The Economics Show How bad is America’s affordability crisis? With Mechele Dickerson
Jan 9, 2026
Mechele Dickerson, a law professor at the University of Texas and author of The Middle Class New Deal, dives into America’s affordability crisis. She rates it a nine, arguing that the middle-class dream is slipping away, rooted in trends dating back to the 1980s. Dickerson contrasts today's struggles with the easier paths of previous generations, revealing how stagnant wages push families into hidden debt. She advocates for a New Middle Class New Deal, emphasizing education reforms and local housing policies to revitalize economic security for all.
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Middle-Class Promise Has Eroded
- The middle-class promise of steady work, benefits, homeownership and retirement security no longer holds for most Americans.
- Mechele Dickerson argues this breakdown explains why hard work no longer guarantees middle-class status.
Crisis Rooted In Long-Term Policy Shifts
- The affordability squeeze predates the current president and has been unfolding since the 1980s.
- Policy choices since then, not just recent events, shifted risks onto workers and weakened upward mobility.
Personal Family Contrast Across Generations
- Mechele Dickerson recounts her parents' 1950s path: college, steady job, home and retirement.
- She contrasts that trajectory with her children's outlook, which she expects will be much harder to achieve.
