How much is your local "Trump at the Pump Tax?"

Yeah, you're right. It's not fair to blame everything on the current president. (Then again, it's not fair to blame everything on the last one either).

To me it's not so much about who's to blame but what's happening. You seem to point out numbers from the early 70's, correct? Back then the price of a house was about 2.4 times that of a yearly median wage. Today it's more than double at over 5 times the median wage. In my area a median house is about 13 times that of a median wage. I can live without McDonald's cheeseburgers, but it's kind of nice to have a roof over one's head and it would be even nicer if putting money towards that roof could result in some personal equity.

 

What I neglected to point out was that wages were also lower. Minimum wage then was also $1.60 an hour.

I was merely pointing out that times have always been hard...and always will be...unless and until one does better for themselves. I legally went from street rat to extremely comfortable in my 67+ years on this rock because I got off my azz and did it myself...not because someone made it easy for me. There's alway going to be something to deal with in life...regardless whether you vote Left, Right or Center.

 

...or the next one.

 

Yeah, but it's so easy.

 

Right. Wages were lower too. And yes, people should try hard to live better lives instead of just blaming the past present and future presidents for all their problems.

But then again, there's also a lot of merit in living within one's means and accepting that life isn't fair.

It's called being balanced. It's called being modest. No, I don't have the things you have and I never will. But I have what's most important to me. It would be suicide to try to buy a house right now or a new car. I can't work 6 full-time jobs. Sorry if that disappoints you. But the fact is that back then, a 65¢ quarter pounder with cheese was only 44% of an hour's worth of work at minimum wage. Now, a $6.39 quarter pounder with cheese is 88% of an hour's worth of work at minimum wage.

 

I'm not saying or implying anything negative your way. My comments were directed at the partisan politics blame game...both sides.

FTR...I still like peanut butter and crackers.

 

People who can't do those two things lay a foundation for personal misery.

Assets are finite. Even Elon Musk, America's first african american trillionaire, has financial limits.

Desires are infinite. Accepting an ethic of personal poverty breaks the tension between what one wants and what one accepts, and allows charity from one's own resources to others.

 

We have been down this resort city road before.

In the world most of us live in, $15 an hour is the starting wage almost anywhere for anyone. There are still help wanted signs up everywhere.

That $6.39 McD burger (overpriced for convenience with $5 meals available which include fries and drinks) is 42.6% of any high school kid's $15 hourly wage. Guys with a lawn mower get $25 an hour.

Your McD burger here is only 37% of a kid's wage - and I live in a booming Central Texas area full of summer tourists.

I will agree inflation is fast and furious since the first free money was sent out during Trump's first administration and repeated several times. Many (most) of us did not need it and a lot of it was blown on new flat screens and other unnecessary discretionary purchases.

But at the same time, the whole covid thing convinced many baby boomers to retire early, many hundreds of thousands died early and immigration enforcement removed a lot of labor.

Delivery services boomed and are expanding (including groceries delivered 30 miles away with extra pickers at each store) providing jobs and buyers of old Prii.

The trades are begging for help with some shops paying new people as they learn. Good mechanics and hvac guys are scarce. Jobs are abundant and housing is still within range for those with a demonstrated income.

Sometimes a hard decision has to be made. It was not that long ago our relatives were walking behind a wagon train to find and achieve prosperity.

.

 

This price comparison stuff - how much $1 would buy (prior to so much fiat dollar printing) compared to how little now it buys/compensated via higher costs nowadays - reminds me of another price comparison fun fact.
Cost per hr for California legal fees.
In the early 90s, a Big Mac was 2½ bucks.
Attorney would typically cost $250 an hour in calif.
Today there are still places in Cali where you can get a Big Mac for only 4 or $5. And the Big Mac Theory still works. You can get an attorney for 400 or $500. But the highest ripoffs at McDonald's will be $7 & in law specialties - you could pay $700/ hr for yer shyster. "the Big Mac rule" add a couple zeros

.

 

That philosophy - sadly seldom gets echoed.

It reminds me of a song written by the band, Coldplay. 1st few stanzas;

".... I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing,
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand..... "

Songs often have multiple meanings, but for yours truly, it speaks of a famous person, whether musician, politician, actor, business person Etc - how few there are who can be content in any station in life.
.