Older American explains “How the middle class was destroyed”

Older American explains “How the middle class was destroyed”

“In 1978, I worked in a steel mill. I was getting paid between $16 and $18 an hour in a steel mill. My house payment was $125 a month. I was doing well. Then we started not putting tariffs on China Steel, steel coming in from China and other countries.

They were supplementing their industry, and they took our steel industry away from us. So I lost my job. They shut the mill down, and then I had to go figure it out.

At the time, I was married with three kids, and this was in the 80s, early 80s, and I had to figure it out. I couldn't get a job that was going to pay sufficient for. To be able to survive. So I had to create my own businesses, and I've done that ever since. But it was the taking of the steel mills from this country and all these others that they've taken the auto industry and everything else that's killed our economy.

Now you start making a fair playing field is what Mr. Trump is doing. President Trump is doing. Those jobs will come back, people will start making money. And you say, oh, well, you know, now we're not going to get cheap products.

Now we're not going to get cheap products. But all the money that we're paying those countries for those cheap products will stay in this country and we will start manufacturing and we will have those jobs that pay good again. You'll see.”

Older American explains “How the middle class was destroyed”

“In 1978, I worked in a steel mill. I was getting paid between $16 and $18 an hour in a steel mill. My house payment was $125 a month. I was doing well. Then we started not putting tariffs on China Steel, steel coming… pic.twitter.com/lci56zPCjh

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes)April 6, 2025