[TDoS]

Economic growth, prosperity, even with idiot politicians in charge.

The standard of living for the median American has declined by 31.7% since 2008.

A median in a skewed distribution, how trickstery! But to be honest....need to know how "standard of living" is calculated.

This is what my AI told me about standard of living since 2008.

The American standard of living has improved overall since 2008, driven by gains in life expectancy and education, but this progress has been accompanied by a significant increase in income inequality and a slowdown in the pace of improvement for low- and middle-income Americans.

Key Indicators of the Standard of Living

Economic Growth: The U.S. economy experienced a long expansion after the Great Recession, with average annual GDP growth, though the pace of improvement in consumer spending power slowed considerably to about 0.4 percent per year between 2007 and 2015.

Median Household Income: Real (inflation-adjusted) median household income has seen an overall increase, reaching new highs in recent years after initial declines during and immediately after the recession. However, the gains have been unevenly distributed, with higher-income households seeing larger percentage gains than lower-income households, contributing to increased inequality.
Poverty Rate: The poverty rate initially increased during the Great Recession, reversing some gains from the late 1990s.

Life Expectancy: Health outcomes have generally improved, with most states seeing an increase in life expectancy over the last decade, though the rate of improvement has slowed slightly in some areas.
Education: Educational attainment has seen broad improvements across the country, with increases in high school and college degree attainment rates in most states, which typically leads to better long-term outcomes.
Cost of Living and Wages: A significant challenge has been the divergence between wage growth and the cost of essential goods like housing and healthcare, with these costs inflating at a higher rate than wages for the bottom 60% of earners. This means many working- and middle-class Americans feel "left behind" despite overall positive economic metrics.

Perception: Public perception shifted from general concern during the recession, when many felt their standard of living was getting worse, to more positive expectations in the years following, although satisfaction with the current standard of living has remained relatively stable over time.

So...how where did your 31.7% come from? I required more than some number from wherever from my AI, turn your AI loose on my AI's explanation, I'd really like them to iron this out for us.

[K-Dog]

IN2013DOLLARS.COM • 2025-11-05

Something that was priced at $990 in 2008 costs $1,489.70 today.

Playing with the math :

1498.7 / 990 => 1.514  How much would the median wage have to increase to reduce this price ratio increase down to 1.317 ?  The answer is 1.514 / 1.149 => 1.317 to yield an increase of 31.7% in real prices I need a wage increase of 14.9% for my math to work.  How much did the median income actually increase?

Real median household income (Census, expressed in 2024 C-CPI-U dollars): ↑ 18.73%.  Applying the two data sources to create the ratio is :  1.514 / 1.187 => 1.275 for an increase of 27.5% in real prices.

Sources: The above article and FRED.  So now you can take your AI and go fuck yourself with it.  You whittled my 31.7 % down to 27.5 % with some hard facts.  Big Deal.  The misery is slightly less quantified with this pair of data sources.  Other sources can be used, YMMV.

For the average American prosperity caught the last train for the coast quite a while ago no matter how much you want to complicate this.  No easy answer is bullshit, and that is exactly what your AI gave you.  The answer is the result of a simple ratio, and there is nothing complicated about it.

In some ways AI is the madness of crowds.

* Depending on which metrics are used real living standards have fallen from  ~27 to ~35 % since 2008 using the ratio presented.  I may have been closer the first time.

[K-Dog]

JACKBOWMAN.SUBSTACK.COM • 2025-10-26

The Chart of Doom

The stock market rising, and the number of job openings in America declining.

[RE]

No Worries.  Concerned Amerikans will pass out sandwiches and Church Pantries will pop up like mushrooms. Plus there is plenty of nutritious food left free for collection every day by restaurants and supermarkets.



https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/15/food-stamps-snap-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-impact-00653447

Food stamps are back, but millions will soon lose benefits permanently

RE

[RE]

Trump's implicit message to the hungry and the sick – which might be summarized as "I'm starving you because the Democrats won't let us take your healthcare away"

Come home, America! The Republicans will give you a cardboard box to sleep in and a nice hot bowl of gruel.

