I disagree with the 46 percent who do not benefit from the stock market. Like Eccielover stated they benefit indirectly from the market. Here's a small example - when I was in property management and the market was doing well, the companies would pay for everything - education,meals,trips,ect. When the market started going down the first thing I saw cut was education classes. You could still go - but you had to pay for it yourself. The second thing was no pay raises. The third thing was any item on the property that was not in complete disarray - stayed - no replacements. And the last one - and this is the one that got me - the companies would require that you attend company events. Like I said these were huge events and they paid for everything. The next year we were told to ask our vendors for "contributions" to the party to help pay for it. The following year - we had to purchase a ticket to attend the party - so we could help offset expenses. And then I got laid off. Along with other employees. And I was told it was because of the market. I just recently spoke to a friend of mine in property management. We both chuckled because things are back to the way the were - property owners are paying again for all employee benefits.
And they all know it's because of Trump.
Originally Posted by Austin Ellen
Back in 1980 Ronald Reagan won the POTUS election basically by asking voters in this country to ask themselves on simple question -- are YOU better off financially than you were 4 years ago. Very few could say "Yes" and Reagan won easily.
When voters in 2020 ask themselves that same question, if they haven't benefited DIRECTLY from the increase in the stock market, it is doubtful that will come to mind as a plus. The question will be answered by how the economy has treated them since Trump took office. In my case -- I got a nice bump from lower income taxes. A positive. On the other hand, tariffs and overall cost-of-living are negatively impacting me on a daily basis. I got a 2.8% increase in Social Security benefits but not in pensions. So the Cost-of-Living went up 2.8% but my income did not. And the Cost-of-Living does not factor in food prices which have risen quite a bit.
So bottom line I doubt my purchasing power has not gone down in recent years. Many other voters could say the same thing.
As for your experience with your company. I worked for a major corporation. The benefits we received were based on company PROFITS, not the stock market. Since Trump took office, the stock is DOWN 22% even though profits are in the billions. The question is whether or not the company has tightened its belt, as your company did. I don't know. But the decision would be made based on the bottom-line, not the price per share of its stock in the stock market.