She should marry and work extra hours.What a stupid jerk this guy, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), reveals himself to be! Whining because he now has to work 5 days a week for his big bucks, blaming the Democrats for his marital problems and accusing them of not caring about families, and advising poor Americans to marry and work longer hours because he mistakenly believes that "they would be out of poverty". He makes me sick. And I couldn't agree more with this comment (see arifsali's link to the Kingston disgrace): #10 The Reichwing will not stop until every person on this planet is FORCED to live by their ideals. Well, everyone EXCEPT them, because we all know that the hypocritical “Moral Majority” are the ones breaking every last Commandment, and then some.
When living on Staten Island, I saw some of the country's most desperate poverty. Most of the parents I met had 2 kids and were just making ends meet working 2 full time minimum wage jobs. They were forced to live in dangerous projects, and their 4th grade kids walked home to empty apartments through streets where I was scared to walk. Imagine working 80 hours a week and barely making enough to make rent, let alone pay down your debt or get ahead, or get your kids out of the dangerous environment you were trapped in. As inflation goes up, the burden gets heavier and heavier for those at the bottom. Businesses can't be built solely on the back of the poor. Couldn't agree with you guys more. I am a professional working mother who also happens to be going through a divorce. My ex husband has yet to pay any regular child support even though he has a rather good paying job. Where does that leave my daughters and I? On the verge of working poor and I make a lot more than minimum wage. I have to pay $521 a month premium through my work just to carry health insurance. Because of my salary, I don't qualify for medical assistance. I would do anything and receive any assistance so that my daughters could continue the life that they had before. I have gone through complete lifestyle change so that my daughters can have a better quality of life one that might not have all of the fam... As hard as it is, trying to maintain things as they were when things aren't as they were, is a mistake. The first obvious thing I would suggest, unless you have on-going medical issues, is to drop the health insurance temporarily. It really is a waste of money for the young, healthy family. You should explain to your girls that adjustments must be made. They will learn a lot from it. Good luck. Hang in there. Since being arrested two years ago over an altercation with her teenage
Mrs Walters is typical of minimum-wage workers in many respects,Many times our life choices leave us in a bad way. This report is disturbing to me if this is TYPICAL of those earning minimum wage. The r... Thanks for the advice GD but part of the divorce settlement states that I'm to continue providing health ins. coverage for the girls father until March and then I'm obligated to keep them insured because they have always been covered under a health insurance policy through my work. My girls are both small enough where they don't feel the pinch that I do. No salon visits, no pedicures, no frivolous shopping trips for me I've even cut out expensive coffee  but there is no price tag that can be put on happiness. Dropping your health insurance is a bad idea generally. Half of all bankruptcies in this country begin with a health problem. Yes, I cannot see dropping insurance when you have children, unless there is no other option. Eaglewings What report are you talking about here? The report says that the typical minimum wage earner has a rap sheet, made poor life choices, got heavily in debt, beats their children and perhaps have other addictions or bad habits which cause them to make bad life choices.And I am really sorry to hear about your "value meal." It must have been just awful for you. Thing is, the cheap stuff such as the value meal or groceries are where those making the lowest wages tend to shop. So who is hurt the hardest by an increase in the minimum wage? Those who are making closest to the minimum wage. If they don't get laid off or have their hours cut, they still have their cost of living hit the hardest because they are most likely to shop at those places that pay their workers minimum wage. And lets not get started on how a national minimum wage is like one size fits all underwear. Why not have a minimum wage that is based off the cost of living in an area? Then you have a national average minimum wage and those places with a lower cost of living would have a l... What report are you talking about here? The report saysThat is what the story stated read it:
