According to the report, last year the "median wage" in this country was just $43,222.81.  In other words, half of all American workers made less than $43,222.81, and half of all American workers made more than $43,222.81.  That is terrible news, because the cost of living has been rising much faster than paycheck have.  More people are being squeezed out of the middle class with each passing day, but most Americans don't even realize that this is happening because the media isn't really talking about it.  Poverty, homelessness and hunger are all growing all around us, and if we stay on the path that we are on the middle class will continue to be systematically eviscerated.

Once upon a time, the vast majority of the country could afford to live a middle class lifestyle.

But now those days are long gone.

A study that was recently released found that it now takes more than $100,000 a year for a typical U.S. household to live "the American Dream" in all 50 states, and in 29 U.S. states it takes more than $150,000 a year…

A household would have to spend more than $150,000 a year to live the dream in 29 of the 50 states, according to an analysis published in April by the personal finance site GOBankingRates.

According to the report, the optimal American lifestyle would cost $137,842 a year in Ohio, $147,535 in Texas, $159,932 in Florida, $194,067 in New York and $245,723 in California.

The state that has the lowest cost of living is Mississippi.

Living the American Dream only costs $109,516 a year in that state.

Needless to say, someone earning $43,222.81 a year is not going to be able to live the American Dream anywhere in the nation.

Even if there are two people earning $43,222.81 a year in the same household, that still isn't going to get you anywhere close to living the American Dream.

When I was growing up, my father worked and my mother stayed home with the kids, and we were still able to live a middle class lifestyle.

But now most households cannot afford to live a middle class lifestyle even if both parents are working.

After reading that, is there anyone out there that would like to disagree with me about the fact that we have been experiencing a long-term economic decline?

What I have been warning about all these years has been slowly but steadily playing out right in front of our eyes.