As of the end of 2023, the typical U.S. worker could afford the same goods and services as in 2019, prior to the pandemic, and had an additional $1,400 to spend or save per year, according to a January analysis by Treasury officials.

Demar Byas of Pontiac, Michigan referred to experts touting the nation’s economic performance as a “slap in the face.”

“You’re celebrating these numbers, but we are struggling,” said Byas, who juggles several jobs to make ends meet. “It’s no relief in sight, and just say those numbers and to celebrate that, and as I said stuff becomes a slap in the face.”

    • hydrospanner@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Tell us you don’t understand macroeconomic statistics without telling us you…ah you get the idea.

      The crux of the issue here is that “the economy” as Yellen is concerned with it, is not “the economy” as that rando from Michigan is concerned with it.

      Not that either is more or less correct, they’re just different.

      Yellen always sounds tone deaf though and they really shouldn’t put her in front of a hot mic as much as they do. She’s not wrong in the things she’s saying…but without context and careful speech-crafting, it always lands as “Let them eat financial cake.”

      • Kyrgizion@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        “Let them eat financial cake.”

        Lol, this is unambiguously the message they’re sending, and they dropped all subtlety.

    • protist
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      9 months ago

      Yes, prices are absolutely up from where they were two years ago, and many people are absolutely struggling to afford to live, because grocery prices in particular have remained elevated. What is also true is that prices aren’t going up anymore like they were last year or the year before, and prices for lots of things that aren’t groceries have actually come down some. What I said to start this was that as prices stabilize or come down, it takes time for that to start positively impacting people’s pocketbooks

      MANIPULATED

      Still no source