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I would say there's a negative trend from the beginning of the 80s. Yes, there has been some amount of progress in civil rights (though it's been very slow) and

I would say there's a negative trend from the beginning of the 80s. Yes, there has been some amount of progress in civil rights (though it's been very slow) and inevitably there will be technological/medical advances, but the economic position of all but the rich is significantly worse than in, say, the mid-70s.

refurb 8y ago
Economic situation is worse than the stagflation of the 1970s? I’d disagree. It seems like people view the 1950s to 1980s with rose colored glasses now. The mood in the late 1980s and early 1990s was much better than it has been the last few years. And better than it was in the 1970s.
- blunte 8y ago
  In real terms this was an illusion. It was the beginning of the new age of personal debt (which then rose like a rocket during the Clinton years). The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. Incidentally, it was a period with comparatively high corporate taxes. Now we have historically low corporate taxes, not even counting maneuvers like the Irish/Dutch indefinite tax deferment scheme. What has been promoted as common free market wisdom at least since the 80s has no subsantive evidence to back it up. If you want a current example of reality vs "common wisdom" economics, compare California to Wisconsin, Kansas, or Texas.
  - forapurpose 8y ago
    > The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. An essential caveat: That only would apply if you were a white male, a Christian to a significant extent, and possibly a Protestant. For women, African-Americans, and many other minorities, the American Dream was far out of reach. African-Americans were still being lynched. > Incidentally, it was a period with comparatively high corporate taxes. An excellent point, and don't forget much higher regulation. > If you want a current example of reality vs "common wisdom" economics, compare California to Wisconsin, Kansas, or Texas. Yes, I try to point out: Name one great American industry that came out of a 'red' state, other than extractive industries like oil. Does the whole country want an economy and human welfare like Alabama or like Massachusetts?
    - refurb 8y ago
      Yes, I try to point out: Name one great American industry that came out of a 'red' state, other than extractive industries like oil. Does the whole country want an economy and human welfare like Alabama or like Massachusetts? Ok, let me try.... Semiconductors in California? California was a red state up until the 1992 presidential election. Long after the birth of the semiconductor and computer age. What do I win? And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. I would argue that states like NY and CA are economic powerhouses in spite of their politics, not because. Just take a look at what democratic policies have done to NJ. It's been on the decline for a long time.
      - _emacsomancer_ 8y ago
        > And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. But at that point in time the Republicans would have been the blue guys and the Democrats the red guys. (Though the contemporary US colour scheme doesn't make much sense since historically/elsewhere the left is associated with red and the right with blue. But my point is that the Democrats were the more conservative party at that point in time and the Republicans the more progressive party.)
  - refurb 8y ago
    The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. Yeah, surprising how being the only Western power not destroyed economically can do that. Your theory of higher corporate taxes is just cherry picking numbers. Yes rates were higher, but there were way more ways to get around them than there are now.

refurb 8y ago

Economic situation is worse than the stagflation of the 1970s? I’d disagree. It seems like people view the 1950s to 1980s with rose colored glasses now. The mood in the late 1980s and early 1990s was much better than it has been the last few years. And better than it was in the 1970s.

blunte 8y ago
In real terms this was an illusion. It was the beginning of the new age of personal debt (which then rose like a rocket during the Clinton years). The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. Incidentally, it was a period with comparatively high corporate taxes. Now we have historically low corporate taxes, not even counting maneuvers like the Irish/Dutch indefinite tax deferment scheme. What has been promoted as common free market wisdom at least since the 80s has no subsantive evidence to back it up. If you want a current example of reality vs "common wisdom" economics, compare California to Wisconsin, Kansas, or Texas.
- forapurpose 8y ago
  > The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. An essential caveat: That only would apply if you were a white male, a Christian to a significant extent, and possibly a Protestant. For women, African-Americans, and many other minorities, the American Dream was far out of reach. African-Americans were still being lynched. > Incidentally, it was a period with comparatively high corporate taxes. An excellent point, and don't forget much higher regulation. > If you want a current example of reality vs "common wisdom" economics, compare California to Wisconsin, Kansas, or Texas. Yes, I try to point out: Name one great American industry that came out of a 'red' state, other than extractive industries like oil. Does the whole country want an economy and human welfare like Alabama or like Massachusetts?
  - refurb 8y ago
    Yes, I try to point out: Name one great American industry that came out of a 'red' state, other than extractive industries like oil. Does the whole country want an economy and human welfare like Alabama or like Massachusetts? Ok, let me try.... Semiconductors in California? California was a red state up until the 1992 presidential election. Long after the birth of the semiconductor and computer age. What do I win? And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. I would argue that states like NY and CA are economic powerhouses in spite of their politics, not because. Just take a look at what democratic policies have done to NJ. It's been on the decline for a long time.
    - _emacsomancer_ 8y ago
      > And looking back to earlier in the 1900s, it was states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois (all red states back then) that were major economic powerhouses. But at that point in time the Republicans would have been the blue guys and the Democrats the red guys. (Though the contemporary US colour scheme doesn't make much sense since historically/elsewhere the left is associated with red and the right with blue. But my point is that the Democrats were the more conservative party at that point in time and the Republicans the more progressive party.)
- refurb 8y ago
  The best realization of the American dream was on the decade after the end of WW2. Yeah, surprising how being the only Western power not destroyed economically can do that. Your theory of higher corporate taxes is just cherry picking numbers. Yes rates were higher, but there were way more ways to get around them than there are now.