Member-only story
Thank Goodness For Deflation
Things we take for granted
If there’s one issue besides immigration that might topple Joe Biden in the coming election, it’s inflation. The consumer price index has been rising steadily during his presidency, and even though the number of jobs is increasing overall and everywhere you go we see “help wanted” signs for jobs paying a minimum wage that has mostly kept up with inflation, Americans cry about not being able to make ends meet.
But in my mind, we are an entitled bunch who take for granted many perks of the new age, some of which didn’t exist at all 40 years ago, and some of which were much more expensive “back in the day.”
The following is certainly not a scientific study in deflation. It’s merely an anecdotal account of what I’ve seen in my own experience on this planet for 73 years. So here we go.
TELEVISIONS
Color tv’s were all the rage when I was a kid. To have one was a status symbol in the neighborhood. I remember gathering inJanet Graff’s living room to see what color tv looked like. It was a smeary water-color type view but still, a thrilling moment.
In the year 1963, mom got a big chunk of child support from my old man who was suddenly making big money. She fixed up the house and bought a round-tubed color tv housed in a huge…
