Originally Posted by
AdamDZ
No. I haven't received a pay increase in over 5 years, except for the tiny inflation adjustments. Meantime gas and electricity costs more than doubled. Transit fares doubled. My rent went up 30%. All insurance and many taxes and fees went up significantly. Food prices doubled too. I'm lucky I don't have kids. I know many people at work that struggle, drowning in debt, working two jobs or giving up their health benefits to save up some money.
Originally Posted by
wahoonc
This is representational of much of America's middle class, our income is down quite a bit from our high of 12 years ago, my pay has gone up incrementally but has not kept up with inflation. My wife lost 40% of her pay check when the company she works for went bankrupt and canceled their contract. Amazingly their CEO has gotten multiple multi-million dollar bonuses. Welcome to America, we are now a plutocracy.
Aaron
Thank you both so much for your honesty. I really appreciate it. Most would or will continue to suffer in silence, buffered by a smiling face presented to others in public. That is my argument for this particular post-it has not really gotten better for the masses-Middle Class on down.