While food pantries stocked their shelves for the coming crisis, the president ate truffle dauphinoise and pan-seared scallops at a Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago and posted photos of the renovated marble-clad Lincoln bathroom.

While alleging there is no affordability crisis, the president tosses out dumb ideas to address it: a $2,000 tariff dividend to everybody except "high-income people"; 50-year mortgages; direct payments to people to buy health services, instead of the "bad healthcare provided by Obamacare".

Between this and Epstein, unless Trumpolini rigs the 2026 elections the Repugnants will get creamed.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/13/republicans-are-scrambling-to-reclaim-affordability-good-luck-with-that

Republicans are scrambling to reclaim affordability. Good luck with that

RE

[K-Dog]

Eugene starts by emphasizing that applying the movie 'Hunger Games' to the current state of things in America sounds dramatic, but actually is an accurate assessment of the American situation.  I agree.

CAROLINAPOLITICALREVIEW.ORG • 2025-05-05

The Politics of Control: The Hunger Games, MAGA, and the Rebranding of Dissent

The greatest form of control isn't censorship, it's the illusion of freedom.

[K-Dog]

CHASINGTHESQUIRREL.COM • 2025-11-26

The Bottom

Alligator Alcatraz proposed for Utah.

I wrote the above here in the Diner using an enhanced toolbar which I just got working.  As it is part of a larger plan, nobody but I can see it for now.  It will be used to redo the comments editor that is below the article.  The version I just got working is only for writing articles on the main page.  Launched by a special button only members of an authors group can see.  I will be the only member of the group for a while as I get things working.  Since I just published on the Doomscroll I have to adapt the calendar which was below the comments button to use the new article system which is now part of the forum under the hood.  Then I can publish a new article with the calendar able to load previously published articles.  Until then I can only edit this article.

[K-Dog]

MINTPRESSNEWS.COM • 2025-12-19

Indiegogo Withholds $51K In Donations From MintPress in Financial Censorship Crackdown

MintPress News is being financially censored.

[K-Dog]

ACTIVISTPOST.COM • 2025-12-24

Chris Hedges: Rebranding Genocide

The claim that "it was Israel's right to defend itself" has been used to justify an imperialist massacre in which, even by Israel's own military intelligence data, the vast majority of the dead were civilians—carried out against 2.3 million Palestinians in a besieged Gaza Strip with no conventional forces and without an external military patron comparable to the US, which has fuelled the slaughter with massive aid and political cover.

[K-Dog]

THELASTFARM.SUBSTACK.COM • 2025-12-27

We Don't Need Any More Renewables

Here's how to reduce electricity demand while improving quality of life.

[K-Dog]

ALJAZEERA.COM • 2025-12-27

US air strikes won't fix Nigeria's security crisis but could make it worse

An attack on local armed groups does not address the root cause of violence; it could, however, drive polarisation.

[K-Dog]

OPEN.SPOTIFY.COM • 2025-12-20

Designing The Revolution, Beyond the Citadel

Refusing to build another citadel.

[K-Dog]

FUTURISM.COM • 2025-12-20

SpaceX Is Buying Up an Unfathomable Number of Cybertrucks

As an insider source told Electrek, the billionaire's space company SpaceX has bought over 1,000 Cybertrucks from Tesla, a number that could rise to 2,000 over time.

[K-Dog]

NPR.ORG • 2025-12-27

Kennedy Center vows to sue musician who canceled performance over Trump name change

The Kennedy Center says it is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after President Trump's name appeared on the building.


Here is some of his music.


nice, I enjoyed every note

[K-Dog]

THEHILL.COM • 2025-12-29

Trump sides with Russia on claims that Ukraine targeted Putin residence

Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of trying to attack President Vladimir Putin's residence in northern Russia, which President Trump said he was "very angry" about, even as Kyiv has denied it happened.

Is it real or is it Memorex, who knows.  Regardless Trump is going to have to work harder for his next peace prize.