[Reeses]

Why doesn't Pew report how much lower total taxes were 30 years ago? If someone tax deferred much of their income into a 401k and is now paying current tax rates on it, was it a smart move?

30 years ago nobody could afford a home supercomputer, cell phone, flat big screen color TV with 200 channels, internet access, cars with airbags, GPS navigation, or get treatments for many diseases. Life expectancy was shorter. Due to technology advances, many times a byproduct of military research spending, the quality of life is better now.

[-YYZ-]

We’ve got more stuff, and a little longer to play with it, but are we really living better today than 30 years ago? I remember when we only had 3 channels, and were happy to have them. Today we have 300 and always complain that there’s nothing on worth watching.

[philman_36]

30 years ago nobody could afford a home supercomputer, cell phone, flat big screen color TV with 200 channels, internet access, cars with airbags, GPS navigation, or get treatments for many diseases.
Afford 'em? Most of those things didn't even exist 30 years ago!