ataxiwardance:

President Obama and Mitt Romney have both recently described American households making $250,000 and less as being “middle income” or “middle class.”

This is incorrect. Objectively and categorically incorrect. Whether we define “middle” as average, moderate, or ordinary; this is a colossally wrong characterization of American household income. The United States median household income is $50,000 and only 4% of households make more than $250,000 annually. To clarify some potentially unfamiliar terms: (1) “median” simply means “midway point” between the richest and poorest American households; (2) “4%” means “not alot [sic] of people.” 

So. 

What is it about running for President that makes one willing to say such silly things? Why do you think these candidates routinely parade around this completely misleading fabrication of our economic reality?

• Is it because it appeals to our common American self-mis-perception as being “middle class” regardless and disassociation from our actual circumstances?
• Is it because by magically collapsing the bottom 96% of Americans into the “middle class” we effectively disavow recognition of the solvable problem of American severe poverty? 
• Is it because political dialogue unencumbered by economic reality happily stunts class consciousness and the recognition of growing class inequality as well as its effect on our government?