Asset management company manager Michael W. Green claimed that households with an annual income below $140,000 are living in poverty. This statement quickly went viral but also faced strong criticism from economists. Critics such as Scott Winship and Tyler Cowen pointed out that Green's analysis is flawed, failing to account for the significant improvements in the quality and affordability of goods, housing, and healthcare over time. They cited data showing that the middle class is shrinking due to upward income mobility into higher income brackets, and that poverty rates measured by consumption have also declined significantly.