# How bad is America’s affordability crisis? With Mechele Dickerson

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-economics-show-6910728/how-bad-is-america-s-affordability-crisis-with-mechele-dickerson.md
Podcast: [The Economics Show](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-economics-show-6910728)
Published: 2026-01-09T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/the-economics-show-with-soumaya-keynes/episodes/how-bad-is-americas-affordability-crisis-with-mechele-dicker
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/664394a442f6710013618119/e/695feb5b1f7886a9b86d9dea/media.mp3
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## Resource

Affordability is set to be a key issue in US politics ahead of the country’s midterm elections. And though American politicians often express their support for the country’s middle class, life has become progressively more difficult for that group, Mechele Dickerson argues. The University of Texas law professor explains how sluggish wage growth, housing policy and the growth of personal debt have made it harder to secure the markers of middle class life. Claire Jones is the FT’s US economics editor. You can find her articles here   Subscribe to The Economics Show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen.  Presented by Claire Jones. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. Original music from Breen Turner, and sound design by Sam Giovinco. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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