As of the end of 2023, the typical U.S. worker could afford the same goods and services as in 2019, prior to the pandemic, and had an additional $1,400 to spend or save per year, according to a January analysis by Treasury officials.

Demar Byas of Pontiac, Michigan referred to experts touting the nation’s economic performance as a “slap in the face.”

“You’re celebrating these numbers, but we are struggling,” said Byas, who juggles several jobs to make ends meet. “It’s no relief in sight, and just say those numbers and to celebrate that, and as I said stuff becomes a slap in the face.”

  • DogPeePoo@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    Janet Yellen takes money from Goldman Sachs and many other K-street banks and continues to do their bidding.

    All while unabashedly lying and shitting all over the American citizenry.

    She’s been lying about inflation for YEARS now. She thinks we are clueless.

  • IHeartBadCode@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    As of the end of 2023, the typical U.S. worker could afford the same goods and services as in 2019, prior to the pandemic

    The hell I can.

    and had an additional $1,400 to spend or save per year

    Bullshit.

    And Yellen acknowledged that life remains precarious for millions of people

    Yeah, that’s not good. There are 209M 16-64 people in the US.

    Childcare is expensive. Education is expensive

    That affects a shitton of that 209M.

    We know that almost half of Americans on one occasion or another have felt they couldn’t afford to fill a prescription

    That’s not getting ahead. Lady you’ve got some WILD definition of “ahead” that I would say over 50% of the United States does not share. Holy fucking shit. You all should fucking stop for a second, especially with interviews with CBSNews. We are not in positive territory. That is not the definition of victory by anyone grounded in reality.

    I’m glad people’s paychecks are going up a paltry sum. But none of that makes any difference if we cannot afford food, live saving medicine, or child care. Those are really, really, really fucking important things. There is no victory if those are not addressed. I get since you’re under the treasury, money in/money out is the primary research here. But maybe just stick to those factors and not a broader commentary on the economy if those three basic things are still major issues with over 50% of the United States.

    HOLY SHIT how disconnected from reality can one be?

  • linkshulkdoingit69@lemmy.nz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    This is almost on the level of Maoist censorship of any societal ills, while reporting that “all is well as it should be, as laid out for us by our benevolent system”

    • return2ozma@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      8 months ago

      “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” Orwell, 1984

  • Mammal@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    Any increase I’ve experienced in my pay has been completely surpassed by healthcare bills and inflation.

  • dan42O@infosec.pub
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    8 months ago

    Where the stats they use. Are they following one family or an entire town in bumpkins-ville-field-ton to make these statements. Taxes aren’t even due, earnings reports mean diddly from companies who have hit “record profits” after global pandemic. Whose ass do these economists sniff to get this numbers crunched. We still have variances in from 350$k earners hiding money, all while people less than 100k$ can afford to put down payments for cars, houses, food, credit cards, student debt.

    • hitmyspot@aussie.zone
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      8 months ago

      Lol, do you think they just make it up? It certainly skews towards creating wealth for the wealthiest but Treasury is not making stuff up, even if they massage in favour of a narrative.

        • hitmyspot@aussie.zone
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          edit-2
          8 months ago

          Lol, no. It certainly has aspects of selectively presenting facts. However, so does any argument or debate, ever.

          Making stuff up is using false or fabricated information. Like your example of a definition that is objectively untrue.

          I understand you’re using a rhetorical device, but the point applies. You’re doing the very thing you accuse them of.

      • dan42O@infosec.pub
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        8 months ago

        So then why are representatives saying something else. Im trying to understand on why our government can give away money, okay one reason is charity makes sense. But there are depts in the us gov that say we can’t account for X$. And when I mean X I mean more than millions.

  • Nudding@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    8 months ago

    Yeah I don’t think this is something they’re gonna be able to talk people into lol. The economy might be doing okay, but that means fuck all for the average Joe.

    • protist@mander.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      8 months ago

      It always takes time for these sorts of numbers to permeate society and for people to feel a difference. This is why inflation might feel like it’s more acute today when it’s down to 3% than when it was at 8%, because it took time for those costs to sink in. As prices have stabilized and wages are still rising, people are going to start feeling a bit better about their economic positions, but it’s going to take time for them to feel it

      • krashmo@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        8 months ago

        Still, when you say “wages are still rising” you mean companies are, on average, offering slightly higher pay to new hires. That doesn’t help anyone who has been working the same job since covid started. All they see are higher prices. Averages can be useful metrics but this particular average means fuck all to a huge chunk of working people.

        • Tja@programming.dev
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          0
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          8 months ago

          Do you still have some notion of “faithfulness” to a company? If they don’t rise your salary to market value, you ask for it. If they refuse, you find someone who will. Be the new hire.