Is the America of the past ever returning? (student loan, insurance, percentage)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I mean past I mean the 1960s, 70s, 80s when the middle class was strong, when homes could be easily afforded by even the ordinary factory worker, when a family could send their kids to college very easily because college tuition was very affordable, when workers had union protections and layoffs weren't happening at the drop of a hat each quarter, when insurance and medical care was easy to access at a reasonable cost.
It just seems that somewhere in the mid 90s things started breaking down and then the inequality and break down of the middle class started accelerating after 2000... now it is reaching epic proportions. What does the future hold? I thought we are supposed to be progressing as a society, we seem to be going backwards!
So are we better off now or worse off from the 60s-80s eras? I personally think we (i.e. the middle class) are worse off now...
Who is “we”? Are you including women or minorities in that?
Is the past ever returning in that the United States has 50% of world GDP and was the only unwrecked power on Earth? Doubtful.
However, I’m not even sure I’d agree the time period you reference was the height of American power. How about after the collapse of the Soviet Union when the U.S was the sole superpower? The “new Rome”.
I can say with certainty my life is incomparably better than my grandparents. Anecdote? Yes, but far from uncommon I’m sure. Especially if a woman was to ask that question of their own situation compared to their grandmother or great grandmother.
You say medical care was easier to access...but I’d sure as hell want today’s medical care over care in the times you mention. The difference could literally be between life and death.
When I mean past I mean the 1960s, 70s, 80s when the middle class was strong, when homes could be easily afforded by even the ordinary factory worker, when a family could send their kids to college very easily because college tuition was very affordable, when workers had union protections and layoffs weren't happening at the drop of a hat each quarter, when insurance and medical care was easy to access at a reasonable cost.
It just seems that somewhere in the mid 90s things started breaking down and then the inequality and break down of the middle class started accelerating after 2000... now it is reaching epic proportions. What does the future hold? I thought we are supposed to be progressing as a society, we seem to be going backwards!
So are we better off now or worse off from the 60s-80s eras? I personally think we (i.e. the middle class) are worse off now...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thatsright19
Is the past ever returning in that the United States has 50% of world GDP and was the only unwrecked power on Earth? Doubtful.
Commercialization of instant and ubiquitous data processing and telecommunications, end of the Cold War, global trade and investment agreements, abolishment of Glass-Steagall, and both legal and illegal immigration (all from around early/mid-1990s) mean that people with average income on US soil have faced massive global wage competition.
No, of course the past you refer to is never returning.
Unless, well, yeah, another devastating war, or perhaps some natural disaster, that knocks us back a century or five, then maybe something akin to it as people pick up the pieces again.
Not unprecedented in human history, there are several examples that one could cite, and probably several others outside of human-recorded history that one cannot.
As for the future, you can only control what you can control.
but you can get a decent house for $42K,now the same house is over $250K
And assuming they even still own the house (doubt it very much), they've had countless opportunities over the past 30 years to refinance their mortgage at a considerably lower interest rate.
Back in the old days a family has one bread winner,wife stays home and take care of the kids,they have just one car,and a smaller house with 20% down,people hardly take any medication,$20 buy you one week of grocery ,just one TV set in the living room,VHS movie cost over $10 dollars?
Now we have a larger mortgage,along with higher home insurance ,property tax,2 cars ,student loan,credit card debt,TV in each room,dvds and streaming,eating out more often,drycleaning,just regular dental cleaning is not good enough,we need to whiten our teeth,we need to eat and drink healthy,exercise more,take prescription drug,bigger house comes with bigger utility bills,water bills and upkeeps.
Now if you will excuse me,I have to tackle my lawn problem,it looks like a fungus disease,I will try curing it with hydrogen dioxide,if that does not work,it will be a trip to Home Dept.
Last trip was for termite spray,last fix was a new dishwasher,before that it was sprinkler nozzle spray fix,before that was replacing the what you call it inside the toilet tank,before that was a new water heater,before that was garage door fix,cinch bugs,woodfence.
Now I wish I am just a renter !
When I mean past I mean the 1960s, 70s, 80s when the middle class was strong, when homes could be easily afforded by even the ordinary factory worker, when a family could send their kids to college very easily because college tuition was very affordable
Home ownership rate:
Percentage Americans with a college degree:
The cost of both have gone up (although inflation adjusted price per square foot is probably a lot closer than you think), but clearly it isn't like people only used to be able to buy homes and send kids to college in decades past.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
