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Yes and the BA and BS absolutely deserve more than the HS grad. To start. One of my sons recently earned his degree in computer programming. He started at $55,000. Most HS grads around here will start at $16,000. to $20,000.

Work is no different than anything else in life. In order to have people take part you have to make it worthwhile for them. If we want everyone to work we have to offer everyone at the very least a living. Offer less that that and why should anyone work. No matter how far we advance we will need the services provided by unskilled workers to support the lifestyle of the middle and upper class and we need to pay them a living.

If its all that simple why has it not been fixed?

I agree on that point. The minimum is plenty for teens or young adults living at home.

No Darrin I can’t see where I’m arguing for a tax increase? Tell you what all I really want to do is find a way to get rid of welfare. Nothing else just get government out of the welfare business.

Are you trying to link me Obama?

Tell you what do you know what the Earned Income Tax Credit is?

It was slipped into the tax code by Ford and Reagan years ago. check it out.

It does exactly the same thing that Obamas “spread the wealth” does. It redistributes money from the middle and upper income worker directly into the pockets of the low income worker regardless if the recipient paid any income tax or not. Ronald Reagan used the EITC for one reason and one reason only and that reason is to allow his big business buddy’s to keep wages low and get rich off of tax payer money.

Both parties are as corrupt as hell and they will both use welfare to their own advantage until the people wake up and say enough is enough.

Now read the principals and values that everyone here claims they support?

And you tell me how you would end welfare without raising wages.

You tell me how you would cut welfare payments to working people without an increase in wages?

If it’s all about “You” what are you doing here? I thought we were talking about America. If you give your employees $2. an hour more and it gets them off welfare America has gained. I ran a small business for 35 years if my employees didn’t want to work I showed them the door. Pay a man and treat him with respect and he’ll work his heart out for you. Maybe you need to look in the mirror and ask yourself why your people don’t seem to want to work.

Wal-mart and Target is entry level? Sure they are, a check out clerk will be making about 8.00 an hour after 10 years on the job. You tell me, why should the single mom leave her job? She’s doing just fine with what she’s earning from wal-mart and welfare? And why should wal-mart give her a raise? They know she’ll show up everyday ready to work as long as the government helps them out with her wages.

I understand your frustrations with people inferior to you. But yes people are guaranteed something. They are guaranteed the equal opportunity. If a person is willing to work full time, is qualified and able to hold a job he absolutely deserves to earn a living above poverty. If the free market system can’t do that can’t provide for that then what good are they?

Only a damn fool wants to do a job that don't pay a living. If you expect some one to take 'em why don't you lead the way.

I doubt that it will matter at all to you but here it is.

In 1968 the minimum wage was $3,200.
By 2007 it had increased by a factor of 3.65 to $11,700.

In 1968 the poverty threshold was $1,748.
By 2007 it had increased by a factor of 5.8 to $10,210.

In 1968 the average wage was $5,571.
By 2007 it had increased by a factor of 7.25 to$40,405.

As you can see the average wage increased at almost double the rate as the minimum wage. It is the increase in the average of all wages that effect inflation not just an increase in the minimum.

I don’t get it? If a mother of two works at wal-marts earning $8.00 an hour and it takes $10.00 an hour for her to make it without depending on welfare why on earth would anyone object to her getting a $2.00 an hour raise?

We both know that if wal-mart don’t pay her the extra $2.00 an hour that welfare will.
If wel-fare pays her it cost the tax payer about $6.00 an hour. How does that make any sense to you?

Welfare is a no win situation, the wal-mart mom has no incentive to find a better job.
Her kids are less likely to do well in school and are 7 times more likely than the average kid to be on welfare we they grow up and start their family.

Where is the logic?

Hi plcarl,

Everyone has a story. I started out with a tenth grade education worked my way up. Started my own business, sent my four kids to collage, I did just fine. Now for my moms story. My dad came home from the war to her my brother and sister with a drinking problem.
By the late 1940s he was not only a hopeless alcoholic he was beating her when he was drinking. She was left to raise 5 kids alone. Not easy working two jobs or going to school with five kids. She went to work checking peoples groceries at a supper market. We were poor but she was able to support herself and all five kids with no help from anyone.
As a grocery checker she earned around 60% to 65% of what the average wage was back then. Someone in her situation today working the same job would be earning about 30% to 35% of what the average worker earns.

My mom worked hard and made it on her own. You and I did the same. I’d like everyone to have an opportunity to that. Fact is a single mom with 2 kids would need to work 64 hours a week just to reach the poverty threshold.

I know everyone doesn’t try as hard as I did or you did, but it is clearly in every ones best interest to lift them up rather than resent them for not being as self sufficient as we’d like.

You are just flat wrong to blame the price increases over the past forty years on low wage workers. They lost over 30% of their buying power and prices went up. it’s the total money in circulation that drives prices, don’t matter what income group is getting the raise. I never hear anyone bitch about a raise in pay unless it goes to the low income worker. I wish someone would explain the logic.

Yes some people are lazy, yes and some want nothing more than a handout but you can’t paint everyone with the same brush.

Everyone is going to receive enough to live on regardless of what you and I want. The people made that decision in 1965. I’d like people to be able to do it without the involvement of a corrupt welfare system.

The only way to do that is through better wages.