[Alberta's Child]

Rising income charts are crap... standard of living in US has only rose moderately since 1970... and it has done so largely by the fact that most households are now 2 income not one... a complete opposite of how it was in 1970.

I agree with your statement about two household incomes vs. one, but the standard of living in the U.S. is exponentially higher today than it was in 1970.

[ran15]

(US per capita gdp in 2003 dollars)
1960 - $14,960
1965 - $17,748
1970 - $19,879
1975 - $21,575
1980 - $24,500
1985 - $27,435
1990 - $30,729
1995 - $32,564
2000 - $37,572

[HamiltonJay]

If you look at household incomes, adjusted for inflation since 1970, you'll see its marginal increased at best.. and if you take into account that now most homes are 2 income vs 1 income back then you see that earnings is declining per person. when it takes 2 folks to just break even with what 1 person was managing to do 35 years ago... you aren't gaining ground.