[ExI] Why is "cost of living" such a big problem?

[spike at rainier66.com]

The link didn't want to work.  Chart shown below.

 

spike

 

-----Original Message-----
From: spike at rainier66.com <spike at rainier66.com> 
.

 

>... If you are a poor sick person (not so poor as to be homeless, but 

>poor

enough to not be able to afford health care)...  Ben

 

....then you qualify for government subsidized health insurance.  I will
grant that it isn't great insurance and doesn't cover everything, it would
help the sick person in the example.  His daughter can still go to college.

 

This chart is most enlightening: 

 

 



 

 

 
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-WLm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progres
s>
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-WLm!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progress

ive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimag

es%2Fab55bc63-c70b-4fdc-abd0-d787fce0216c_1507x1247.jpeg?utm_source=substack

&utm_medium=email

 

There was one striking thing I noticed: the price of cars was steady for 20
years, which is equivalent to their coming down in price.  Cars got a
looooot better between 2000 and 2020, but the price didn't change much.  I
bought a new car in 1999, so it was very clear.  Anyone who goes to Costco
already knew of TV prices dropping to where they are a great way to spend a
few bucks.  The TVs dramatically improved in quality in those 25 yrs.

 

If the price tracks inflation, that means the cost isn't changing: the value
of the currency is dropping.  So food and housing cost isn't changing much
over time, hourly wages are increasing slightly faster than inflation.  

 

Now look at everything above those things: medical stuff and college.  Ben's
example is about affording college or medical bills, both of which are going
crazy in cost.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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