I just embleshed a bit but that is what it says. And I am really sorry to hear about your "value meal." It must have been just awful for you.NO it was delicious because I have the money to buy what I want and do as I please. I do not work for minimum wage and havn't since I was a pre-teen. I was always worth more than a minimum wage. I am also rich enough to be paying for the minimum wages of those who are less fortunate. I just would prefer if they left it alone and allowed market and self pride move people up in stature. It did not take me long to move off the minimum wage roles. Of course I did not have a rap sheet or just gotten out of prison for beating my kid either. That could make a difference. It was delicious because I have the money to buy what I want and do as I please. I do not work for minimum wage and havn't since I was a pre-teen. I was always worth more than a minimum wage. I am also rich enough to be paying for the minimum wages of those who are less fortunate.Whether you like it or not Eagle, we all live in a community here. And you are also using the roads, parks, and other public services that others have also paid for. So, try if you can to get out of the ME mode you are stuck in and try if you can, to see the community effort put into making this country great. I hope Eagle that you are just trying to spur conversation and play devils advocate because if you feel that entitled at some point Karma will pay you back and you will be on the receiving end of your true worth. I'm one of those Pollyanna types who thinks my true worth isn't represented by my salary but by my societal worth. It may not pay all the bills but I am happy with the person that I am. Wurdzgurl, I'm sorry your husband decided he did not want to be married to you anymore. He will have to fullfill his obligations towards the children at some point in time and I hope you intend to pursue that in court. The children deserve support. In the meantime, since we have no national health insurance, you may want to see if there are any clinics in your area that accept payment on a sliding scale basis. Or you may want to see if there are any teaching hospitals in your area that provide less costly health care. Children always seem to be sick, so it is a tough situation. It's a tough call whether to drop the insurance or not. If it was me, and no one had a serious medica... debbyski said:Don't be sorry. I decided that I didn't want to be married to him. It makes a world of difference. The insurance issue is really a mute topic. I have no say in what I do at this point. That being said... anyone want to go with me and buy a lottery ticket? So, try if you can to get out of the ME mode you are stuck in and try if you can, to see the community effort put into making this country great.Stifling achievement by burdensome taxes and rewarding slothfulness and unproductivity is not going to make this country great. In fact all proof shows just the opposite happens when you tax the rich to give money to the poor. Enabling an individual to be all he/she can be is more productive and rewarding then unmerited favors and handouts. That being said a lost soul is need of mercy and grace and a helping hand. However; there comes a time when said lost person should be found. IMO because if you feel that entitled at some point Karma will pay you backI thank God daily for the blessings I have. I have been on both sides of the coin. Abounded with plenty and in want. I have learned the secret to happiness is found in contentment. In whatever state I am found I learn to be content. God has a purpose and a plan and with His help and guidance I can endure all things for it is through Christ who gives me strength. I have learned that bad choices cause bad things to happen and good choices cause good things to happen and then there are those times when things just happen. But in all things give Him praise! I'm speaking about public services Eagle, the ones you use everyday, the things that make America great. just embleshed a bit but that is what it says.I suppose with sufficient moral relativism one could call making information up "embellishing." I don't. Enabling an individual to be all he/she can be is more productive and rewarding then unmerited favors and handouts.In other words, hands off my money, right Eaglewings? I'm speaking about public services Eagle, the ones you use everyday, the things that make America great.What does this have to do with minimum wage? I suppose with sufficient moral relativism one could call making information up "embellishing." I don't.I did not write the story it says what is says. Was imprisoned for an altercation with teenage son.. Altercation fight of some kind. Imprisoned means having a rap sheet. Was indepted at 24+ % buy borrowing money to buy things she did not have money to pay for. Divorced reason unknown. Substance abuse could have played a part in any or all of this or none of it but substance abuse is a big factor in MANY of these "Typical" situacions discribed in the article. In other words, hands off my money, right Eaglewings?Enbar instilling self worth and self respect into someone requires far more than money. That is the problem we really do not want to deal with the REAL ISSUES of life just throw money at it and hope it will fix itself. It doesn't It hasn't and it won't. So yeah I do not want the government sticking their hand in my pocket everytime they want to buy votes. Quit bitching about corporations being required to share a meager profit