The true story told in these graphs are not solely the fault of Reagan or his administration, but his Presidency seems to be the catalyst for a devaluation of the American worker and the moral bankruptcy of those in power. You will see that the year 1980 was the date when things all began to down hill for working lower to middle-class families. As profits rose and productivity rose wages stayed stagnant and the cost of living soared. Now we find ourselves 40 years later, arguing over ideology, over belief systems and the color of our skin when there are more pressing issues facing Americans than what kind of parts they have or where they take a piss. This sis the story of selling out Americans to the corporate class, and you know it's bi-partisan because no one who came after tried a damn to reverse it.

In 1976 the US Supreme Court ruled on Buckley v, Valeo, striking down various FECA (Federal Election Campaign Act) limits on election spending as unconstitutional violations of free speech. In short as long as you disclosed the amount of money you had raised and spent, the government could not cap that spending. In addition to the money given to campaigns by the government, private citizens were able to give as they saw fit, under certain limits of course. This 'private' donor could be that a friend or family, but its really a word to refer to 'private interest' like major corporations. Reagan, as we all know, won the following election.

BONUS!