SHOT: “The Middle Class Is Coming Back”

Vice President Joe Biden In Minnesota Today : “Folks, the middle class is coming back, they have been ravaged. They have been ravaged. But they are starting to come back.” (Vice President Joe Biden, Remarks At A Campaign Event, Minneapolis, MN, 8/21/12)

CHASER: “A Closer Look At Middle-Class Decline”

New York Times Headline Last Month: “A Closer Look At Middle-Class Decline.” (David Leonhardt, “A Closer Look At Middle-Class Decline,” The New York Times’ “Economix,” 7/23/12)

The Middle Class Is Shrinking And Millions Of Families Are Hurting. “The latest census data depict a middle class that’s shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government’s safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.” (Hope Yen, “Census Shows 1 In 2 People Are Poor Or Low-Income,” The Associated Press, 12/15/11)

“Many Of The ‘New Poor’ Are The Former Middle Class.” “‘Many of the ‘new poor’ are the former middle class,’ broadcaster Tavis Smiley, who requested the study, said in a statement.” (Mary Wisniewski, “Poverty To Keep Rising Due To Slow Recovery: Study,” Reuters, 1/11/12)

The Recovery Has Failed To Produce The Middle Class Jobs Obama Campaigned On. “Barack Obama campaigned four years ago assailing President George W. Bush for wage losses suffered by the middle class. More than three years into Obama’s own presidency, those declines have only deepened. The rebound from the worst recession since the 1930s has generated relatively few of the moderately skilled jobs that once supported the middle class, tightening the financial squeeze on many Americans, even those who are employed.” (Mike Dorning, “Obama Fails To Stem Middle-Class Slide He Blamed On Bush,” Bloomberg, 4/30/12)

Poverty: 97.3 Million Americans Now Qualify As Low-Income And Another 49.1 Million Are In Poverty; Together, 146.4 Million Americans Or 48 Percent Of The Population. (Hope Yen, “Census Shows 1 In 2 People Are Poor Or Low-Income,” The Associated Press, 12/15/11)

Median Household Income: “Real Median Household Income In March Was Down $4,300 Since Obama Took Office In January 2009 …” (Mike Dorning, “Obama Fails To Stem Middle-Class Slide He Blamed On Bush,”Bloomberg, 4/30/12)

Food Prices: Since Obama Became President, The Monthly Price Of A Moderate-Cost Food Plan For A Family Of Four With Young Children Has Increased From $819.40 To $858.50. (“Official USDA Food Plans: Cost Of Food At Home At Four Levels, U.S. Average, January 2009,” USDA , 2/09; “Official USDA Food Plans: Cost Of Food At Home At Four Levels, U.S. Average, May 2012,” USDA, 6/12)

Gas Prices: Since Obama Took Office, The Average Price Per Gallon Of Gas Has Increased From $1.847 To $3.744. (“Gasoline And Diesel Fuel Update,” U.S. Energy And Information Administration, Accessed 8/21/12)

College Costs: Since President Obama Took Office, The Average Cost Of In-State Tuition At A Four Year College Has Risen From $6,585 To $8,244, A 25 Percent Increase. (“Trends In College Pricing 2009,” College Board, 2008; “Trends In College Pricing 2011,” College Board, 2011)

Health Care Premiums: Under Obama, The Average Cost Of Family Health Care Premiums Have Increased From $12,680 To $15,073. (“Employer Health Benefits, 2011 Annual Survey, Exhibit 1.11” Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011)

Foreclosures: Currently 5.7 Million Residential Mortgages Are Either 30 Days Delinquent Or In Foreclosure. (Press Release, “LPS ‘First Look’ Mortgage Report: June Month-End Data Shows Increase In Delinquencies,” Lender Processing Services, 7/25/12)

Negative Equity: “Approximately One In Four Borrowers Is “Underwater,” Or Owes More On His Or Her Home Than It Is Worth.” (Rep. Brad Miller, “Timothy Geithner’s Secrecy Problem,” Salon, 8/15/12)