Which version of America would you rather live in Then Many fondly remember the 1950s and the 1960s as the golden age of America especially if you were a white male US emerged from World War II as the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the planet ID: 668348
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Slide1
America 1950 vs. America Today
Which version of America would you rather live in?Slide2
Then
Many fondly remember the 1950s and the 1960s as the "golden age" of America (especially if you were a white male).
U.S. emerged from World War II as the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the planet
Most of the rest of the world deeply admired the U.S. and wanted to be more like Americans.Slide3
Now
Of course there were a lot of things that were not great about America back in 1950, and there are many things that many of us dearly love that we would have to give up in order to go back and live during that time.
For example, there was no Internet back in 1950. Slide4
America 1950 vs. America 2017
- you make the call....Slide5
In 1950, a gallon of gasoline cost about 27 cents.
In
2017,
a gallon of gasoline costs $2.39.
[after dropping – and then rising - significantly recently]Slide6
In 1950, the average duration of unemployment was about 12 weeks.
In
20176
, the average duration of unemployment is about 40 weeks.Slide7
In 1950, the average family spent about 22% of its income on housing.
In
2017,
the average family spends about 43% of its income on housing.Slide8
In 1950, gum chewing and talking in class were some of the major disciplinary problems in schools.
In
2017,
many public schools have been equipped with metal detectors because violence has become so bad.Slide9
In 1950, the United States was #1 in GDP per capita.
In
2017,
the United States is #
11
in GDP per capita.Slide10
In 1950, about 13 million Americans had manufacturing jobs.
In
2017,
less than 12 million Americans have manufacturing jobs even though our population has more than doubled since 1950.Slide11
In 1950, corporate taxes accounted for about 32% of all federal revenue.
In
2017,
corporate taxes will account for less than 11% of all federal revenue.Slide12
In 1950, the median age at first marriage was about 22 for men and about 20 for women.
In
2017,
the median age at first marriage is about 28 for men and about 26 for women.Slide13
In 1950, many Americans regularly left their cars and the front doors of their homes unlocked.
In
2017,
many Americans live with steel bars on their windows and gun sales are at record highs.Slide14
In 1950, the United States loaned more money to the rest of the world than anybody else.
In
2017,
the United States owes more money to the rest of the world than anybody else.Slide15
In 1950, the U.S. national debt was about 257 billion dollars.
In 2016, the U.S. national debt is over 60 times larger. It is currently sitting at a grand total of $
19.97
TRILLION dollars.
Slide16
Americans today have a higher standard of living than Americans in 1950 did, but they are also drowning in an ocean of debt unlike anything the world has ever seen.Slide17
Americans are more independent, less religious, more addicted to sports and entertainment and more doped up on prescription drugs than Americans used to be.Slide18
Progress OR Going Backwards?
So is America
2017
a better version than America 1950 was?