Politics

[John Wasmuth]

Well said, the saddest part of this whole thing to me is, with everything that is going on in the world given our two choices we had in 2024 I would reluctantly vote for Trump again tomorrow if I had to. I was a reluctant Trump voter back then and nothing has changed. I can only imagine what things would look like with a President Harris.
The sad state of politics in the US right now.

Me too

 

[mdwest]

Well said, the saddest part of this whole thing to me is, with everything that is going on in the world given our two choices we had in 2024 I would reluctantly vote for Trump again tomorrow if I had to. I was a reluctant Trump voter back then and nothing has changed. I can only imagine what things would look like with a President Harris.
The sad state of politics in the US right now.

Completely concur..

I’m not much of a Trump fan…

But have voted for him 3 times…

Given the choice of Trump or Hillary or Biden or Harris… Trump wins every single time…

I would have preferred DeSantis back in 2016 and in 2024… but that wasn’t an option…

Bad Orange Man as opposed to evil Hillary, brain dead Biden, or idiot Harris though?

The bad orange man is the pretty obvious choice…

 

[AJ Peacock]

Completely concur..

I’m not much of a Trump fan…

But have voted for him 3 times…

Given the choice of Trump or Hillary or Biden or Harris… Trump wins every single time…

I would have preferred DeSantis back in 2016 and in 2024… but that wasn’t an option…

Bad Orange Man as opposed to evil Hillary, brain dead Biden, or idiot Harris though?

The bad orange man is the pretty obvious choice…

You and I are in absolute perfect lock step! Well said.

AJ

 

[Newboomer]

As an outsider looking in, I think your President is smarter than everyone gives him credit for. The fact that he puts out stuff that gets everyone focused on some bullshit, then does something different, or follows through with some things, you never know which, keeps everyone on their toes. He does say some crazy stuff, but generally what he does (actions) is for the better of the country he was elected to represent.
You can’t pattern him, so you can’t get an advantage, I think that’s a good thing. The old saying, sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me, comes to mind with him. Yes he does say some bizarre stuff, but I really feel that is necessary to keep people off guard, and he truly thinks America is the greatest country in the world.
Our leader thinks China is the greatest country in the world, and only does things to improve his personal wealth.
Just my opinion, but I wish we had a Donald right now!

Exactly. He is a master strategist when it comes to keeping the opposition off balance. He comes out with some outrageous crap and everyone goes batshit while he goes about running the country and no one knows.

 

[rookhawk]

I saw an internet chart that showed the Minimum Hourly Pay in the USA required to afford a home from 1920-2026. I asked ChatGPT to estimate the percentage of the US adult population that met those earnings for each of the years.

Lack of sound money has destroyed the American dream. Inflation should be the #1 voter issue but it never, ever is.

Year	Required Hourly	Annual Equivalent	Approx % of Adults Earning ≥ This
1920	$0.40	~$800	~60–70% (near average wage levels)
1930	$0.45	~$900	~55–65% (Depression begins lowering incomes)
1940	$0.62	~$1,240	~50–60%
1950	$1.10	~$2,200	~55–65% (post-war growth lifts incomes)
1960	$2.15	~$4,300	~50–55% (close to median)
1970	$3.60	~$7,200	~50% (very close to median income)
1980	$6.75	~$13,500	~50% (median household ~$16k) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
1990	$11.25	~$22,500	~45–50% (slightly below median) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
2000	$16.05	~$32,100	~40–45%
2010	$22.45	~$44,900	~35–40%
2020	$32.70	~$65,400	~30–35% (median household ~$70k) (Pew Research Center)
2025	$57.32	~$114,600	~15–20% (well into upper quintile)
2026	$59.00	~$118,000	~15–20%

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I saw an internet chart that showed the Minimum Hourly Pay in the USA required to afford a home from 1920-2026. I asked ChatGPT to estimate the percentage of the US adult population that met those earnings for each of the years.

Lack of sound money has destroyed the American dream. Inflation should be the #1 voter issue but it never, ever is.