increase with the worker's Eagle. In other circumstances, I would think this sounded like thinly veiled selfishness, to be honest. I have no idea what your motives are, and I don't mean to impugn them, but that's how it sounds. I'm speaking about public services Eagle, the ones you use everyday, the things that make America great.What makes America great is its people. The citizenry of this country are the most charitable anywhere on the planet. It is because of the many Christians in this nation that we are as charitable as we are. Forced communal living is not going to work for it has failed everywhere it was tried. In other circumstances, I would think this sounded like thinly veiledNot sure in what context you are referring Quit bitching about corporations being required to share a meager profit increase with the worker's Eagle.I'm not. I am bitching about do nothings looking for a hand out rather then a leg up. And a corrupt government who is more concerned with buying votes then really helping anyone. Throwing money at situacions has not worked for education nor poverty. We are spending more money on Welfare entitlements than any other program except maybe the military and it has not helped. WHY? If you would like to answer that question and have a discussion on economics than lets but if you are just going to call me names for get it Quit bitching is not name calling Eagle. That would be somewhere in the context of calling someone a son of a bitch, which I would not say to another fellow clipper. I like the politeness of clipmarks. Quit bitching about corporations being required to share a meager profit increase with the worker's Eagle.That's just it. Corporations don't pay wages, their customers do. Just like they don't pay taxes or the light bill. All expenses corporations have are passed on to the consumer. Otherwise the company is losing money and goes out of business. I was asking him not to bitch about not sharing profits with the workers. Quite a different thing from paying wages. That's just it. Corporations don't pay wages, their customers do. Just like they don't pay taxes or the light bill. All expenses corporations have are passed on to the consumer. Otherwise the company is losing money and goes out of business.Economics 101 the consumer pays for all expenses incurred by any corporation. The cost of doing business is past on to the consumer. In other words: You and I. The government has just artificially inflated the value of something the marketplace was not willing to pay. Therefore arbitary inflation will be passed on to me and my income did not increase by the same percentage that will be passed onto me. Therefore I just got a cost of living ... I was asking him not to bitch about not sharing profitsFor your information profits are never shared with workers they are shared with share holders. A company is not in business to pay workers a share of profits unless they have a profit sharing plan which would make them a part owner of the company with stock options. Businesses stay in business by making a profit. NO profit no business no business no job no job ask for hand out. Wages are part of profit sharing Eagle. We could mince words all night. NO debby they are not. But you have been wrong about other things as well. Wages are an EXPENSE item Depends on which side of the fence you are on. Depends on which side of the fence you are on.I guess you are right there. It depends on if you are making it or taking it I guess. I did not write the story it says what is says.Yes, and you grossly "embellished" (is that the p.c. term for that kind kind of behavior these days?) what it said, libelling not only this woman, but an entire class of hard-working people. hard-working people.This is a relative term. I seriously doubt if hard physical labor is the norm for minimum wage jobs. Most minimum wage jobs are for unskilled labor which could be done by almost anybody. No training required little or no responsibility, hard work might be a stretch but then I know people who find getting up for a job hard work. I find it really sad that people fight to stay at minimum wage, by that I mean if they exerted as much effort to improve their work ethic or education or whatever else they had to do to get out of the rut of minimum wage jobs they would find themselves far better off than waiting for the next minimum wage increase. But this threa... [Hard work] is a relative term. I seriously doubt if hard physical labor is the norm for minimum wage jobs. Most minimum wage jobs are for unskilled labor which could be done by almost anybody. No training required little or no responsibility, hard work might be a stretch but then I know people who find getting up for a job hard work.Farmworkers, construction laborers, warehouse workers, packing house workers, that's all barring unionization, minimum wage. Working at WalMart is hard work. I have a feeling you think minimum wage workers are the kids serving you your value meal . But minimum wage worker grew the food, harvested it, packed it, stored it, loaded it, unloaded ... Wages are a part of profit sharing That's a good one, Debby. Tell