The middle class was making too much money, unions had gotten things so good, business couldn't afford US workers. So, they shipped the jobs overseas where they pay 1/10. Even with shipping from China, it's still cheaper to move production overseas. Americans priced themselves out of the market and corporation are greedy, that's what happened to the middle class. That and inflation. Inflation caused prices to rise so much that two incomes were needed where one used to be good enough. That's my guess...