Reply #9: I think at least some of it is obvious

[PsN2Wind]

NAFTA, WTO, outsourcing jobs, importing labor.
Manufacturing used to be the way a person could enter the workforce, serve an apprenticeship and in four years be making pretty damn good money. Those jobs have left this country by the millions, three million since 2000 and God only knows how many before.
I worked in construction at which time my wife could work or not as she chose. My pay even with the seasonal lay-offs common to the trade was more than adequate for our actual expenses. Now much of construction pays less than it did twenty five years ago, much thanks to imported labor.
Our government while controlled by Democrats or Repubs has bargained away a way of life under the guise of fair trade (free trade). And now propose that citizens compete for the jobs they now hold with newly minted "legal immigrants".
But, hang on to your hat because I think you are going to see things get a helluva lot worse and soon.
I'm fortunately retired with no mortgage, car payments or anything but those bills most everyone has, utilities, taxes, insurance, etc but even those have gone up a great amount due to deregulation and other causes.