The Incredible Shrinking Incomes of Young Americans

[The Brain]

What if young Americans cut their hair and got a job?

[Tamas]

My wary regarding used cars is that how the car was used can have a major impact. eg. this used car of ours had to be handled very carelessly and brutally by the previous owner to end up in the shape it turned out to be.

[Malthus]

Fizzbin?!?

If you're going to use a nerd reference, at least get it close to right.  The Star Trek race was the Ferengi, which would have been good enough, but for full marks it is the Rules of Acquisition.

Original Trek is best Trek.   

Anyway, Fizzbin is funnier. 

[Barrister]

Fizzbin?!?

If you're going to use a nerd reference, at least get it close to right.  The Star Trek race was the Ferengi, which would have been good enough, but for full marks it is the Rules of Acquisition.

Original Trek is best Trek.   

Anyway, Fizzbin is funnier. 

You have, indeed, out-nerded me.

Rules of Fizzbin is a valid Star Trek reference that went over my head.   

[Malthus]

Fizzbin?!?

If you're going to use a nerd reference, at least get it close to right.  The Star Trek race was the Ferengi, which would have been good enough, but for full marks it is the Rules of Acquisition.

Original Trek is best Trek.   

Anyway, Fizzbin is funnier. 

You have, indeed, out-nerded me.

Rules of Fizzbin is a valid Star Trek reference that went over my head.   

Heh, I thought you got it, but were making fun of my using ToS. 

[Phillip V]

If young Americans have it so bad, why are they not causing a ruckus?

[Malthus]

If young Americans have it so bad, why are they not causing a ruckus?

Because if they do, their parents will bang on the floor and tell them to keep it down. 

[Razgovory]

If young Americans have it so bad, why are they not causing a ruckus?

Yeah, it's not like we've seen riots or protests in the last few years.

[Malthus]

More seriously - it is really hard to complain when the source of the problem isn't well understood, even by professional economists.

I've been saying for years now that the West is moving to a system where the non-rich are divvied up into "haves" and "have nots", and the middle ground between 'em is getting relentlessly squeezed.

What there is to be done about it is less obvious.

[crazy canuck]

More seriously - it is really hard to complain when the source of the problem isn't well understood, even by professional economists.

I've been saying for years now that the West is moving to a system where the non-rich are divvied up into "haves" and "have nots", and the middle ground between 'em is getting relentlessly squeezed.

What there is to be done about it is less obvious.

I agree. 

[Jacob]

More seriously - it is really hard to complain when the source of the problem isn't well understood, even by professional economists.

I've been saying for years now that the West is moving to a system where the non-rich are divvied up into "haves" and "have nots", and the middle ground between 'em is getting relentlessly squeezed.

What there is to be done about it is less obvious.

It does seem to be the case, yes.

[MadImmortalMan]

They bent over backwards (doubled the warranty, which for an used car is important IMO) to get me to agree to finance half of it through their loan company, which I finally did.

I had a similar experience buying both my FJ and the Challenger. In both cases I paid the loan off anyway the next month. 

[MadImmortalMan]

More seriously - it is really hard to complain when the source of the problem isn't well understood, even by professional economists.

I've been saying for years now that the West is moving to a system where the non-rich are divvied up into "haves" and "have nots", and the middle ground between 'em is getting relentlessly squeezed.

What there is to be done about it is less obvious.

It's an environment where expenses are higher and wages are lower. The solution to that problem is exactly what economists don't want people to do: save money. That's how people gain social mobility and separation from the paycheck to paycheck dependency.

[The Larch]

They bent over backwards (doubled the warranty, which for an used car is important IMO) to get me to agree to finance half of it through their loan company, which I finally did.

I had a similar experience buying both my FJ and the Challenger. In both cases I paid the loan off anyway the next month. 

I was tied to my deal for a year, I couldn't pay the loan instantly. The extra warranty still costed more than the little interest I had to pay, though.

[crazy canuck]

More seriously - it is really hard to complain when the source of the problem isn't well understood, even by professional economists.

I've been saying for years now that the West is moving to a system where the non-rich are divvied up into "haves" and "have nots", and the middle ground between 'em is getting relentlessly squeezed.

What there is to be done about it is less obvious.

It's an environment where expenses are higher and wages are lower. The solution to that problem is exactly what economists don't want people to do: save money. That's how people gain social mobility and separation from the paycheck to paycheck dependency.

Real wages certainly appear to be lower and the cost of living is higher.  In addition the amount of income disparity is growing to levels not seen for a very long time.  I doubt that merely telling people who have no disposable income to save more is the solution.