General Discussion

maxrandb

(16,789 posts)

116. Just a final follow up post

Wed Jul 30, 2025, 07:58 AM

Jul 30

As I was thinking about this, I had a conversation with an old friend. He's a bit conservative, but not in a Donnie Dipshit fascist way.

Anyway, the conversation eventually ended on the conservative 60 year trickle-down bullshit that conservatives always go to. It's like rote learning.

As I pointed out how much wages have been decimated, he centered on the tired old; "people are not getting ahead, because they live beyond their means". They always fall on this. You know? That poor working stiff "has to have a car", or "a cellphone", or, "they buy too much stuff", or they "bought a house".

It truly is a fucked-up argument. As if transportation, shelter, communications, were a "luxury"!

I simply pointed out that THAT'S WHAT BEING MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA USED TO BE!

A middle class American, working a full-time job, should be able to buy a car, rent, or buy a home, afford to communicate, and maybe even take the family out for dinner, a movie, or take a summer vacation.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

PATRICK

116 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Difference between a 23YO American in 1980, and a 23YO American in 2025 [View all] maxrandb Jul 25 OP

I was 22 in 1980 and made $4 per hour MichMan Jul 25 #1

I was 19 in 1980 and I made somewhere in the $3.50-$4.00 range SickOfTheOnePct Jul 25 #6

Worked in NY in 1980 nowforever Jul 25 #27

I made $4 an hour in 1970, union job. Ocelot II Jul 25 #51

I started my teaching career in 1965. pazzyanne Jul 25 #57

My first year teaching OrangeJoe Jul 25 #103

I was 15 in 1976 and made $3 an hour working 12 hours a week. haele Jul 25 #62

I was a Union Carpnter in 1980 and made about $9.00... Woodycall Jul 25 #74

I was Union Labor in 1980 Seinan Sensei Jul 25 #104

At the age of 18 in 1977, I was making $1.50 an hour Kaleva Jul 25 #2

You made $12.60 an hour in 1980? Hard to believe. Katinfl Jul 25 #3

I have the receipts! maxrandb Jul 25 #4

I don't doubt it but also think you were exceptionally lucky newdeal2 Jul 25 #42

So you made $9.00 more an hour in 7 years. Remarkable. Katinfl Jul 25 #66

I started while still in High School as a part-time cashier maxrandb Jul 25 #72

I can corroborate that grocery store cashiers in Ohio back then made good money. Diamond_Dog Jul 25 #102

You are to be believed. North Shore Chicago Jul 26 #113

It's not that we don't believe you... radical noodle Jul 25 #92

I was getting $8.50 an hour. hunter Jul 25 #45

From reading the first two posts here. Omnipresent Jul 25 #5

*replied to wrong post* SickOfTheOnePct Jul 25 #7

It was an exceptionally good job maxrandb Jul 25 #14

Military pay wasn't very good back then. COL Mustard Jul 25 #40

Yeah, I think my E1 pay was like $350 a month maxrandb Jul 25 #75

It's funny but I pay more in taxes today COL Mustard Jul 25 #77

That's odd TnDem Jul 25 #95

Saturday Night Live TheDemsshouldhireme Jul 25 #87

I don't know how you did that TnDem Jul 25 #8

He didn't. That was after seven years, starting at $3.50. nt eppur_se_muova Jul 25 #23

$3.50 in 1973 was GREAT money TnDem Jul 25 #26

What happened to this country was the Reagan and Republican embrace of Milton Friedman's economic theories. Lonestarblue Jul 25 #9

As bad as it was under Reagan, it was even worse under Ford and Carter TnDem Jul 25 #13

Don't forget 18% interest rates on mortgages. COL Mustard Jul 25 #53

It has nothing to do with either party TnDem Jul 25 #41

Yep... but... OldBaldy1701E Jul 25 #50

It was in the mid to late 80's roughly Hey Joe Jul 25 #56

Indeed. moondust Jul 25 #79

Other countries got nice things in the last 45 years. We got Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and Donald Trump. Initech Jul 25 #94

In 2010 I applied to a glass manufacturer in western PA Orrex Jul 25 #10

Your experience in 1980... SickOfTheOnePct Jul 25 #11

No, not typical, but it was a solidly middle class job maxrandb Jul 25 #17

bipartisan policy rampartd Jul 25 #12

Austerity for the Middle and Poor! Wealth for the already wealthy maxrandb Jul 25 #15

I moved out of my parents' house in 1980 at age 22 LSparkle Jul 25 #16

I bought my first car in 1976 maxrandb Jul 25 #18

I first started working in the 80s Johnny2X2X Jul 25 #19

I worked at the USPS in a student part time cachukis Jul 25 #20

As a person who grew up in Cleveland I'd like to know... llmart Jul 25 #21

Big Bear maxrandb Jul 25 #29

Somehow I don't remember Big Bear but I lived in the suburbs of NE Ohio. llmart Jul 25 #31

