But we went through a bizarre time in the 70s. Interest rates were in the high teens (like 17%), inflation ran above 20% a year and we had a financial contraction. Then we hired Ronald Reagan as President. Reagan said the problem was the government and a too tight control on companies. So he broke them. First, he attacked the unions - at least many of them. Then, the government removed the company loyalty from the contract that Americans had with their employers by giving them a free hand in management.
Now a company not could let you go, but would let you go in a heartbeat. I worked at Xerox during this transition and it was tough on people. There were "livers" who would sacrifice time and effort for the company. Now the company did not reward that behavior. If you wanted a tiny raise, stay at Xerox. If you wanted a real bump. leave the company and come back in 3 - 5 years.
Without a relationship with employees based on long term success, salaries for the top level management grew crazily. But there is almost no growth from worker to C Suite. Companies, like employees are no in it for themselves only.
Reagan used this new reality to further break the unions where he could, and to stoke resentment where he couldn't break them. (see image above. Areas where job hopping is "common" don't have unions and union security. But Reagan and others who created the insecurity of those positions now use that insecurity to foster resentment that makes workers critical of. unions because they are "unfair").
Now, you say, how does this relate to today, Scott? Like this.
President Trump and his administration of grifters, con-men and (like John Bolton) corrupt government officials who care more about making money that preserving the union is breaking the contract between the country and its citizens. It has made this the new normal. The country has no interest in your long term well-being. It has shredded the EPA, DOE, State Department. This administration has turned every governmental agency into "management" out to take what they can and not feel guilty.
And very soon, citizens will respond. Perhaps the MAGA group already has. Ask not what you can do for your country, but ask what you can wring out of the country before someone stops you.
People begin to think of leaving, just like job hoppers before them, the smart and successful people may soon realize it is better to leave than try to help a country that doesn't give a shit about us. Look at companies that set states against each other for tax-breaks. Soon there will be countries that offer better options for individuals.
Already Malta, Portugal, Canada and others (including the United States) sell citizenship for cash. And many countries (again, including the United States) "sell" citizen-status to employees with the right skills. In the US this is often super low wage work (farm labor, childcare and senior-care) that comes with a wink and a nod. In other areas: high-net worth, scientists, high technology employees - that person will get citizenship or quasi-citizenship (green-cards).
But if this is just a monetary relationship, something is lost. The American Dream is now what? Be as rich as Trump, Geffen and Koch? Ignore the law (like Trump, Geffen and Koch)? It is definitely not "ask what you can do fr your country". Candidate Trump summed it up when he was accused of not paying taxes - the ante for citizenship. He said, "That means I'm smart." And that is who we elected. not someone who cares about the country, but someone who is out for themselves. And if you're not. You are an idiot.
We are still in New York because Ed has a great job. But when we were looking seriously, I had offers to do my work in New Zealand, where they needed Senior Project Managers who could train others. We might have investigated more if we knew what a Trump clusterfuck was coming for us.
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