主题：【原创】时事述评：人民币汇率改革 -- 井底望天

美国中产也好不到哪里去， 过去一个人，就可养家， 现在，夫妻双双去打工。

--they enjoyed easy life because American market was isolated from the global competition before 1950s. When US opened its domestic market to exports from Europe and Asia, the American salary will be dragged down to global average.

Put in another way, globalization is to blame for the deteriorating middle-class life. In the last 10 years, Chinese exports replaced lots of domestic manufacturing jobs and some middle-class professionals had to take on low-pay service sector jobs.

Therefore, I do not see the fault of banking sector here. You should blame US for opening up immigration door and its domestic market--that's the key reasons why Americans suffer from both wage competition and product competition.

收入大部分交给银行付房贷， 或房租， 剩下的付地税吃饭， 水电电视交通通讯车马费， 口袋里所剩无几。

--btw, that's typical of American's life before 1930s. America was not heaven for average Joes until FDR. American middle class' golden age is between late 1940s to 1970s. Now the golden age is gone for ever due to globalization.

--收入大部分交给银行付房贷--many Americans are stupid to believe in so-called "Big-house as American dream". First, most Americans are not qualified for house mortgages and should rent for most of their life. Second, if you rent, you do not even have to pay property tax at all and can save more money. I did the cash flow calculation and find it irrational for many Americans to buy rather than to rent.

即使是上中产的HENRY也抱怨用不起IPHONE。

--First, in my circle, even college kids have iPhone. Business users prefer Blackberry. Nobody complained about iPhone's price because business users get phones from their employers or can enjoy tax deduction. Therefore, your example is not generalizeable. Also iPhone is not necessity, I am still using my 2001 cell phone model and it works perfectly well.

--Second, many Americans complained about their poor life because they constantly "catch up with Jones" by OVERSPENDING. I saw family of 4 living in 3,000 sq. feet luxury house with a big swimming pool and sending their kids to private high schools and private colleges ($30k tuition each year at least). Cars must be Benz or BMW. House is well-decorated with bill paid through credit cards. Every year, European vacation is mandatory...

Totally stupid overspending. Income growth does not match expenditure explosion. The only reason for this kind of stupid behavior: peer pressure. They even privately admitted that. Most overspending comes from the wife side. Ladies seem to have hard time understanding the concept of "budgeting".

许多医生毕业十年还在还学费。

--two reaons, first, high tuition. Second, those kids do not know how to save money.

In sum, high credit card debt and high mortgage balance are not bank's fault. US labor market deteriorated over years due to immigration and foreign competition. The decline of labor union is another factor. More importantly, Americans lost their virtue of thrift and OVERSPEND along many dimensions.