that to someone starting a business who often takes home less than his employees during the building stages of his business and through setbacks. Benefits are good for employers and employees, but the idea that you have that they are entitlements is bad for both and the economy in general. I was simply stating that a business's good fortune should be shared with the workers who made it possible, GD. Farmworkers, construction laborers, warehouse workers, packing houseThis statement is overgeneralization and on its face not true. It sounds to me that you are saying unionized labor is the standard and anyone making less than that would be MINIMUM WAGE earners? The last time I checked with my local WalMart most of the employees there were making more than the federal minimum wage level. Most construction workers I know are making a nice living doing what they are doing. However if you are includin... Debbyski's point about the tradeoff between profit and wages is absolutely valid. If there is a negative impact to the wage increase, for many sectors the wage increase can be absorbed by lower profits and executive compensation.This is just rediculous. I am convinced that you are of the union mindset thinking that companies exsist to employ people. Not true my clipper friend. Business exsist to make a profit and the greater the profit the better not unlike your desire to earn as much money as you can. So what you are saying is that if someome makes more than you they should give that money to you? Look at it this way. I am going to pass a law that states anyone m... To TP and Debby your comments show forth very clearly that you have never run a business nor employed anyone to work for you. Limiting the profitablity of a company COSTS JOBS it does not create them. If you want to increase the wages then there has to be more job creation and a lower work force. The old supply and demand applies here. The greater the supply of workers the lower the wages to employ them. The lower the supply the greater the wage because someone has to do the job and companies know this. The governments inability to stem the tide of cheap labor crossing our borders has adversely affected anyone who is holding a job. I stand by my original statements that minimum wage earne... Now that I am on a roll let me add a few other thoughts to your narrow minded feel good minimum wage debate. Let us look at low pay jobs NOT MINIMUM Wage jobs but those paying around $7-8 an hour. These are not high paying jobs but prior to Jan 2007 they were at least $2 an hour more than a minimum wage job. NOW all of a sudden that person who did absolutely nothing shows up for work and is making .75 less than the $7.00 an hour job holder. Okay now what should we do? Lets increase all wage earners across the board the same percentage as the minimum wage earner got that is only fair and balanced right? It is not going to happen and probably the increases set aside for deserving employee... To TP and Debby your comments show forth very clearly that you have never run a business nor employed anyone to work for you.I can't speak for you TP, but Eagle you are WRONG about that. okay debby how much do you pay your employees? And where does the money come to pay them?? You already know the answer to question #2. People in my employment have been paid a very fair wage. I have an opportunity to be involved in a business with a good friend of ours and I will see how that goes starting hopefully this spring. Eaglewings, your comments are rambling and often don't follow from what I said, so I will pick the most relevant points. I have run contracting businesses and have owned my own business. If there is one thing you need to take away from this conversation, it is that it is not ok simply make up facts when it suits you. You changed my example of construction laborer to construction worker. Are you aware of the difference? Service industries, agriculture, construction and retail are the most aggressive employers of minimum wage labor. I will gladly debate solid data you have to the contrary. Personal anecdotes and your inner feelings,much as I care about them, are not solid dat... If there is one thing you need to take away from this conversation, itPerhaps they are random but nothing you said negates anything I stated. People in my employment have been paid a very fair wage.I do not believe you are paying them enough. I am going to lobby the legislature to increase everyones pay an additional 25%. It's arbotary but doen's matter because as with the case of minimum wage increases they too are arbitary and not based on market forces. How would a forced 25% mandatory increase to all employees effect your business Debby? Personal anecdotes and your inner feelings,much as I care about them, are not solid data.Feeling good about oneself by throwing money at a problem though it feels good and looks good does't make for sound public policy either. I do not believe there is strong data to support the raising of the minimum wage will actually help anyone. Course what do I know I just ramble. |
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