It was prosperous, the original American dream is not the American dream people think of when they hear that today. Hollywood has sold a lie to everyone for almost a century.

The prosperity was inherent in the real American Dream which was based in Faith, Freedom, Self-sufficiency, Independence, Ownership, and No taxation without representation.

Today you don't have any of these in most respects because they have been withheld by the previous generation (boomers), who clings to power as they die of old age.

Lets do a short recap on the taxes for an average person: Federal 21.7 State 7.5-10 Medicare 2.9 Social Security 15.3 (you count employer side too because its money they can't pay you suppressing wages). Sales Tax ~10 Property 1% of the value of what you own Inheritance (50% above 1m)

Aggregate: 59.9% of everything you can make, and this isn't counting the triple dip on fuel taxes.

Then there is half of what you inherit, and 1% of the value of what you already own every year.

To put this in perspective, the boston tea party increase that sparked our history in 1776 was over a tax rate of 25%. The boot on neck, has been clever in withholding education and disrupting communication.

Parasites are the reason we are doing so poorly today, and why people can't find sufficient recompense to support life goals such as raising children. In 8 years, the birthrate will fall below the death rate.