Michael Snyder
If you could go back and live in America during the 1970s would you do it? Has the United States become a better place to live over the past 40 years or have things gotten worse? Without a doubt there are arguments that can be made both ways. For example, who really wants to go back to a time when you actually had to “dial” a phone or rewind a cassette tape in order to find your favorite song? On the other hand, wouldn’t it be nice to live at a time when virtually everyone could find a good job, when television was not so filthy and when you didn’t have to worry about locking your front door at night? Some would say that we have come a long way in 40 years. Others lament how far we have fallen. So what do you think? Read over the 28 points of comparison between 1970s America and America today posted below and then share your opinion by leaving a comment at the end of the article…
1. In the 1970s we had Disco. Today, we have Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.
2. In the 1970s we had Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. Today, we have Barack Obama.
3. In the 1970s, Americans fell in love with stupid fads such as mood rings, lava lamps and pet rocks. Today, we have twerking, “planking”, crocs, wedge sneakers and pajama jeans.
4. In 1970, a gallon of gasoline cost 36 cents. Today, the average price for a gallon of gasoline is about $3.27.
5. In the 1970s we still had rotary phones. Today, we have iPhones.
6. In the 1970s, presidents were tapping the phones of their enemies. Today, the government is recording all of our calls. In fact, the NSA intercepts and permanently stores close to 2 billion emails and phone calls every single day.
7. In the 1970s, gum chewing and talking in class were some of the major disciplinary problems in our schools. Today, many of our public schools have been equipped with metal detectors because violence has become so bad.
8. In the 1970s, you could sit down and watch television with your children in the evenings without being too concerned about what they were about to see. Today, not so much.
9. In the early 1970s, Pong was the hottest video game in America. In the late 1970s, Space Invaders took America by storm. Today, the video games have become so incredibly advanced and so extremely entertaining that video game addiction has become a major problem.
10. In the 1970s, most of the products in our stores were made in America and we barely conducted any trade with China. Today, it seems like almost everything we buy has “made in China” stamped on it and our yearly trade deficit with China is now about 300 billion dollars.
11. In 1973, the United States was #2 in GDP per capita. Today, the United States is #13 in GDP per capita.
12. In 1970, the average woman had her first child when she was 21.4 years old. Now the average woman has her first child when she is 25.6 years old.
13. In the 1970s, the “inactivity rate” for men in their prime working years (25 to 54) was less than 6 percent. Today, it is up close to 12 percent.
14. For most of the 1970s, the average duration of unemployment was less than 15 weeks. Today, it is more than 37 weeks.
15. In the 1970s, Star Wars was released. It is still far superior to any movie that has come out so far this year.
16. In the 1970s, redistribution of wealth was considered to be something that “the communists” did. Today, redistribution of wealth is the official policy of the U.S. government.
17. In 1970, about 18 million Americans had manufacturing jobs. Today, about 12 million Americans have manufacturing jobs even though our population has grown far larger.
18. In the 1970s, many Americans regularly left their cars and the front doors of their homes unlocked at night. Today, many Americans live with steel bars on their windows and gun sales are at record highs.
19. Consumer debt in the United States has risen by a whopping 1700% since 1971, and today 46% of all Americans carry a credit card balance from month to month.
20. In the 1970s, most Americans still respected the U.S. Constitution. Today, if you are a “Constitutionalist”, you may get labeled as a potential terrorist by the U.S. government.
21. Back in 1970, the five largest U.S. banks held 17 percent of all U.S. banking industry assets. Today, the five largest U.S. banks hold 52 percent of all U.S. banking industry assets.
22. 40 percent of all workers in the United States actually make less than what a full-time minimum wage worker made back in 1968.
23. In 1977, Elvis was found dead. Today, the entire U.S. middle class is dying.
24. Back in the 1970s, about one out of every 50 Americans was on food stamps. Today, about one out of every 6 Americans is on food stamps.
25. In 1979, Sony introduced the Walkman. When you wanted to listen to a particular song, you had to rewind your tape to find it. Today, everyone has iPods and it takes just seconds to sort through thousands of songs.
