Part 2/14:
Over the past two decades, the median American’s quality of life has been in steady decline. Real wages have stagnated or decreased, while living expenses—medical care, education, housing—have skyrocketed. This has compelled families to rely on multiple incomes just to maintain a basic standard of living. Youth, in particular, face uncertain prospects, with fewer opportunities for stable employment, and the belief that their future living standards will fall short of their parents' generations. Rising taxes, the systemic insolvency of Social Security, and the unreliability of private pensions compound economic insecurity, leading to increased volatility and unpredictability.