would be flying high with 70,000 a year
I guess this works out in light of survey data. In most countries, even the very wealthy define themselves to be “middle class” when asked about their social class identities. So this comment was really pretty restrained; even people with an income of $220,000,000 probably think of themselves as middle class…
I guess it depends on where you live. 70k in some areas will barely get you what is considered the middle class life (house, 2 cars, insurance etc). When you spend 2-3k on housing (which is not unreasonable in many areas like Phoenix, vegas, Seattle, etc. Not to mention NY, LA, BOston, DC) the money goes pretty quick.
And yes that does make it even worse for those in the “low income” category.
My point is not to minimize differences, but to point out how those making high 5 figures can consider themselves as middle class. Besides if that is 70k canadian, that is solidly in the middle income/class in America.
“I guess it depends on where you live. “
No it doesn’t. This is a candidate to be prime minister in the federal eelction. His definition of middle income should apply to the entire country, not certain pockets.
So it says Right Here that MPs get $144,100 per year.
I guess he figures that would be the cutoff to middle class…you know, about half what he gets a year.
Okay, the link didn’t work.
I found it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_House_of_Commons
Oh shoot. Just when I thought I was making progress, there I go — back to the poverty line again.
I wonder if Harper realizes that the majority of public servants (both provincial and federal) don’t make that much. For a guy that is trying to become “the boss”, what does that say?
My typical americanism was showing itself. Typically unobservant of the inner workings of the 51st state.
BTW Canada seems to be less expensive to live in than the US (based on my calcs, Portland & Vegas to Vancouver, Salt lake to Calgary), so that 70,000 Can – would be about 60,000 US. That is well within the middle income range.
Also middle depends on which avg you take, mean median or mode.
“Also middle depends on which avg you take, mean median or mode.”
I always thought it was what was left over once you removed the rich and the poor.
:P
gee we make over 70 a year and I just now find out I am in middle class!! COOOOL!! Now I just have to convince hubby that I need a raise for doing all the laundry, cooking, cleaning, making beds, doing bathrooms etc etc..after all he can afford a full time maid being that he is in middle class :)