Quote:jagibelieve, where did you go?

 

Nowhere, I'm still here.  I'll even respond to some of your comments above.

 

First off, yes I base my outlook based on my own life experiences.  While monetarily I do earn/have more than my parents did at my age, but the thing is, the tax burden is much higher for me than it was for them.  The cost of healthcare is way higher than it was for them.  The education system is worse and has been getting worse for the younger generations.

 

Regarding your comments on the job market and my idea of unrealistic wages.  Cashiers, fast food workers, etc. are still only worth a certain amount.  The same goes for laborers in the construction industry.  An argument can perhaps be made that these used to be "middle class jobs", but in reality, they have always been entry level positions.  Those kinds of jobs were never meant to be a "career" they were meant to get a foot in the door, or provide a means for a young high school kid to earn some money for college or perhaps a "want" such as a car.  Many of the manufacturing jobs used to be better paying and were a good source for middle class people to have a career.  However, a few things drove those types of jobs to pretty much extinction.  New technology, demand for higher wages and benefits, over regulation and taxation.  It's gotten to the point where it's cheaper for companies to produce products elsewhere.

 

As far as minimum wage not keeping up with inflation.  The value of workers has not risen for the same reasons that I already outlined.  A worker at a fast food restaurant is no more valuable now than they were 5, 10 or even 15 years ago.  They are expendable and the turnover is generally pretty high.  There isn't any real skill involved and there is a large pool of workers who will take the job for what the going wage is.  Add in the cost of regulation (workers compensation, mandated healthcare costs, etc.) and it's not too hard to see why wages haven't risen, especially at the bottom.

 

You bring up the fact that the average pay for a plumber in February 2016 was $55,000.  That works out to roughly $26.44 per hour.  Show me a plumber in Jacksonville that makes that much.  The reality is that a plumber in Jacksonville probably makes somewhere in the mid 30's (just an estimate on my part).  The problem with your figure is that it takes into account the higher tax rate/higher cost of living states.  Yes, a plumber in California or New York might make the amount that you quoted, but how much more does it cost to live there?

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