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What happened to our wages in the west?

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  • BritManToo
    BritManToo

    Democratic/Socialism is the governments running the EU. So there's your explanation. The EU socialist governments (under German rule) have taken money from white folk and given it in welfare to the 3

  • Unions don't care about the workers, just their dues. Although, they do negotiate a better contract, sometimes, for the good, and not so good. When push comes to shove, they'll sell you out. Bee

  • You need to stop being so smug and arrogant. Based on your posts, it seems you don’t truly understand the topic. Bye Felicia

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On 2/17/2026 at 2:34 PM, spidermike007 said:

It truly means less than zero whether or not you want to believe this story, it came from a dear friend of mine who really has no agenda, and no reason to lie about something like that.

However if it makes you feel comfortable, and it makes you feel like America is still affordable, wages are rising relative to inflation, the place is not expensive, and the quality of life there is still very high, go ahead and believe that all you want.

Inflation is tame using the measurements they have use for the last century. The issue is that asset inflation is at unworldly levels. Been this way for at least a decade and it gets politicians elected and it will take a train wreck to stop it. It's completely unfair that the easy money policies benefit asset holders almost exclusively and I hope the younger crowds frustration doesn't turn into something much more scary.

Remember the tiny economic impact payments during covid while asset holder were getting rich legally and in many cases illegally. The corruption was rampant and I know of a few that raped the system and it was so easy. Can't simply fix this issue by throwing more money at it and not sure there is a fix other than a collapse comparable to the financial crisis or the Great depression. Then we can and rebuild again and continue the cycle albeit at a more equitable level.

On 2/16/2026 at 7:26 AM, JAG said:

But, but, but - the Dow Jones is at over...

Give the uber wealthy more tax cuts and loopholes ....let the little people eat cake...the world is ruled by the wealthy who keep sucking more and more $$ out of the system leaving less and less for the "little people".

It is amazing how easily politicians supreme court members and the elite have been able to distribute and receive "favors/donations/bribes" and in spite of often overwhelming evidence nobody gets charged much less convicted.

Perfect example is sitting in white house now bllions richer than when he took office.... and clarence thomas is still riding around in his free 250 k RV and enjoying luxury vacations. Cabinet secretaries accepts 50 k from undercover FBI and the video is hidden and the money is still out there somewhere....and DOJ does zippo and Potus promotes him.

And of course now even more is coming to light as we learn again that some very weatlhy people can engage in pedo crimes and if they were ever investigated the results are hidden and once again the "little people" get to see the biggest lie of all is "equal justice under the law"

Just wait one of these centuries the promised "trickle down" might give you enough to buy a bag of popcorn. In the meantime just eat more cake.

atpeace wrote: Inflation is tame using the measurements they have use for the last century. The issue is that asset inflation is at unworldly levels.

Certainly that is a major part of it. Consider this re house affordability in the US:

Median income in 2000: $31,656

Median House Price in 2000: $162.050

Median income in 2026: $51,697

Median House Price in 2026: $413.742

In a post I wrote a few days ago, I noted the total market cap of US equity markets vs GDP---now 220%---and how that has been on a major upward trend since the end of The Great Recession of 2008-9, where it bottomed at 60%. Before that, only once had market cap risen above US GDP, which was during the dot.com bubble, and back then it barely---and temporarily---breached 100%. Since 2009, however, it has been the proverbial rocketship to the moon.

One not-so-hidden danger of this asset bubble is that "newcomers", which is to say young people, are not only be going to be priced out of all asset markets, but they will have almost no chance of ever being able to play. THAT may well turn them toward thinking Socialism is a good idea, which we all know is not a good idea (Yes, even us "lefties" know that). I can admit the opportunities I had to become wealthy (hedge fund manager) do not really exist anymore, at least at the entry level. 90% of my MBA class are now millionaires (recent reunion data), and a few are billionaires. Save for the few grads today who might---might---get into AI, that is history that will not repeat.

Also exacerbating this is the coverage of the massive wealth of those at the very top. Even back in the early 1980s when the first Forbes 400 was released, it took maybe $75 million in wealth to make the list. Forty-five years later it takes $3.8 billion in net worth to make the list. US GDP has grown by ~10 times since 1982, but to make the Forbes 400 has jumped 50 times. People who'll never even be able to afford a house see people like Elon Musk gaming for a $trillion net worth. Such people are lucky if they can find a job that pays $30K on entry, with maybe an upside of $60K. AI is going to make even that modest jump much harder, as human labor will soon be in great surplus.

How many billionaires were there when we were kids? Were the rich of that time untouchable and considered to be like royalty? Was their obscene wealth celebrated like a huge winning football score? Was celebrity worship connected to a person's wealth?

After the big war everyone was equal in the struggle to rebuild shattered nations. Government money was for the good of all not to assist the rich to get richer.

