I have worked at many companies in the US where my take home pay was $140,000 + bonus. I got 4-6 weeks of PTO every year, the company paid for my high deductible insurance plane and kicked in an additional $1000 to an HSA. This doesn't include the dollar for dollar safe harbor match on my 401k that was up to $8,000 and more after that at a reduced rate. There as no stock or anything like that. I worked on average 40/hr a week and we played a lot of golf.
Is this the norm definitely not but there are a lot of good companies out there paying well.
Equity can also be bought with your excess capital for you work. At the current market salary for developers it should be quite obtainable to live well below your income and invest a sizeable portion of it in the markets, either stock or realestate. Do this for 10 years and about 20 years later you will have many millions of dollars.
The most upsetting part about this is that it is completely expected that a politician will strive to do what is in their best interest and the interest of their supporters. Please note it doesn't matter what party you support politicians are generally all the same in that they use their positions to seek power and wealth from their positions at the expense of their constituents.
Yes, I think about it all the time but when pressed for numbers the CIA/NSA/FBI never reveal any.
What isn't discussed here is the numerous times that these institutions have actually created terrorists. Or lead people to a course of action of their choosing.