Washington Post (July 12)
The Great Recession has been the most “egalitarian” of the 11 most recent recessions to strike the U.S., according to Post columnist Robert J. Samuelson. Recessions often strike the poor the hardest, but no social class—rich or poor, educated or uneducated, professional or working class—has been insulated from the current recession. Jobs have been lost across the spectrum. House and portfolio values have fallen. High earners have had wages cropped. A recent survey shows 71% of Americans are now buying less expensive brands, 57% have reduced their vacation budgets, and 11% have delayed getting married or having kids. Only 45% of Americans now think their children will enjoy higher living standards in the future.
Tags: Future, Great Recession, U.S., Wages