Of course INCOME will rise, it's called inflation. Problem is, the cost of living has been going up much faster. Are you trying to argue the middle class is better now than 40 years ago? REALLY? Honestly?
That is adjusted to inflation. It clearly shows total compensation rising by a huge amount.
And yes, I do believe the Middle Class is better off today. Today they are paid far more, live long, have computers, flat screen TVs, Cell Phones, and Ipods. Even the lower class has most of these items. A lot of the Middle Class is in trouble due to personal debt right now, and this is a result of Fed monetary policy, not wages.
That graph shows a small decline in the
relative income of the Middle Class. It does not show how the Middle Class's situation has changed, only how it has changed
relative to the upper class. It shows not the total amount of income the Middle Class has, but what percentage of the nations income that the Middle Class has. Between my graph and yours, we can conclude that the Middle Class is much better off today, while the Upper Class is doing even better. It's a win/win.
Public union members pay into their pensions much more than other employees. Tax payer money is not a part of it.
http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/2...ntribute-nothing-to-public-employee-pensions/
Tax payers are paying the union members paychecks, so yes, they are paying for it.