Why the U.S. middle class is feeling squeezed

There are two ways of looking at this: home ownership and college is more expensive but the returns are much higher even adjusted for inflation. College grads earn way more today than 40 years ago, even after accounting for inflation and student loan debt. Home ownership has minted many millionaires , unlike 40 years ago, when home prices didn't do much. Real returns for home owners has surged since 2008 and keeps going up.

Because the rich get richer and the poor get handouts and cheap rent.

If you make just above the poverty line you get no handouts from the state and normal rent prices. A friend of mine is friends with a dude that gets millions of dollars a year from the state to buy and manage buildings for poor people to live in.