Central Air $140,000 Is Not Poor, $400,000 Is Not Middle Class
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Dec 3, 2025 Is $140,000 the new poverty line? The hosts dissect this claim and explore the complexities of income perception. They also analyze how inflation alters middle-class expectations and discuss delayed wealth-building among millennials. A controversial Pentagon 'double tap' strike sparks debates on governance and accountability. Plus, the implications of new casinos in NYC are debated, weighing potential job benefits against social costs. Join in for a lively conversation that blends economics, politics, and culture!
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Earnings Don’t Equate To Poverty
- $140,000 a year is not poverty by standard measures or lived experience.
- Megan McArdle argues poverty means lacking basic necessities, not discomfort at upper-middle incomes.
Precarity vs. Poverty
- People confuse feeling stretched with actual poverty; subjective precarity is real but different.
- Feeling financially constrained doesn't mean you lack food, heat, or shelter, which define poverty.
Upscaled Middle-Class Talk Harms Policy
- Inflated definitions of 'middle class' protect many incomes from tax reforms and shrink the taxable base.
- Josh Barro warns this rhetoric limits policy choices and makes taxing wealthy households politically fraught.