[wat0n]

@wat0n

Please show clearly that the income thresholds are different, that this difference is significant, and also explain and support how this difference makes the drop in CA middle class due to CA policies and not whatever caused the same drop federally.

I'm asking you to answer those questions, since you posted some statistics.

Incomes are way higher in CA than in much of the US, so it's not odd to ask.

At least from what I can tell, there are different income class thresholds by state and metro area:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads ... dle-class/

This is not irrelevant, since it means the living standards of the middle class in California are not really the same as those in (say) West Virginia. Not too far off as they are when comparing the US or Canada to Chile or Mexico, perhaps, but still not the same.

[Pants-of-dog]

@wat0n

Since the living standards of the middle class are different in different locations, it makes sense to use thresholds that take these local contexts into account.

So you have now presented an argument to support the claim that these thresholds should be different.

[wat0n]

@wat0n

Since the living standards of the middle class are different in different locations, it makes sense to use thresholds that take these local contexts into account.

So you have now presented an argument to support the claim that these thresholds should be different.

Right, but that could also mean that it doesn't make that much sense to compare being middle class in CA with the national definition.

Basically, those who are now not earning enough to be middle class in CA have just moved elsewhere, earning the same nominal salary, and enjoying higher living standards than they would if they hadn't. California may be destroying its middle class and replacing it by a new one.

[Pants-of-dog]

Both measure income levels as compared to a specific income.

Both have seen a similar drop.

The fact that these calculations are also good enough to reflect local conditions does not seem to change the previous two facts.

And those facts make the comparison between California and the rest of the country useful for the purpose of showing that CA's drop in middle class is not specific to CA.

[Puffer Fish]

During that era California invested heavily in infrastructure, they had the best schools, the best roads, etc. The good people decided to cap taxes, and that investment stopped. It also screwed up their politics.

California has only become more "progressive" and Left-leaning since that time.
Are you saying these Leftists decided to invest less in infrastructure?
Or maybe they did not invest as wisely?

[late]

California has only become more "progressive" and Left-leaning since that time.
Are you saying these Leftists decided to invest less in infrastructure?
Or maybe they did not invest as wisely?

It's called history, go learn some.