the statement you quoted is one that I made. It is also a true statement. I am so sad that so many americans are so ignorant. You'd think that if someone went to american schools and took the time to get news from various media sources that they'd be well informed. Instead, they are so ignorant and it is so sad.
Most americans don't know that we're living in an age of elevated unemployment levels. We've been living in that age since around 1970. Today the unemployment level is more than double what was considered completely normal levels prior to 1970. Between 1870 and 1970 if we merely throw out 1930-1945, then we as a nation never went more than 3 consequtive years with unemployment over 4.0%. In fact it was normally 3.0-3.5%. It frequently got down under 3.0%. It even went down to 1.0% more than once. But since 1970 unemployment hasn't gone under 4.0% even once I believe. Poverty rates today are higher than 1964. The minimum wage today is lower after inflation than it was in 1965. The low interest rates we are enjoying now even used to be completely normal prior to 1960.
When you measure the pay that people used to receive for work as a basket of goods, then it has been documented that the large majority of americans working today are working for substantially lower real wages than what used to be normal. A 22 year old guy with nothing but a high school diploma could easily get a job and support a family in 1965, but not today.
We used to have a country where even marginal people were able to make it. Then in the 1960's every politician stood up and told us in speeches that wiping out poverty and helping the downtrodden was the highest priority. Then they made a series of decisions which drove poverty up, unemployment up and real wages down.
In the early 80's the biggest issue that politicians could talk about was how they all wanted to protect social security. And they accused Reagan frequently of being against social security. But since reagan left the scene a series of decisions have been made, culminating recently with GW, to have seriously damaged the integrity of social security. And we can't fund medicaire any more either. We've cut that dramatically and now GW is cooking up a 2'nd rate medical system for the elderly.
Yet we have people in denial. Because the media doesn't focus their little minds on these issues, they pretend it doesn't exist. The media content is controlled by 5 big corporations and they have displayed persistent propaganda to us for decades. Only a fool thinks that an issue is not an issue if the media doesn't talk about it.
The media will never talk about the slow downward spiral of american living standards that has been occurring since 1970. They will not because such talk only highlights the terrible failures of the american elite over this period of time. These things have occurred because of decisions made by our government. Globalism and international economic development does not in itself cause these negative trends.
The minimum wage, today, is
NOT lower than it was in 1965.
In past eras, people took jobs, that today, they wouldn't dream of taking and most assuredly NOT for the same wages, working conditions, and no benefits. During the PANICS and DEPRESSIONS, prior to the one in 1929 ( and even then ) there was no such thing as unemployment insurance and the Dole ( yes we used to have that, as well as " workhouses " and poorfarms ) joblessness wasn't nearly as well reported as it has been in the later part of the 20th century and today.
No, we did NOT have a nation, earlier, when " even marginal people were able to make it " . People starved to death, they froze to death, their children worked, just so that there was food on the table. As late as the late 1960s, there were households that didn't have indoor plumbing and a pump in the kitchen sink. instead of faucets.
What standard of kiving are you talking about, that permitted high school grads to support families in and when ? People didn't used to think that they absolutely had to have certain things, unless they could afford them and did without. Most families lived with far fewer ammenities, than they think they deserve to have today.
You are claiming that medicare is being cut off by President Bush and that isn't so. Besides which, you are really all over the place; espousing Socialist programs and slamming them at the same time. Before medicare, the elderly went into debt, for the treatments they got, or just died, or both. Medical care is so expensive today, because of many reasons; not the least of which, is that the UNIONS forced businesses to " give " it to their workers. Because people were nolonger paying for their own health care, they abused it. Medicine has advanced and that advancement costs big bucks. Law suits and insurance against these mostly frivilous suits costs even more.
The media is NOT controled by five corporations. You're spewing unmittigated tinfoil drivel, baseless twaddle, and hyperventilating all over the place.
The standard of living, if anything, has risen hugely, for the past 100 + years. Your lack of historical and economics, is appaling and shameful.
Public schooled, are you ?