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(Not picking a fight, just using your dad as an example): Boudreaux has argued in the recent past, by comparing prices from the Sears catalog--and looking at BEA wage/income levels, that the percentage of income spent to purchase a "typical" item such as a washer is lower now than it was in the 1970's. Note: percentage.

In other words, your father worked "harder" to buy that washer for your mom in the 1970's. Boudreaux argues that it is an example of how living standards have increased. It's really not that controversial of an argument, and he provides the numbers. If people feel differently than I agree, they have a problem.

I have no doubt that he worked longer hours to buy that washer and dryer than the average person would work today. I know lots of people who sometimes come across old newspaper ads from the 30s and 40s, and they’re like, “Wow! Look how cheap a car was back then” or “I could buy a house for $_________ “. Yes, that’s all quite true. However, I come back with how much did people make back then, and what level of disposable income did they have?

I admit my childhood was likely an anomaly, in that my parents were frugal when they needed to be, but knew how to save income in order to do extraordinary things. Part of that meant when I was a child, I wasn’t wearing Calvin Klein jeans....I was wearing Toughskins (and being ribbed for it, I might add). I wasn’t wearing Nikes. I was wearing shoes from K-Mart. Hell, I didn’t even get a pair of brand-name sneakers until I was 15, a pair of Pumas, that I’d worked for and saved up to buy.

Oh yeah.....Toughskin jeans. Memories of childhood, LOL :)