3 ms·

"People below the 2013 poverty line have more goods and services than the middle class of the 60's and 70's" I agree they do. However, lots of people no longer

"People below the 2013 poverty line have more goods and services than the middle class of the 60's and 70's" I agree they do. However, lots of people no longer have just the dad working. Mum needs to work as well just to get by. And those goods are created oversees and bought for much lower prices. And -last but not least- all those goods are purchased using debt much more than in the 60's/70's. I find it shocking the US now has more people on foodstamps than people in fulltime jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports there are 97,180,000 full time workers in the private sector. But there are 103.4 million people currently enrolled in any one of 15 subsidized federal food assistance programs. It saddens me to see this.

yummyfajitas 13y ago
However, lots of people no longer have just the dad working. Mum needs to work as well just to get by. Total hours worked/capita fluctuates and is down a little bit since 1970. There has been no upward trend. Mom works more but dad works less. http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USAAHWEP http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USAAHWEP http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/EMRATIO http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/EMRATIO http://research.stlouisfed.org/fredgraph.png?g=d5P http://research.stlouisfed.org/fredgraph.png?g=d5P http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/07/art3full.pdf http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/07/art3full.pdf The poor specifically are huge beneficiaries of this trend, and work very little. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm In any case, I'm glad we are in agreement that adventured is wrong and standard of living has gone up.
- digitalengineer 13y ago
  Thank you for the good conversation, insights and links. You show me "Mom works more but dad works less". It leads me to wonder if Mom works more because dad works less? Full time jobs and Obamacare insurance perhaps? "Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that the ratio of part-time to full-time jobs has completely flipped this year from historical trends. Last year, six full-time jobs were created for every one part time job. This year, only one full-time job is being created for every four new part-time jobs." http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2013/08/27/its-fact-not-anecdote-that-obamacare-is-turning-us-into-a-part-time-nation/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2013/08/27/its-... It's hard to make sense of all the data...

yummyfajitas 13y ago

However, lots of people no longer have just the dad working. Mum needs to work as well just to get by. Total hours worked/capita fluctuates and is down a little bit since 1970. There has been no upward trend. Mom works more but dad works less. http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USAAHWEP http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/USAAHWEP http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/EMRATIO http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/EMRATIO http://research.stlouisfed.org/fredgraph.png?g=d5P http://research.stlouisfed.org/fredgraph.png?g=d5P http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/07/art3full.pdf http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2000/07/art3full.pdf The poor specifically are huge beneficiaries of this trend, and work very little. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm In any case, I'm glad we are in agreement that adventured is wrong and standard of living has gone up.

digitalengineer 13y ago
Thank you for the good conversation, insights and links. You show me "Mom works more but dad works less". It leads me to wonder if Mom works more because dad works less? Full time jobs and Obamacare insurance perhaps? "Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that the ratio of part-time to full-time jobs has completely flipped this year from historical trends. Last year, six full-time jobs were created for every one part time job. This year, only one full-time job is being created for every four new part-time jobs." http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2013/08/27/its-fact-not-anecdote-that-obamacare-is-turning-us-into-a-part-time-nation/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2013/08/27/its-... It's hard to make sense of all the data...