26. In the 1970s, the United States loaned more money to the rest of the world than anybody else. Today, the United States owes more money to the rest of the world than anybody else.
27. In 1970, the U.S. national debt was about 371 billion dollars. Today, it is more than 46 times larger.
28. In the 1970s, hippies were smoking dope, attending rock festivals and singing protest songs. Today, they are running the U.S. government.
What would you add to this list?
We reached the pinnacle of our greatest wealth/equality of income in 1973..so say the stats…it has been downhill from there. But the ‘hippies’ are NOT running today’s government by a long chalk or we would not have GMOs and Keystone…after all the organic food movement was one thing the ‘hippie’ movement helped spread. I lived through those days and can testify only to my own experience and what I knew then (I was political then too and a radical) I HATED Ray-Gun when he came in; I knew it was a bad thing even on election night; I remembered what he had done to the ‘People’s Park’ protestors in CA at the end of 60’s.Given how inequality and the advent of corporate Capitalism exploded under his presidency (the PATCO firings were the ‘canary in the coal mine’ tip off there folks!) he ‘opened the door’ to our present malaise. The 70’s were not always fun; I was pretty low income then; I’m slightly better off income-wise now, and much better off in that I have my own real-estate, but frankly…we took a wrong turn in 1980!
Absolutely nothing is going to change the direction of this administration or the declining morality of this nation…. America will continue this downward spiral until her destruction is completed which I have expected since Apr. ’94.
Oh, that the whole world would wake-up to realize who the real enemy is….
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Satan has corrupted many a soul and he will continue to do so, for as long as man rejects the truth of God’s WORD.
God allows unrighteous leaders for unrighteous nations and God’s promise is that He will repay America double for her iniquities… America crimes against God’s WORD is allowing homosexuality, abortion and the rejection of Christ agendas to flourish… And a Holy and Righteous God is always true to His WORD. He will never allow the destruction of a people or nation without first sending His warnings in the hope that the hearts of the people might turn to Him… God has been warning America since the mid ’80s that I know of and still America and most Americans refuse to turn from their evil ways.
To read God’s judgment for America, Google: “The Message For America, Hand of Help Ministries.” Google, “The Eagle and the Serpents, Hand of Help Ministries.” To read how I was led to this: Google, ” watchman48 blogspot, America ~ Mystery Babylon? ” To read the message of the 2nd major terrorist attack; And for where I believe the location of the 2nd attack will be; Google, “watchman48 blogspot, The Eagle and the Serpents (Part 2).”
You should be aware of the three reversed (down-ward pointing) 5-pointed stars on the Official Republican Elephant Logo…it seems to me these people have pledged their allegiance to the Evil One and the 7 Deadly Sins (Hello Chris Christie…Gluttony and Anger!) Certainly they are doing terrible things to the poor, the children, the old, vets, women and others. Didn’t Jesus say “As you do unto the least of these , so you do unto me.” There are a lot of corrupt , possibly demon-infested politicians out there starving, imprisoning, freezing Jesus!
In 1970 there was a sense of pride not only in our own accomplishments but in our country. Now for me it is shame to think that the US Constitution has allowed the murder on approx. 56 million of the most innocent of all life in the womb and seeing the most raciest president in all of America’s history destroying this nation.
Also check these “” In 1970, a gallon of gasoline cost 36 cents. Today, the average price for a gallon of gasoline is about $3.27.”” these are est @ xxx% world hyper inflationary Indexes : 8 fold WHII << 1000%; est _ you can check the derivative markets of the Manipulating Suicidal JP MORGAN to manipulate markets refed. to be based on these WHII; telling you just how much ( 1000% fold ) of manipulating currencies ( not real money ) printed by the BAD FED USA vs Bank of the LONDON etc within the last < 50 years ; they all have diluted your currencies in hand by 1000% _ GOT THAT GUYS; it is time to reform _ hence shut up your further bullshits upon PAK ALERT prompting WHY and WHY articles _ you actions plans NOW ?? _ OK ??