I think he meant $50 for one family, which is still mighty high where I live. You can buy an awful lot of beans, macaroni, rice and inexpensive meats for $50.
Okay, one family is still.... although I thought I read “for 2 people” in the article and thought that was his basis.
This persons idea of “middle class” reminds me of the old soap operas where the “poor” people looked pretty well off to me most of the time. lol