for perhaps the hundreth time, $150,000 a year is NOT middle class (Reply #32)

In the discussion thread: Do you think a laborer who makes $150,000 a year with overtime is being overpaid? [View all]

Mon Dec 26, 2011, 12:25 PM

hfojvt (37,514 posts)

32. for perhaps the hundreth time, $150,000 a year is NOT middle class

90% or more of HOUSEHOLDS make less than $150,000 a year. If you make more than 90% of the rest of the country, then you are not in the MIDDLE. You are at the top.

As for being an enemy. Well, is that $150,000 worker gonna support the Bush tax cuts, or oppose them? Is that $150,000 worker gonna support cuts to SNAP and LIHEAP, or oppose them? How about raising the FICA cap - support or oppose? Are they gonna be on my side between these three plans

Plan A - making work pay credit, $500 per worker, phasing out for incomes over $75,000
Plan B - payroll tax holiday on the first $10,000 in income
Plan C - payroll tax cut of 2%

That last plan gives $240 to me and $2,120 to them. The second plan gives $620 to both of us and the first plan gives $500 to me and nothing to them.

That person makes $150,000 to my $12,000. Do you really think they care about raising me up? Or are they just living it up, living in a nicer house, buying nicer car(s), nicer clothes, bigger TVs, more Xbox games, eating out more, etc. They are gonna live on the nice side of town, far, far away from white trash like me. They won't know me or any of my friends, they won't look at any of my friends and they certainly wouldn't condescend to speak to any of my friends.

As for overtime. Is ANYBODY really working that much overtime? 12 hour days, seven days a week? That's crazy. I certainly would not envy such a person. There is no way in hell I would want to do that. Maybe for two years so I could save up enough money to quit, but that would be a brutal two years.

But speaking of my enemy, does the person working all that overtime want the company to do more hiring so he/she could have some time off, or do they want that overtime for themself?

As for spending all of that booty, well I just got promoted, so I no longer make $12,000 a year. Now I make $30,000. I can assure you I am not gonna spend all of that extra money. I will save much of it. I will make maximum IRA contributions in order to reduce my taxes, and also to prepare for retirement, which cannot come soon enough. I would hope that a $150,000 worker would have a big pile of money that is sitting in the bank. It would be foolish for them not to.

