It's that time of year again. The Social Security Administration has finally released the final wage statistics for the year, and the figures are alarming. According to the report, last year the country's "average wage" was only $34,612. In other words, half of American workers earned less than $34,612, and half earned more. This is a grim news, as the cost of living is rising much faster than wages.

Every day, more and more people are being pushed out of the middle class, but most Americans are not even aware that this is happening, because the media is not really talking about it. Poverty, homelessness, and hunger are all growing around us, and if we continue down the current path, the middle class will continue to be systematically destroyed.

Once upon a time, the vast majority of people in this country could live a middle-class life. But those days are long gone. A recent study found that a typical family in the United States now needs to spend more than $100,000 annually to achieve the "American Dream" in 40 states, and more than $120,000 annually in 11 states... According to an analysis published in April by the personal finance website, in 27 of the 50 states, a family must spend more than $120,000 annually to realize this dream.

The report shows that the most ideal lifestyle for Americans is to spend , dollars annually in Ohio, , dollars in Texas, , dollars in Florida, , dollars in New York, and , dollars in California. The state with the lowest cost of living is Mississippi, where the American Dream can be achieved for just , dollars per year.

Needless to say, a person earning $50,000 a year cannot achieve the American Dream anywhere in the country. Even if two people in the same household each earn $50,000 a year, it still won't allow you to achieve the American Dream. Growing up, my father worked while my mother stayed home to take care of the children, and we still lived a middle-class life. But now, most families, even with both parents working, cannot live a middle-class life.

After reading this article, who would disagree with my point of view that we are experiencing a long-term economic recession? The things I have been warning about for years are slowly but steadily unfolding before our eyes. Not long ago, a poll by The Wall Street Journal found that only about one-third of the American population truly believes that the American Dream "still exists" ... A poll released by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday found that only about one-third of American adults believe the American Dream still exists.

A survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute years ago found that more than half of the respondents believed that the American Dream was "still real," but now only a third of people think so, according to a recent Wall Street Journal/ poll of , adults. The study also found that the gap between people's economic goals and what they believe is actually achievable is widening—a trend consistent across gender and party lines, but particularly common among younger generations.

No one can deny what is happening. This is our country now, and the situation is getting worse. One of the biggest reasons most people can't achieve the American Dream is the significant increase in housing prices over the past four years... According to a poll conducted by from to , % of renter voters said "housing costs" were the most important economic issue they considered when deciding how to vote.

This is not surprising: the United States is facing a once-in-a-century housing affordability crisis. According to the S&P - Case-Shiller Home Price Index, over the four years ending in [Month] [Year], national home prices have risen by [Percentage]%. According to data from the National Association of Realtors, the median home sale price in the United States hit a record high this summer and currently hovers just below that level.

Renting used to be an affordable option for many, but now, nearly half of American renters "spend more than % of their income on housing" ... Renting is no easier than buying a home. According to U.S. Census data from May, nearly half of American renters spend more than % of their income on housing, classifying them as "cost-burdened." In May , the average rent in the U.S. was $ per month. How can you afford it if your annual income is only $.,?

The United States is increasingly being divided into "the rich" and "the poor." If you don't know which category you belong to, let me tell you. If your annual income does not exceed $10,000, then you definitely belong to the "have-nots." Unfortunately, the economic situation is rapidly deteriorating, and we are seeing a striking rate of bankruptcies occurring at a speed not seen since the global financial crisis. For example, one of the largest craft store chains in the U.S. has just filed for bankruptcy... a craft store chain, originally named - -, filed for bankruptcy due to ongoing financial difficulties.

But enthusiasts need not worry just yet: despite the Ohio-based Hudson company's ongoing financial restructuring, its numerous stores across the country will continue to operate, and its website will remain active. As a large number of businesses across the nation close down, our historic commercial real estate crisis continues to intensify. If you are skeptical, take a look at these numbers... In [month], the delinquency rate for office building mortgages in Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS) soared to 10.3%, a full percentage point higher than in [previous month], marking the highest level since the worst months of the post-financial crisis era.

According to the data tracked and analyzed, the delinquency rate has doubled since (.%) in . I don't even need to tell you what these numbers mean. We are heading towards a historic collapse that will completely destroy all small and medium-sized banks from the East Coast to the West Coast. Meanwhile, as living standards continue to decline, the quality of life for most Americans is deteriorating, barely scraping by.

The trouble we are facing is far greater than most people realize, and the coming months will be extremely challenging.