How much more did CEOs get paid above the workers, back in the day, 2 or 3 times? Now 300-400 times as much.

Power, greed and entitlement became the worst aspect of the democratic system and the average worker acquiesed with this uneven redistribution of wealth by hero worshipping the few who benefited.

Workers quit the unions in huge numbers leaving them nearly powerless to fight for even pitiful wage rises. People were brain washed to believe that tax funded social services were evil socialism and had to be resisted. Qualification for top level education became about money not ability.

Low education levels made many believe they were inferior to those they envied and made people into a modern version of serfs or worse, acolytes.

Also, technolgy has hugely benefitted us all, but at the same time, zombified much of the population.

2 hours ago, Roadsternut said:

1980 Labour Day speech from Reagan

Didn't watch vid, but consider he was on the campaign trail. A bit different after he got appointed, and his policies didn't help Unions at all. Quite the opposite.

2 hours ago, atpeace said:

Inflation is tame using the measurements they have use for the last century. The issue is that asset inflation is at unworldly levels. Been this way for at least a decade and it gets politicians elected and it will take a train wreck to stop it. It's completely unfair that the easy money policies benefit asset holders almost exclusively and I hope the younger crowds frustration doesn't turn into something much more scary.

Remember the tiny economic impact payments during covid while asset holder were getting rich legally and in many cases illegally. The corruption was rampant and I know of a few that raped the system and it was so easy. Can't simply fix this issue by throwing more money at it and not sure there is a fix other than a collapse comparable to the financial crisis or the Great depression. Then we can and rebuild again and continue the cycle albeit at a more equitable level.

I certainly agree with you about asset appreciation but I don't agree with you about inflation I go back to the US two to three times a year and every single trip nearly every staple that I purchase is 10% higher. So how is that 2 to 3% annual inflation? Those numbers are such fake garbage.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Didn't watch vid, but consider he was on the campaign trail. A bit different after he got appointed, and his policies didn't help Unions at all. Quite the opposite.

It was posted to demonstrate the origin of the claim, not for you to tie your knickers into a knot over.

In the video, he claimed he was secretly a cocaine snorting trannie.

37 minutes ago, Roadsternut said:

It was posted to demonstrate the origin of the claim, not for you to tie your knickers into a knot over.

In the video, he claimed he was secretly a cocaine snorting trannie.

Thought it was about Ronnie ... not Hunter 😁

7 hours ago, Wingate said:

atpeace wrote: Inflation is tame using the measurements they have use for the last century. The issue is that asset inflation is at unworldly levels.

Certainly that is a major part of it. Consider this re house affordability in the US:

Median income in 2000: $31,656

Median House Price in 2000: $162.050

Median income in 2026: $51,697

Median House Price in 2026: $413.742

In a post I wrote a few days ago, I noted the total market cap of US equity markets vs GDP---now 220%---and how that has been on a major upward trend since the end of The Great Recession of 2008-9, where it bottomed at 60%. Before that, only once had market cap risen above US GDP, which was during the dot.com bubble, and back then it barely---and temporarily---breached 100%. Since 2009, however, it has been the proverbial rocketship to the moon.

One not-so-hidden danger of this asset bubble is that "newcomers", which is to say young people, are not only be going to be priced out of all asset markets, but they will have almost no chance of ever being able to play. THAT may well turn them toward thinking Socialism is a good idea, which we all know is not a good idea (Yes, even us "lefties" know that). I can admit the opportunities I had to become wealthy (hedge fund manager) do not really exist anymore, at least at the entry level. 90% of my MBA class are now millionaires (recent reunion data), and a few are billionaires. Save for the few grads today who might---might---get into AI, that is history that will not repeat.

Also exacerbating this is the coverage of the massive wealth of those at the very top. Even back in the early 1980s when the first Forbes 400 was released, it took maybe $75 million in wealth to make the list. Forty-five years later it takes $3.8 billion in net worth to make the list. US GDP has grown by ~10 times since 1982, but to make the Forbes 400 has jumped 50 times. People who'll never even be able to afford a house see people like Elon Musk gaming for a $trillion net worth. Such people are lucky if they can find a job that pays $30K on entry, with maybe an upside of $60K. AI is going to make even that modest jump much harder, as human labor will soon be in great surplus.

Your post demonstrated why it's time for socialism now. It's all about the power of the people.

13 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Thought it was about Ronnie ... not Hunter 😁

WTF has Hunter Thompson got to do with this?

15 hours ago, nick supreme said:

Your post demonstrated why it's time for socialism now. It's all about the power of the people.

And who is going to pay for all the socialism, freebies? People who worked harder or smarter, for what they earned.

Want more, earn more. I didn't work to earn more for myself and family, only to give it away to lazy people waiting for their handout.

15 hours ago, nick supreme said:

Your post demonstrated why it's time for socialism now. It's all about the power of the people.

I assume you own nothing then correct ?

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