It's really a simple question that everyone needs to answer, and answer honestly.
Are you better off today than you were 18 months ago?
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I'm a "no" answer on this one, for a few reasons.
My wife's income is fixed, and in reality so it mine as I cannot afford to bump my pay as I have to keep bumping up the staff to keep them. So, we have taken a major pay cut in our world.
Our investments (not the real estate ones) are taking a beating. Net worth is down 20 percent now, from its peak.
We don't feel as safe as we used to, depending of course on where we are.
I have very little confidence in public education, after mostly a lifetime of being a big proponent.
I'm deeply disappointed in the politicization of the Supreme Court.
I'm the least confident in our military since 1980.
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If your answer is "no", the next question would then be What can I do to help change this?
If your answer is "yes", then damn, I'm jealous. I have yet to meet one of those. Of course, where I live plays into that.