Year	Required Hourly	Annual Equivalent	Approx % of Adults Earning ≥ This
1920	$0.40	~$800	~60–70% (near average wage levels)
1930	$0.45	~$900	~55–65% (Depression begins lowering incomes)
1940	$0.62	~$1,240	~50–60%
1950	$1.10	~$2,200	~55–65% (post-war growth lifts incomes)
1960	$2.15	~$4,300	~50–55% (close to median)
1970	$3.60	~$7,200	~50% (very close to median income)
1980	$6.75	~$13,500	~50% (median household ~$16k) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
1990	$11.25	~$22,500	~45–50% (slightly below median) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
2000	$16.05	~$32,100	~40–45%
2010	$22.45	~$44,900	~35–40%
2020	$32.70	~$65,400	~30–35% (median household ~$70k) (Pew Research Center)
2025	$57.32	~$114,600	~15–20% (well into upper quintile)
2026	$59.00	~$118,000	~15–20%

How much house are they talking?

 

[rookhawk]

How much house are they talking?

I added median home price to the chart.

Year	Required Hourly	Annual Equivalent	% Adults ≥ Income	Median Home Price
1920	$0.40	~$800	~60–70%	~$6,000
1930	$0.45	~$900	~55–65%	~$7,000
1940	$0.62	~$1,240	~50–60%	~$6,000 (Depression dip)
1950	$1.10	~$2,200	~55–65%	~$11,700
1960	$2.15	~$4,300	~50–55%	~$18,600
1970	$3.60	~$7,200	~50%	~$23,000
1980	$6.75	~$13,500	~50%	~$47,200
1990	$11.25	~$22,500	~45–50%	~$79,100
2000	$16.05	~$32,100	~40–45%	~$119,600
2010	$22.45	~$44,900	~35–40%	~$222,900
2020	$32.70	~$65,400	~30–35%	~$336,900
2025	$57.32	~$114,600	~15–20%	~$430,000–$450,000
2026	$59.00	~$118,000	~15–20%	~$440,000–$460,000

 

[Killingtime]

I saw an internet chart that showed the Minimum Hourly Pay in the USA required to afford a home from 1920-2026. I asked ChatGPT to estimate the percentage of the US adult population that met those earnings for each of the years.

Lack of sound money has destroyed the American dream. Inflation should be the #1 voter issue but it never, ever is.

Year	Required Hourly	Annual Equivalent	Approx % of Adults Earning ≥ This
1920	$0.40	~$800	~60–70% (near average wage levels)
1930	$0.45	~$900	~55–65% (Depression begins lowering incomes)
1940	$0.62	~$1,240	~50–60%
1950	$1.10	~$2,200	~55–65% (post-war growth lifts incomes)
1960	$2.15	~$4,300	~50–55% (close to median)
1970	$3.60	~$7,200	~50% (very close to median income)
1980	$6.75	~$13,500	~50% (median household ~$16k) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
1990	$11.25	~$22,500	~45–50% (slightly below median) (DQYDJ – Don't Quit Your Day Job...)
2000	$16.05	~$32,100	~40–45%
2010	$22.45	~$44,900	~35–40%
2020	$32.70	~$65,400	~30–35% (median household ~$70k) (Pew Research Center)
2025	$57.32	~$114,600	~15–20% (well into upper quintile)
2026	$59.00	~$118,000	~15–20%

If you take median household income and divide it into median housecost prices it’s pretty much the last five years and 2005-06 that were the highest ever. And people forget when they look at median income today the majority of the us is two people working combined into that number but prior to 1970’s the majority was single income.

Inflation is never going away as long as governments control money supplies.

Look up Murray rothbards book a history of money and banking in the Us. This country wasn’t even a few years old and they destroyed the money supply ( the continental dollar) they restarted again I. The 1800’s and destroyed it and again in the 1900’s though atleast this time we built a world economy out of it before it has become unsustainable lol

 

[Killingtime]

How much house are they talking?

I believe median home price

 

[Brent in Az]

U.S sinks 6 Iranian fast boats

 

[AJ Peacock]

U.S sinks 6 Iranian fast boats

To be known hence forth as 'not fast enough boats'!

AJ

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

To be known hence forth as 'not fast enough boats'!

AJ

I bet they sink fast enough.

 

[Brent in Az]

To be known hence forth as 'not fast enough boats'!

AJ

Slower then a speeding bullet

 

[Hunt anything]

U.S sinks 6 Iranian fast boats

I’ve been curious, where are the Iranians hiding these boats that we can’t find and destroy them in port?
I’ve never seen the Iranian coast but on all of the coasts I’ve seen other than a couple that had a bunch of estuaries, you can find a boat moored anyplace.

 

[SaintPanzer]

I added median home price to the chart.

