[Dane]

Are standards of living declining in America? Let’s compare 1970 to the mid 1990's – a time during which real wages (i.e. wages adjusted for inflation) dropped by 15%. But that is only half of the story, because the real cost of goods and services has also dropped, and today’s average American has more of just about everything! In 1970 the average new home size was 1500 square feet versus 2,150 in the mid 1990's Only 34% of homes had central air conditioning in 1970, but by the mid 1990's it was 81%. 34% of homes had a color TV and 6.3% had cable in 1970, but by the mid 1990s, over 97.9% homes had color TV's and 72.8% had more than two! In 1970 it took 49 minutes of work time to buy gas for a 100 mile trip, while in the mid 1990's it was only 26 minutes. On top of this, all types of new technologies are now available to everyone, ranging from $90 microwave ovens to VCR's for less than $100. In the last 26 years vehicle ownership by people 16 years of age and older has risen from 53 per hundred people to 94 per hundred people. Finally, after adjusting for inflation, the average amount spent on jewelry and watches has more than doubled from 1970 to 1996.

LINK

Granted these statistics come from the mid-90's, but also America suffered heavy recessions in the 70's, and the standard of living went up.

Oh, that's right, things got better under free trader, Ronald Reagan.

All I have to say is thank God, Ronald Reagan didn't have Pat Buchanan as an economic advisor.

[JNB]

Find a less biased site please. Also, many Neo-Cons hate to admit this, but one massive reason why the US economy had a boom in the 80s was because of the massive amounts of(although it was indeed needed) defense spending. This alone kept the economy out of a recession in 86. Also another things Neo-Cons hate to admit is the Reagan admin under Sec of Tresury Baker in 85 made agreements with Europe and Japan to devalue the dollar, and the dollar was devalued between 25-35% against European currencies and it was devalued by 50% against the Yen. This was a de facto tariff.

[lelio]

Oh, that's right, things got better under free trader, Ronald Reagan.

Did Reagan say that we should trade with the Soviet Union or China?

[Texas_Dawg]

All I have to say is thank God, Ronald Reagan didn't have Pat Buchanan as an economic advisor.

Any wonder why the overwhelming majority of Reagan advisors and people in his administration have disowned the Buchanan Brigade as well?