"now... lets look at the older age groups that you left out...
15-24... income up 9.9% since Reagan
45-54.... income up 31.4% since Reagan
55-64.... income up 44.7% since Reagan
65+.... income up 34.2% since Reagan
For all workers age 15 and older.... up an average of 36.46% since Reagan came to office. Obviously by the above, the older workers did better than the younger ones, but ALL went up under Reagan. It was not stagnant at all."
Right Darla... things have obviously gotten "worse"
I see, you wanted to switch from wages to income.
Wages are STILL the better measure of the day to day economic health of middle income families. Wages are the best measure of
disposable income. But, I play your game.
1) Who gives a shit about teenagers income and college aged kids?
2) Working families are in the 30s and 40s age group. The one which have kids, mortgages, and massive bills.
3) Those demographics in their 50s and 60s are going better income wise since 1974. Again, you didn't provide the data to show how they did in ALL the pre-reagan years, since 1946. I wonder why?
Also, those in their 50s and 60s got ensconsed in union jobs and professional jobs before Reagan. So, they started climbing the ladder before reagan, they don't have kids to support, or mortgages to pay - so they're not the ones to be concered as much about. People in their 30s and 40s haven't had the range of opportunites the elder pre-reagan generation did. And their wages and income have essentially flat lined.
4) So, as we've demonstrated, after reagan, and
after the generation that entered the work force after reagan:
-GDP growth has been slower
-Wages have gone down.
-Overall income has flat lined essentially, for those that entered the labor force after 1980.
Now, for the flat lining wages and income for those who entered the work force after reagan, and for ALL workers in terms of wages since 1980, consider this.
The promise of the american dream is that
1) The next generation does better than the previous one.
The reagan generation and the reagan economy was broadly outperformed in terms of GDP and wages by the pre-reagan economy. You didn't provide income data going back to 1946, so we can't compare that parameter.
2) If you work hard and contribute, you'll be rewarded
Since 1974, the american workers
productivity has gone up, what, maybe a 100%?? And your telling me that
falling wages, and basically flat-lined incomes for those in their 30s and 40s (or modest increases for those in their 50s and 60s) is
a fair representation and reward for the american dream???
For working age middle income families wages are flat, and income has barely budged up. Older workers, that ensconsed themselves in the workforce before reagan, have seen modest increases in income.
