The New Reality
Yes, these new TAs mark the continuing shift toward a salary/compensation level for experienced mainline captains that is roughly equal to other "specialized skilled" professions, such as big-city policemen, senior electricians and plumbers, family doctors, computer systems managers, etc. In other words, the old pilot gravy train is not only dead, it ain't ever being reborn.
The new typical top-level compensation for experienced mainline captains will settle around the 100-120K mark, depending on the health of the airline. For the average American, that's a fine salary. You can live very well and raise a family in almost any medium or small-sized city in the US on that (assuming it's not a boutique suburb of some place like San Francisco, of course, but rather someplace like Danville, VA). But the new compensation is going to be a fraction of what captains were making just six years ago -- and I fear it's going to shatter the dreams and motivation of a lot of pilots. My only hope is that those who can't cope with the new world of aviation find something else to do before it's too late for them!