I think what is starting to happen is a fast separation between the working class and the business/professional class. If this continues
for more than a year or two -- and even that would be catastrophic--
this country will become very different that what we know, today.
Her salary 'doubled'. Now, she's not making the big bucks or anything , like with 'real ' bankers. Still, she has not yet finished her undergraduate studies (she transferred to ASU from Texas
where she lost her basketball scholarship, after an injury--she's 6') and she just went from making less than $24,000 to her new salry of $48,000. Almost exactly doubling her salary. At the same time, in the same town, I can get unskilled labor that will bust their butts for $5 to $7 per hour, that would have cost me at least $10 r $12 per hour, not even a year ago. I can get 'skilled' labor, today,
for the same $10 or $12 per hour that I would have paid for 'unskilled' labor , less than a year ago. My bank employee friend is
22 y.o., and making almost $50,000, with great benefits with her promotion; while a 40 y.o. experienced carpenter is only getting $10
per hour with no benefits for hard labor skilled work, and he can't
find enough work to support his family. Something will have to give, if things continue like this.
I went to a popular local breakfast hangout yesterday, a mid-priced place, an omelet breakfast with tip will run about $15. The place was packed as usual. People in their Ralph Lauren and fancy handbags, plenty of German and better Japanes cars in the parking lot. . Everything seemed very normal. But, I wonder what it was like at McDonalds with their dollar menu. Were people buying one less egg mcmuffin? If what I am seeing, and fearing is correct, this
will change society. Working people won't, and shouldn't, in my opinion, put up with this for long.
What I'm afraid will happen, though, is that the middle class -- not
the very comfortable, and certainly not the rich -- will bear the brunt of the anger of the dis-enfranchised working class.
salries have vounteered to work for a buck this year, but, they'll make that back , have no fear. Why was there no outcry for the white
collar salaried employee's salaries like there was for the blue collar workers wages?
One of my neighbors is just finishing extensive interior renovations
on his house, so I walked down yesterday to look at his new custom made knotty alder cabinets and his front entrance door that cost more
than an excellent used car, and his new 21 seer (?) cooling system.
I aske dhim what in the world he was spending so much for, in this economy. he's a bit older than me and semi-retired. he said , well
he already had planned to do this , over a year ago (he re-married about that time) and he say, "hey, I'm getting excellent labor ,cheaper than I've seen it in ages". The problem is he expects to move to his retiremnet home , up around, Sedona -- in five years. He
thinks that the economy will have completely recovered and he'll be
able to recouop the approx. $200,000 of renovations in five years. I
think he is way off on his timing.
He'll be alright, either way; just worth less, if I'm right. But, people who build things or repair things or service things or servive
the people who build and repair; they are looking at very bleak times ahead. A man who swings a hammer or turns a wrench or lays pipe is going to work harder for less income, 'when' he can find work.
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