@humbleddre43: According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data, $100,000 in the year 2000 has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $195,000 in 2026, meaning the dollar has lost nearly half its value in 26 years. The average annual inflation rate across that period was around 2.7%, which sounds modest until you see it compounded over decades. For context, the federal minimum wage in 2000 was $5.15 per hour. It is still $7.25 today in many states, a 40% increase over 26 years against a 95% rise in the cost of living. The numbers that stayed still while everything else moved are the ones that tell the real story.

HumbledDre43

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Sunday 18 October 2026 20:43:37 GMT