Update on Kerry's "Shrinking Middle Clas
Find a Conversation
| Tue, 09-07-2004 - 12:58pm |
We said his claim was based on stale numbers. Now some fresh statistics support what he said.
September 1, 2004
Modified:September 1, 2004 Summary In our Aug. 3 article , "Kerry's Dubious Economics," we said Kerry based his claim that "our great middle class is shrinking" on some pretty stale numbers. We said his statement "may well be untrue" because it was based on 2002 figures and didn't account for recent economic growth. Now fresh numbers are available -- and Kerry's statement is looking a lot better. ... However, Kerry's description of a declining middle class is supported by new Census Bureau figures showing median household income failed to grow in 2003. And a look at income-distribution tables shows the decline that took place in middle-income households in 2001 and 2002, which we previously reported, may well have continued in 2003.
