re: What do you consider as Middle Class in America today?

My thoughts on the matter center around your ability to live with what you make. If you are buried in debt or make next to nothing and struggle day-to-day financially you are lower class.

Middle class is a person/family that is able to buy a house, support themselves as well as others, and budget in a yearly vacation or two (does well budgeting in general). Upper middle includes the traits of the middle class, but also able to spend more lavishly, place themselves on a path for early retirement, invest beyond retirement accounts etc... all without the worries of debt or the effects of an immediate loss of job.

*This is simply my perspective and by no means is it a standard model.

Edited to add: Middle class and beyond also can afford insurance and have insurance