Middle Class Squeeze

Statistics Aside, Many Feel Pinch of Daily Costs

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER

BRANDON, Fla., May 2 — As a rule, when Americans feel financially pinched, the causes are clear: high unemployment, soaring interest rates, depressed home values and a wilting stock market.

But many Americans now say they are feeling squeezed in the absence of these factors. Their concerns are instead centered on a combination of high gasoline prices, creeping insurance costs and the pressure of a large number of adjustable-rate mortgages, now jumping to market rates, that helped to fuel one of the largest housing booms in American history.

Though they may not fear for their jobs or worry about long-range financial health — national polls show a general satisfaction with the economy — their kitchen-counter economy is an increasing source of everyday anxiety.

In Brandon and other suburbs of Tampa, where gas prices are among the highest in the nation and home insurance rates have risen since last summer's hurricanes, residents say they have had all they can take.

"We're really worried about a lot of things," said Nancy Tuttle, co-owner of a vending machine business in the suburbs here. "The cost of gas, the cost of house insurance, the cost of medical insurance, it's just everything."

The increase in prices, particularly of gasoline, is taking a political toll on President Bush, even in a Republican area like these suburbs. A recent nationwide CBS News poll found that only 33 percent of those surveyed approved of Mr. Bush's job performance and that 74 percent disapproved of his handling of the gasoline issue.

"We went from totally believing in Bush to really having our doubts," said Wayne Toomey, who owns a house with Ms. Tuttle in the nearby suburb of Parrish. "It comes down to his lack of care about gas prices."

Ms. Tuttle, 51, and Mr. Toomey, 58, have each gotten smaller cars and have cut some household costs. "It's a total struggle," said Mr. Toomey, who owns the vending machine business with Ms. Tuttle. "You would have to have your head in the sand to think things are going well in the United States."

Middle class salaries have been stagnent for 20 years and we are definitely feeling the pinch. Americans generally vote their pocketbooks when the chips are down.