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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    The Selective Recovery and a Shrinking Middle Class

    Wall Street is setting records never imagined before, and the housing market is on the rise. Does that mean the Great Recession is over? Not according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis , which says average American households have recovered just 45% of the wealth they lost.

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Wall Street is setting records never imagined before, and the housing market is on the rise. Does that mean the Great Recession is over? Not according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, which says average American households have recovered just 45% of the wealth they lost. Others say the reality of two Americas has crushed faith in stabilizing institutions, including farms, factories, public schools and the political system. We hear what it feels like to be on the losing end and look for signs of a better future.

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Selective Recovery and a Shrinking Middle Class
    1. 0:00Syria Army Captures Key Town in Blow to Rebels
    2. 7:53The Selective Recovery and a Shrinking Middle ClassYou’re reading this
    3. 41:51Break in Major League Baseball Drug Investigation
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Evan George

      Director of Content, News

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • KCRW placeholder

      Liyna Anwar

      Assistant Producer, To the Point/Which Way, LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Ray Boshara

      St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank

    • KCRW placeholder

      Joe Sangataldo

      job counselor

    • KCRW placeholder

      George Packer

      staff writer at The Atlantic

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    The Selective Recovery and a Shrinking Middle Class
    1. 0:00Syria Army Captures Key Town in Blow to Rebels
    2. 7:53The Selective Recovery and a Shrinking Middle ClassYou’re reading this
    3. 41:51Break in Major League Baseball Drug Investigation
    Back to To the Point