When you think about it these salaries can only move down from here. I can't stress enough to my wife and anybody who has kids, education is everything, it is going to be so important that our sons and daughters have engineering degrees from the best schools. However there will always be exceptions like my brother the landscaper who is in the 1%.
So I went and looked for a goddamn socialist country as a comparison, and lo and behold, Norway: After tax income for households They've had a pretty good decade. socialism works
I have to laugh, way back when I was landscaping, some of my customers had teenage kids, I'm thinking "they should be doing this". You don't have to be a genius to mow a lawn. Now sometimes in passing I tell the kid "go to college or you'll be doing what I'm doing". What made me laugh was all the kid had to do is look at my invoice to find out it'll be a long time after they graduate before they make that kind of money.
You may want to reconsider that line of thinking. Even in these times its harder to find good help than you think. There may be a glut of people looking to fill jobs, but the quality of of most of these folks is less than desirable. If your boss appreciates your work, and your not a dick when you broach the subject, whats the worst that can happen? He says "we cant at this point in time give you a raise, but will consider it when things improve". I have never heard of someone getting fired for asking for a raise when they are in good standing with the boss and company. Hell, even if they say yes and give only you an extra 100 bucks a month you got some drinking, ammo or gas money.
And when she left office, taxes as a % of GDP were higher than when she had entered: Source: The Legend of Margaret Thatcher She sure did love other people's money by ramping up taxes the first 4 years which helped with the spending spree. I still like what Vladimir Lenin said: "The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them." So true especially 2008.
Perhaps you are not fully aware of the history of communism? Hint: It has utterly failed everywhere it has been tried. Yet capitalism lives on...I wonder why?
I haven't even asked for a pay raise in several years, and have no plans to either. Right now I'm just glad to have a job with above average steady income and benefits. I see no reason to rock the boat in this economic environment. ----------------------------------- Very poor way to think. You must be hooked up to the MATRIX allowing your company to suck the life out of you for pennies. Or, you have a typical paper pushing desk job and fear that you have no skills. Either way, you better change your way of thinking.... Not saying ask for a raise but definitely look at other industries. Unless you love you job, which is sounds like your more scared to change careers.
I'm a professional pilot, flying corporate jets. I do like my job, I work about 1/3 as much as my peers on average in similar positions. Giving me a lot of free time. The job market in my industry sucks right now. Although I heard South West Airlines is taking applications. I was never really interested in Airline flying though. I also know of guys who have priced themselves right out of job, I don't care to be one of them in this environment. At least not without another job lined up in advance.