Voices Question

He is definately out of touch with reality, to think middle class earnings are that high it is unbelievable. I thought I was middle class but I'm really low class I don't make near to a 6 figs a yr.

Then I am not in the middle class like I thought I was. I must be poor class.

Our household income is about $80,000/year. I teach and my husband is a police officer. We are definitely poor if Romney thinks $200,000 is middle class!!!The cost of living, gas, groceries, school lunches keep going up and we haven't had a good, decent raise in about 5 years! We can't keep up! Had to make cuts in our budget.

Well if that is considered the middle class, how come so many people below that rely on some type of government assistance? Romney clearly does not have the mentality (or education) to reach out to all walks of life, a mandatory requirement for leadership of this fast-changing nation and economy.

I think if my family (my husband and I are both teachers) made anywhere near $200,000 we would feel RICH!!!

Last year, my students asked me what 'the 1%' was. I asked them to raise their hands if their families made a million dollars in a year. Of course, no one raised a hand. I explained that even a $million wouldn't put them in the '1%' and drew a simple diagram to show where we are in income distribution. We discussed how the million-dollar level of income would affect our lives and realized we can't even imagine. Many of my students are in working-family households earning 1/10 Mr. Romney's description. He consistently defines his disconnections. How can he represent or lead us? He can't even start to identify with me and my community.

Unbelievable! If this quote is accurate, this man is way out of touch with the real middle class of America.

The inter-quartile range of US family income -- from 25%ile to 75%ile -- is about $25k to $80k. So that range would be a good definition of 'middle class', if the 'middle' part is meaningful. Yet there is an enormous difference between living on $25k, which is really poor, and $80k, which is comfortable. Above $130k is in the top 10%, so in no way can be considered 'middle class'. I suppose you could stretch a point and call $80k to $130k 'upper middle', but above that is affluent, rich, or whatever you want to call it.

I think middle income is between 50.000. - 90,000. Anything over this is high income.

Then, teachers are definitely not midde-class if we believe what the candidate says. It's unfortunate, that with so many suffering during this economic turndown, there are a great many people who believe we need a president who has never experienced economic hardship for himself.

Romney's comments show his ridiculously biased perspective of American society and the needs of our people. He cares nothing about the 'real' middle class & even less about impoverished communities. Middle class encompasses many factors including income, education & profession. I believe six figures begins to elevate people into an upper class range.

Over 50 senators make over $50 million each. That is why they are so out of touch

Prior to retirement in 2006, i was making 125,000 as an engineering manager and my wife was making 60,000 as a tech writer. At that time we were a little above middle class. I teach now and make 44,000 in an urban school. My wife is unemployed. so what do i consider middle class, about 80,000. The jobs are out there but they are hard to find, especially in education. (math) one of the local schools had 95 applications for one position.

he doesnt know how to add

Are you kidding? I thought I was in the area of Middle class. I'm a high school teacher and I don't even make $50,000, I guess I'm in the low class and that's because I have a Master's Degree. He needs to come and visit Texas teachers in the lower Rio Grande Valley (South Texas) and have a heart to heart with us if he really wants to get in touch with the reality of things.

Well according to Romney teachers are low class. Here in rual areas of Texas the average teacher working for 10 years only makes $42,000.00. So many teachers here complain about the pay but many times it's their own fault. They vote against thier own best interest. I know many teachers in my area that are going to vote for Romney. I just don't understand how people can keep doing this to themselves. I refuse to vote against my own best interest.

I think he is crazy. If that is correct then teachers and their kids should get free o reduced meals at school, but according to Tx we make too much to qualify.

As difficult as the process was for the Republicans to finally determine a "suitable" candidate, I wonder what they think when Romney speaks "off-script". Those low 6-figure folks should be a little more concerned about his tax plan. The rest of us poor working stiffs don't have a chance if this election goes right.

What nonsense. Maybe where he comes from, but where I come from 200,000 per year is a complete fortune. Get real and get down where the real people are. I am a widow who makes around 29,000 per year, and I think I'm doing good! Get your head out of the clouds, and look at the working people!

Mitt is out of his mind, and out of touch with the real middle-class. If you watched the last debate, he told us teachers "to get behind him" I took that as do what I say or get screwed. I will not get behind YOU MITT... never!

Mitt Romney, where have you been? People who make over $200,000 dollars are considered to be wealthy where I come from. Maybe you need to go and live in poverty for a week or two to understand what OUR children go through, daily! I am not considered middle class either... My salary is decent, but the people I take care of costs a lot of money...MY FAMILY!

If that is middle class then a teacher has no hope to rise above the lower class. I have never made more than 45K.

If I make 157,000 per year, does this mean I'm lower middle class or poor?

No way!! He is wealthy and therefore delusional about the middle class!!

Some people will believe anything the AFT will tell them! It was Obama who said that he would tax people making over $250K at a higher rate, thereby defining the middle class as anyone who makes less than that. Obama claims to be for the middle class when he, himself has a $3 million home in Chicago and sends his daughters to private school. As for public education, class sizes have increased in the last four years - so much for smaller class sizes in public education!