Journeyman Electricians used to making $60-$70K/year were making 1/3 of that because business was not spending money on capital expansion/improvement, etc.
Its not worth working hard for so little pay.
After you do the math, living on federal and state benefits that pay just as much is easier, given that there’s no sign things will get better.
The decimation of the middle class has not improved the economy or brightened Americans’ faith in the future of the country.