My birthday is also a Holiday maxrandb Jul 25 #34

I was born and raised in Cleveland BeerBarrelPolka Jul 25 #39

Yes, those are the ones I remember. llmart Jul 25 #65

Well TnDem Jul 25 #46

My first "real" job. I was 19 (1961) and it was a job with the N.J. Workmen's Comp bureau. $45 per week. 3Hotdogs Jul 25 #22

Really enjoying the comments via the wayback machine. Young people today NoMoreRepugs Jul 25 #24

I'm the same age and also an Ohioan mama Jul 25 #25

Walmart isn't hiring BigMin28 Jul 25 #28

I can't remember where I saw it maxrandb Jul 25 #30

That came up the other day on a thread here SickOfTheOnePct Jul 25 #37

That has been a standard feature of WalMart's business model for many years now from what I have read in the KPN Jul 25 #44

People don't realize how bad looking for a job is now. Oneironaut Jul 25 #32

I think TPTB don't realize this. But I totally agree with you. raccoon Jul 25 #69

$2.35/hr in 1977 pfitz59 Jul 25 #33

I earned about $10 an hour as an engineer with two degrees. rickford66 Jul 25 #35

Have a friend who had a job like that Freddie Jul 25 #36

I appreciate your posts about this. yardwork Jul 25 #38

In 1980 the inflation rate was 13.50 % Historic NY Jul 25 #43

Inflation TnDem Jul 25 #48

Inflation was 12.5% in 1980. Economic contraction was already underway -- decline in gross national income and jobs. KPN Jul 25 #52

In that era, ForgedCrank Jul 25 #47

The messaging all along has been that the billionaires and the one-percenters FakeNoose Jul 25 #49

Shows like "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" are partly to blame.... lastlib Jul 25 #54

Did you stock Fort Knox? ThreeNoSeep Jul 25 #55

Thank you and well sad maxrandb, I never tire of this story. c-rational Jul 25 #58

Younger than you but can relate as a Gen X born in 1970...I can relate JT45242 Jul 25 #59

I was a teacher in 1980, Ms. Toad Jul 25 #60

My Dad was also a Mustang sdfernando Jul 25 #61

If your dad served TnDem Jul 26 #109

Dad was an artillary officer in Korea. sdfernando Jul 26 #114

Thanks to Ronald Reagan. Martin68 Jul 25 #63

One impoverishing fad after another PATRICK Jul 25 #64

I'm right there with 'ya Patrick bagimin Jul 25 #80

I was working for Fisher Foods in Ohio in 1968, just out of high school..... FadedMullet Jul 25 #67

Thanks! I guess that's my point maxrandb Jul 25 #70

The right wing in Ohio went nuts when the legislature considered a $15.00 an hour minimum wage a while ago, while.... FadedMullet Jul 26 #115

It's not what "we" did, it's what "they" did Wicked Blue Jul 25 #68

Unrealized cap gains LiberalBear Jul 25 #71

In 1970 Mblaze Jul 25 #73

I started working in 1984 iirc and made 3.45 thatdemguy Jul 25 #76

It seems like people don't want to believe you. 1WorldHope Jul 25 #78

Gas was actually more expensive back then Kaleva Jul 25 #83

My Friend's Dad owned a 76 Station in Stockton in 1989ish.. StocktonNative Jul 25 #97

Some interesting facts Kaleva Jul 26 #110

Same dcmfox Jul 25 #81

This helps to understand the rise of conspiracy theories and widespread corruption. SleeplessinSoCal Jul 25 #82

I thought I was doing good when I managed to pick up slightlv Jul 25 #84

Ronald Reagan wryter2000 Jul 25 #85

1980 TheDemsshouldhireme Jul 25 #86

ah yup! well put. bluboid Jul 25 #88

Lived it. joanbarnes Jul 25 #89

US societal decline during my life span, divided into fractional Thirds Dock_Yard Jul 25 #90

I was 23 in 1980 and grossed $10,000 a year ... Auggie Jul 25 #91

they keep rebranding tinkle down + still is claptrap. even in my teens when reagan ran on it it sounded stoopid. pansypoo53219 Jul 25 #93

My Mom was a Stockton Unified School District Secretary... StocktonNative Jul 25 #96

"No longer valued labor, we valued wealth." I think you nailed it! Rec. Evolve Dammit Jul 25 #98

$12.60 in 1980 is $49.32 today..... madville Jul 25 #99

I've seen this before TimeToGo Jul 25 #100

Did you work for a relative? I grew up in Ohio, and no one I knew made that much money. phxjurist Jul 25 #101

It's not just America over the decades, it is a global thing. Aussie105 Jul 25 #105

I find it really hard to believe that you made $12.60 an hour working as a grocery stock clerk in 1980 Jack Valentino Jul 25 #106

That's a union job. I was making $3.50 an hour in Arkansas working construction non-union Weyerheauser contractor. rickyhall Jul 25 #107

I am 63 and agree 100%! BigmanPigman Jul 25 #108

Absolutely 💯 benfranklin1776 Jul 26 #111

$2.35 as a library assistant in 1978, and $13 on my first co-op term in 1982. lostnfound Jul 26 #112

Just a final follow up post maxrandb Jul 30 #116