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96 replies	Author	Time	Post
Do you think a laborer who makes $150,000 a year with overtime is being overpaid? [View all]	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	OP
If a laborer is making that kind of money...	trumad	Dec 2011	#1
I stated 12 hours a day and 7 days a week in my post	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#2
I'd be pretty unoffended by a labourer working those hours getting that kind of pay	Posteritatis	Dec 2011	#9
This message was self-deleted by its author	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#16
Wouldn't be offended. (nt)	Posteritatis	Dec 2011	#17
Sorry I misread your post	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#23
Where does a laborer make $150,000? I can't find it anywhere...	rfranklin	Dec 2011	#45
$25.76 per hour	krawhitham	Dec 2011	#47
Thanks, I was working on the math.	freshwest	Dec 2011	#59
$34 per hour	eomer	Dec 2011	#87
Roughly about 112 hours of pay per week for working seven twelves with overtime premium	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#94
I think it greatly depends on where this laborer lives as well	justiceischeap	Dec 2011	#3
That is just part of the scam that many people have been brainwashed into believing too	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#6
yeah, I am sick of that argument too	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#42
Depends on what you do for a living...	justiceischeap	Dec 2011	#44
You are 100% right - $29 vs $45	krawhitham	Dec 2011	#48
Well since I happen to be one of the Kochs of the world	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#54
The top 20%?	Warren Stupidity	Dec 2011	#70
so you are worried about the Fab 400?	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#77
"the fab 400" run the goddamn world.	Warren Stupidity	Dec 2011	#82
they have tremendous amounts of income, wealth and power	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#93
well said	limpyhobbler	Dec 2011	#4
I think it would be overpaid because it could not last.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#5
That is all well and good until no one can afford to purchase the products made using alternatives	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#10
No one has to make 150k a year to live well in this society.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#15
You would like people to believe that if someone gets 150 grand their finances are out of control	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#21
I'm not buying what you are trying to sell.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#34
arguing for lower pay for people again?	CreekDog	Dec 2011	#24
Read the post.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#37
Guys in my trade can make that kind of money.	Edweird	Dec 2011	#55
You don't mention the trade so it is difficult to respond.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#65
Friend of mine works in forestry, his working conditions are like Edweird describes. (nt)	Posteritatis	Dec 2011	#66
Linework.	Edweird	Dec 2011	#67
I'm not sure that would fit the definition of "laborer" which the OP was about.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#68
Whatever. I work a blue collar labor intensive job that cannot be replaced by technology	Edweird	Dec 2011	#69
And you'd be wrong	nadinbrzezinski	Dec 2011	#73
Not at all.	former9thward	Dec 2011	#89
"Labour" and "unskilled labour" do not perfectly overlap. (nt)	Posteritatis	Dec 2011	#76
150,000 workers are not "keeping everything going for us"	Enrique	Dec 2011	#7
Do you think it is the Walton family and hedge fund managers who keep everything going then?	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#13
do you agree that farm workers are absolutely vital to our economy?	Enrique	Dec 2011	#18
I think farm workers should make a lot more than they are currently making with overtime pay	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#22
Anyone who enters into a voluntary agreement for labor cannot be overpaid by definition.	Abin Sur	Dec 2011	#8
I learned on DU that I should congratulate him for things going 'swimmingly' for him	Bluenorthwest	Dec 2011	#11
And people learn outside DU to resent the well paid laborer rather than the Top One Percent.	Overseas	Dec 2011	#29
I'd be happy if the entire 99% got $150,000 annually for only working 4 days a week.	firehorse	Dec 2011	#12
firehorse for president of the world! (nt)	Posteritatis	Dec 2011	#14
Yeah, uh huh. A laborer getting an annual salary the same as a month's hedge fund salary	Overseas	Dec 2011	#30
There was a mechanic in our local transit system that made over 110 G. (200 Gs in today's money)	Stuart G	Dec 2011	#19
It's the one addiction we reward people for	customerserviceguy	Dec 2011	#39
And salaries have been flat to lowered, he'd be really fortunate to still be allowed to pull OT,	bettyellen	Dec 2011	#49
Nope.	Brickbat	Dec 2011	#20
Nobody can keep up a schedule like that for very long	tularetom	Dec 2011	#25
We did it for two years straight in the early 90's	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#28
No...	Tikki	Dec 2011	#26
No, and anyone that thinks so has never been in the trenches.	Ikonoklast	Dec 2011	#27
200 of us hired into a Ford stamping plant in 1973	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#31
big deal, I worked a temp job at a door plant	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#35
for perhaps the hundreth time, $150,000 a year is NOT middle class	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#32
I don't support raising the FICA cap	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#36
I'd like to taise the cap and lower the percentage.	krispos42	Dec 2011	#41
so you oppose plans that benefit me	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#53
What would benefit you and just about everyone else would be if you made more income	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#57
no what got us into this predicament	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#61
I have plenty of laid back friends who "thought", they had plenty to retire on	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#63
boy is that a sad statement	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#78
Putting words that aren't there into another persons mouths is a dirty thing to do	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#81
"I'm a dirty skunk? I'm a dirty skunk?" Daffy Duck	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#95
It is middle class	spinbaby	Dec 2011	#84
Someone wants us to forget that is the way it is supposed to be don't they?	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#91
oh bull crap	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#92
I grew up in the 50s and 60s	spinbaby	Dec 2011	#96
A household income of $150,000 puts you just short of the top 10%	starroute	Dec 2011	#33
I will try to explain the difference	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#38
you are supposed to put a comma after every THREE zeroes	hfojvt	Dec 2011	#51
If it's skilled labor with lots of overtime... no.	krispos42	Dec 2011	#40
given the vastly bloated paychecks of the 1%	magical thyme	Dec 2011	#43
Our enemy is the person making over a million a year...	hughee99	Dec 2011	#46
My best bro from high school	guitar man	Dec 2011	#50
The only people on this planet who are overpaid are Wall St. CEOs.	Initech	Dec 2011	#52
I'm looking forward to making that kind of money at my labor job.	Edweird	Dec 2011	#56
No	Marrah_G	Dec 2011	#58
They are being paid what the market will allow	fujiyama	Dec 2011	#60
Think you missed my point	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#62
I think people should have the opportunity to make	fujiyama	Dec 2011	#64
Shh, over here... see Adam Smith, if there was ever a CAPITALIST (I mean he invented it for god's	nadinbrzezinski	Dec 2011	#72
I am not offended	nadinbrzezinski	Dec 2011	#71
No, I would be okay with that.	jwirr	Dec 2011	#74
I think two laborers, each making $75,000, would be better.	boppers	Dec 2011	#75
Corporations really like that idea too	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#79
So do people who like their family.	boppers	Dec 2011	#80
During the Great Depression, labor unions recommended breaking up jobs.	ieoeja	Dec 2011	#90
I think time would be better spent not whining	B Calm	Dec 2011	#83
Raising wages has to be done collectively or it turns into every man for himself	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#86
Frankly, yes. With a Master's+18, I never saw $70K in 30 years of teaching.	WinkyDink	Dec 2011	#85
We had a suburban public schoolteacher who made $191,214 in his last year before retiring	NNN0LHI	Dec 2011	#88

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