Exit polls reveal why Trump made huge gains with blue-collar union members

[DSandra]

57. People tend to be blind to the lives of people outside their economic class, many don't realize how hard others have it

People especially in the top 20% can't understand the economic complaints compared to the people who are actually hurting, the people who are struggling to make ends meet despite insane cost of housing, cost of everything else being 30% higher than they were a few years ago, and now the evisceration of jobs by AI.

"Nearly 40 million families, or 29% of the population, fall in the category of ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — according to United Way’s United for ALICE program, which first coined the term to refer to households earning above the poverty line but less than what’s needed to get by.

That figure doesn’t include the 37.9 million Americans who live in poverty, comprising 11.5% of the total population, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. "
- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/29/29percent-of-us-households-have-jobs-but-struggle-to-cover-basic-needs.html

"GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., July 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Some 37% of Americans can't afford an unexpected expense over $400, and almost a quarter (21%) have no emergency savings at all, according to new Empower research.

"Not all surprises are good, and people know it. The study suggests financial precarity at a time when household finances may be stretched due to rising prices and inflation," says Rebecca Rickert, head of communications at Empower. "Life happens, and people are stressed about the surprise expenses that could tip them off-balance."

"For 62%, having a dedicated emergency savings is a priority, yet nearly half (47%) of people say regular monthly expenses are too high for them to put money away.""

- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/37-of-americans-cant-afford-an-emergency-expense-over-400-according-to-empower-research-302187157.html