I just spent a week in Florida..Why is it that in America, there is wealthy and there is the working poor?
399100
The middle class is shrinking in the US, and this is not good. Also, in places like florida there is more of an abundance of cheap labor. Immigrants who will work for a cheaper labor. The median income in the US is about 41k a year, which is well within middle class. Also, it may have been a factor of where you were. In a city you may only see those two aspects highlighted. And you may have to travel the suburbs to find the true middle class.
345157
There are rich and there are poor, and it is like most of the world. However Germany is ecomonically strong in western Europe.
468629
The word rich is an attitude thing, I was orphaned at 9 and now over 50 years later would be considered poor by some and rich by others. The real measure is not how much you earn each week, it is what you do with it that counts and rich to me is making a decision about what kind of life style you want. I now do not need to work as I have enough income from savings, investments and properties i own to generate a modest income and am happy with that. If you have a lifestyle that only needs $200 a week to maintain and you earn $201 without having to work you are rich, if however your lifestyle demands $250 and you only earn $201 then you are poor. Simple really.
415473
Life is mean to people that don't have also, or in other terms "poor people", because people don't understand things they don't know. People are all for themselves these days. They are all about bettering themselves, and their family. They don't care about anyone else, and you are a "poor person", then you can't do anything for them so they don't care about you, therefore run over you. Since America is based on money, and money only these days. If you have a lot of money you can do a lot of things. Why...... because America is based on money, which is a good thing for the people who have the money, but It's LIFE for the people who don't
691079
Because of greener pastures...US is the richest and most powerful country...The other reason is open culture which accepts people from other culture to live and work here. But most importantly it's money honey....
695895
You have a computer.  You probably have a decent home, a car, fridge, dishwaser, washing machine, food mixer, TV, HIFI, CD player, more than one pair of shoes, several pairs of jeans, shirts.  There are a lot of people around the world, including in Latin America who do not have those things.  They think you are rich because you are.
79882
Because Rich people always want everything and can just go out and buy it, no having to question how it will effect them, and poor people always appreciate what they have because they have to work so hard to get it. I know I was happier when I was a single mom making squat. Now it just seems that I have $$ and can have more things easier and it doesn't seem to be as much a a thrill to get things.
156388
I'm American and live in Italy - have for many years.  Americans think often that they are the best, but they don't see beyond the easy life many have there, the shopping, the everyday things.  In Europe we see life as being a part of the world - when things don't go well in other countries, it becomes our problem.  Even if things in America are going wrong, it affects us.  Unfortunately Americans are not as free as they think - they are not told many truths, and they think that they are being told the truth.  Don't want to sound like I am 100% right, but I feel that living in Europe, possibly Italy where I am, is not a worse life because of less money, but a better total life - with a deeper concern for what happens all over the world. At least our news is more honest, and people seem to know what is going on, and worrying more about it.  It makes life a little more realistic, and not just fun and games, which seems pretty common in the States (like I said, don't want to generalize - it's my feeling).
35365
Most countries outside of the United States do not have the magnitude of opportunities for increasing ones income because here in the US we have three classes of people, Ultra Rich, Middle Class and Poor. Most third world countries have two class groups, Ultra wealthy and poor. This means that in the United States you have more people that can afford your goods or services. But your quetion was how do they do it here?\n\nFirst of all people that don't have much don't spend much. They save every penny that they earn. They don't beleve in credit, they pay cash for everything they have. If they don't have enough money to by what they need then they will save their money until they do. They will do without  luxury items like $5.00 expressos at Star Bucks. They don't feel like they need to be entertained every second of the day and are happy in company of family members.\n\nAlso unlike most American families they pool their resources. They are very tight nit and work together to acheive a common goal. they take every advantage of the educationl resources that our country has to offer. They are not worried that someone in the family will have more than they do. While most young American families spend 600 dollars a week for child care, Immigrant families have extended family members that will take care of the children while they work two or three jobs.\n\nIn observing the Asian culture you might wonder how they can afford such expensive homes, The truth is they can't except that 3 or 4 families will by a property together, They don't buy luxury items like furnture, curtins, luxurious carpets or paint to personalize the House. It is meerly an investment. When the property value goes up they sell, and now four families can buy another property. The cycle continues and they become very wealthy.
1002210
It seems that the rich folk have all their own people in power, like the Gov  in Fl. Here they can take your property because a rich builder wants to get richer and it's legal!!I think we should go and have everything they own taken because we want to increase the land for, oh say, habitat for humanity. How would they like it?
1010693
Well now let's see.  Plight is an interesting word.  Like the American middle class is somehow poor or oppressed.  Your typical American middle class person potentially has their own house... almost certainly their own car... access to 3 square meals a day, and reasonable opportunity for betterment through education and hard work.\n\nI think other people are envious of the middle class American.  That's why they come here.  From all over the world.
788465
Because that is their rules and we have ours. If you don't like the rules perhaps you should run in public office. It is smart for a Country to restrict other people from coming in to take jobs. In order to move to Florida, many years ago, we had been hired for a job and were  able to prove the any senior living there was fuly self-sufficient and not going to be a burden on their country. That is smart in my opinion.
790893
Who is the wealthy americans and what do people call rich?  I hear a lot of discussion on this topic, but no politician wants to define this.  So be prepared when your tax bill goes up regardless of what you make.  If you make over the poverty level, you are rich.
707740
The common conception is that stingy people are that way because they have no money - because they have to be.  Some of the cheapest people you'll ever meet are rich folks though so in reality it can go either way.  At first it doesn't seem to make sense that a rich person would be stingy but then you have to figure there's a reason they are rich in the first place.  They probably didn't get there by being casual about money.
1106700
I wish i had perfect answer...........but I DO know somethings about here......\n1.   The state of Florida has homes for small money.........but u also get smaller pay.  It may be a good choice, because the weather is nice ( no snow )  and if you do not live near the beach....... there are nice towns and homes are not much money.\n2.  Massachusetts is not good, because you pay a lot in taxes and the homes are TOO MUCH money\n3.  Ohio has homes for VERY little money......but there is NO work.\n4.  Do NOT go to a big city like New York, New York,,, because the homes are BIG BIG money and if you live outside the big city........it will be a LOT of traveling for you.\n5.  For some reason, many of the people that I know that have come here have gone to live in Michigan.   I do not know why... maybe it is a good place.\n6. If you choose California... do NOT try to live in Los Angleos or any famous towns or cities...........it is a lot of money to live there.\n7.  I suggest maybe North Carlolina ......... it is warm....  nice homes..........\n8.  The upper top of the US get too much snow.. and I do not suggest living there.\n9..  MOST important.......... if u can get to MonsterJobSearch.com   u can look for jobs NOW...... before you come.......... u can see in each state...... what kind of jobs are out there\n10.  Wish I could help more
509729
Because affluent people tend to socialize around activities, like sailing or tennis, and can afford to travel and pay for those activites, while people with modest incomes make do with the people around them.\n\nNeither is better than the other - the poorer people have a greater sense of community in the immediate nearby sense, while the affluent people combine their business networking in with things they like to do, because they can afford to.\n\nAt least, that's the way I see it.
142370
Bush and his running mate are for keeping the money in there small circle of the wealthy.(Big business and corporations.)The middle to low income makeing republicans foolishly believe the money will flow downhill!Bushonomics (the rich get richer and the poor,well, they just stay poor.