Year	Required Hourly	Annual Equivalent	% Adults ≥ Income	Median Home Price
1920	$0.40	~$800	~60–70%	~$6,000
1930	$0.45	~$900	~55–65%	~$7,000
1940	$0.62	~$1,240	~50–60%	~$6,000 (Depression dip)
1950	$1.10	~$2,200	~55–65%	~$11,700
1960	$2.15	~$4,300	~50–55%	~$18,600
1970	$3.60	~$7,200	~50%	~$23,000
1980	$6.75	~$13,500	~50%	~$47,200
1990	$11.25	~$22,500	~45–50%	~$79,100
2000	$16.05	~$32,100	~40–45%	~$119,600
2010	$22.45	~$44,900	~35–40%	~$222,900
2020	$32.70	~$65,400	~30–35%	~$336,900
2025	$57.32	~$114,600	~15–20%	~$430,000–$450,000
2026	$59.00	~$118,000	~15–20%	~$440,000–$460,000

I think the more salient point is how much "house" do you get for "median"?

In 1920, the "average" sized home was 1,048 square feet. Based on average family size, that was about 214 square feet per person.

By 1940, the "average" was 1,177 square feet, about 321 square feet per person.

By 2015, the "average" was 2,657 square feet. That works out to be a little more than 1,000 square feet per person. So while the cost is going up, you're in effect buying another house and a half for the price. This needs to be taken into account. We can't "demand" more, and then expect it to cost less.

Source: https://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/05/25/the-size-of-a-home-the-year-you-were-born/

I'm not saying there's not a problem (and inflation is a very big problem), but there are important parts of the data that must be considered.

 

[mdwest]

I think the more salient point is how much "house" do you get for "median"?

In 1920, the "average" sized home was 1,048 square feet. Based on average family size, that was about 214 square feet per person.

By 1940, the "average" was 1,177 square feet, about 321 square feet per person.

By 2015, the "average" was 2,657 square feet. That works out to be a little more than 1,000 square feet per person. So while the cost is going up, you're in effect buying another house and a half for the price. This needs to be taken into account. We can't "demand" more, and then expect it to cost less.

Source: https://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/05/25/the-size-of-a-home-the-year-you-were-born/

I'm not saying there's not a problem (and inflation is a very big problem), but there are important parts of the data that must be considered.

this is what I was thinking...

no doubt that inflation is a problem...

but I THINK (I dont absolutely know) that "standard of living" is as much a driver as "cost of living"...

I grew up pretty middle class in the 70's... my father was a senior manager with Ma Bell when I was very young, and then moved into banking where he progressed into executive level roles fairly quickly..

the home I grew up in, the cars my parents drove, the vacations we took when I was a child, etc.. would all be considered pretty low end by comparrison with what people think "middle class" is today..

hell.. in the early 90's I lived in a small (maybe 1000 sq foot) 3br condo that I shared with a girlfriend.. drove an older model vehicle.. etc.. and while I knew I wasnt living high on the hog.. I was sitting on the threshold of "middle class".. I never went without.. etc.. I wouldnt say I was "comfortable".. but I wasnt living check to check either..

People living at that same standard today.. just 30 years later would be considered working class by most..

 

[spike.t]

Unbelievable how a large percentage of the population these days really are mentally sub par....excuse for scratching their initials on the coliseum...I didn't know it was old....

A Tourist Damaged Florence’s 'Fountain of Neptune' While Attempting to Grope Its Marble Statue on a Dare https://share.google/02aQzx80Tdw0BmRMH

 

[Flipper Dude]

Exactly. We were smack dab in the middle of middle class. Grew up on a public lake in a very nice lake house. Surrounded by 10,000 acres pine and hardwood forest. We went out to eat maybe twice a year. Maybe a soft drink a month or so. Vacation consisted of loading up the car and spending 3 or 4 days at another lake. Two road trips for Colorado camping.

Never wanted for a thing. I think it was a perfect childhood

 

[spike.t]

Post from Fox News

NEW: Judge apologizes in court to WHCA Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui said that he was “fascinated and disturbed” by Allen'...

youtube.com

 

[Waldo2382]

I’ve been curious, where are the Iranians hiding these boats that we can’t find and destroy them in port?
I’ve never seen the Iranian coast but on all of the coasts I’ve seen other than a couple that had a bunch of estuaries, you can find a boat moored anyplace.

The small speed boats don’t need to be in the water all the time and are little more than super pangas. With enough practice and preloaded, time at the boat launch can be pretty short. Luckily the summer fishing season in Iran isn’t in full swing with dummies looking for the boat plug for long waits.