The Cost of Living

Back in the 70s, my dad was making good money.
Population: 204,879,000
Unemployed in 1970: 4,088,000 (1.9%)
National Debt: $382 billion
Average salary: $7,564
Food prices: milk, 1.34 cents a gal.; bread, 24 cents a loaf; round steak, $1.30 a pound
Gallon of Gas: $0.30
BBL of oil: $3.30

Today, I think I make OK money.
Population: 305,697,052
Unemployment in 2008: 13,144,973 (4.6%)
National Debt.: $10.7 Trillion
Average salary: $77,634
Food Prices: milk, $3.66; bread, $1.40; Steak, $4.37
Gallon of Gas: $4.76
BBL of oil: $149

So, it turns out, my dad was making (in equivalent dollars) about $98,000 a year...
Turns out, I would be doing better if my salary kept up with the increase in things...
I would have been making $5972 in 1970...not so good...

It takes about $13 today to equal what $1 was in 1970
Why is it we seem to be getting the short end of the stick?
I haven't had a "cost of living" increase in about 6 years. The cost of living is currently about 5.8%, about equivalent to what it was in the 1970s. But, as I mentioned, I haven't received an increase in 6 years or more. I do get a small raise every year; about 2-3% of my salary...which should be added ON TOP OF my cost of living increase...

So, to make matters worse...
Electricity has gone up about 6% per year. In 1970 the cost was $0.02 per kwh, to today at about $0.24.

Natural Gas has also gone up...

Taxes have gone up...

Education costs have gone up...

Medical expenses have gone up...

And INTEREST RATES have gone up...

Then we get taken advantage of by every business and every organization that things we won't notice..."Fuel Surcharge" came into being in 2008, from Traffic Tickets to the price to ride the UTA system...
Now fuel has gone down, and is currently at $1.80...but NONE of the other prices have gone down.

I don't see any relief. My only hope is to wait until my youngest is in School, and my wife can get a job during the day...this will provide extra money to stay caught up...

Why is this such a sticky point? CEOs and Major Corporations making RECORD PROFITS, while their employees become "working poor"...

The economic revolution is on the way...just wait and watch...