I agree. The middle class of other parts of the world catching up to rising US[] is a good thing from any perspective except for the most cynical realpolitik subscribers. Even from a pure US centric point of view, it provides a larger market for US goods.

However, the poor doing worse than 30 is really bad. Even if you believe that a high gini coefficient is needed to encourage upward mobility, a falling living standard for the poor indicate that it is not working.

[] I'd really like to see the comparison in income after tax+education+health care. Health care and education is more or less mandatory for the middle class, and the details of how it is financed (tax, savings, insurance) shouldn't affect the comparison of living standard.