Think about it

Case 1) When I was 16 and started driving (year 2002) gas cost $1.31/gallon. I filled up my compact-stick shift-clown car on $10. And it lasted 2 weeks. I have heard tell that back in the 1970s it was around 50 cents/gallon. So. It went up 80 cents in 30 years.

Why then has it gone up $2 in 5 years (using 2007 as the year when things got ridiculous). Does this not seem a bit much to anyone? Or do we just accept it because we are so beaten down and just expect to be raped in the wallet now when it comes to everthing?

Case 2) In 1981, my beautful young parents were married. They were 21 and 22 years old, making a combined salary of $30,000. They bought a house, and it cost them 40,000. Now this was a 1700 sq foot house in the suburbs, not the most expensive real estate but not the cheapest either. So if you can do basic math you'd know that the house cost only $10,000 more than their yearly combined salary.

Fastforward:
An average house of that type sells for about $125,000 in this market today. About 3x the average salary around here. Average salary in this area is...$31,000. Even if you have 2 sposes working and making $62,000 combined, thats still over 2x as much as their yearly salary. Still there is inflation.

Clearly, we have a problem. I have never seen a society stick their head in the sand so for just such a long period of time. When will the American people pull their heads out (of the sand) and realize that this just isn't acceptable. Consumers control the costs. It used to be that people understood this. The government and big business knew they had to appease their customers. Today, it appears the other way around. Government and big business call all the shots. Exorbinant costs? Charge it because people will pay. Why? Why does no one say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

And as an endnote, frankly, I'm sick of going out to eat and paying $12 for a mediocre at best meal (in most cases it is subpare). For a minimum wage worker, thats 2 hours of work. For 1 meal. Once again I repeat. Ridiculous.