Again, living wage has to do with the value created. Unless the single mom can flip three times as many burgers per hour than a single adult with no dependents, she isn't worth three times as much. A person's situation has ZERO bearing on what their job is worth. Now THAT'S an unfortunate truth.
Define
"live upon?"
Food, water, shelter, transportation access, and electricity? Can do with minimum wage in most places.
Want an iphone, laptop, 3 cars, steak every night, and martinis? Work harder to afford those at a better job that is in more of a demand than a menial labor job.
I want a mansion and a Lamborghini. Now provide that to me without stress please. I'm willing to work, but not very much, and the job should be pretty easy.
Perhaps we can round them up and keep them in pens like cattle, milk them for blood transfusions and spread their shit on crops.
As an economist, I see a lot of over-simplistic economics 101 concepts being thrown around in the political debate about labor in the US. It is quite puzzling, even after many years in the profession.
Basic economics.
You should get paid based on the value you contribute to society.
I'll take a controversial stance for the sake of discussion: I'll say that if you put in a solid 40 hours of honest work a week, you should be able to put food on your own table and a pay for a roof over your own head - no matter what your job title is. That would be the rule even for the least-paid but most-popular jobs such as retail salesperson, cashier, waiter or janitor.
Unfortunate for whom? Are you worried that those of no value will die because of no market demand, or that they will kill you if required to eat? Are there any options to caring for them or exterminating them if they can't earn money to eat? How to you go along without facing these issues, the bliss of simplistic thinking?
You and I have VERY different meanings for "poor."
Generally, you will only have a Lambo and/or a mansion if you are rich.
Poor is "do I pay the heat bill or the water bill."
Poor is taking the bus, or walking, or biking.
Poor is a very very stressful and difficult struggle.
Poor is ALWAYS paying late fees, being behind, and struggling very hard to make ends meet.
When I say "no working poor" I do not mean a life of luxury (that should be obvious for anybody who is capable of seeing more than 2 shades of monotone.)
I'm thinking along the lines of a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment and a 10 year old used car.
That is why I gave some hard numbers in my update.
Why should a poor person own a car? Use public transportation like tens of millions of Europeans do. And why do they need an apartment all to themselves? Never heard of roommates?
Yep Tango
People can't help from oversimplifying or invoking absurdities to address a serious issue where the richest country on earth can't provide for the lowest.
This country provides all the necessities for living for the lowest. EVERYTHING - food, water, clothing, utilities, cars/transportation, electricity, education, career training, housing, health and dental care, EVERYTHING.
Do explain what you mean by "can't provide for the lowest".
No, working 8hr a day and still not being able to provide for yourself just means you need to work more or another job. People don't get to be successful by working only 8 hrs a day. Min wage jobs are not meant to live on, they are a stepping stone only.
Anybody physically able can succeed in America. If they don't it is out of pure laziness. Go learn a skill, apply that skilled labor, profit handsomely.
Tell that to the PhD's working at Starbucks.
I started at the bottom. I worked min age jobs for a long time. I was int he USAF, but got out without my degree done. I had to work at Circuit City for a couple of years at min wage while I paid for my own schooling. Paid for my own rent, food, and schooling all working a min wage job. I didn't party or blow money everywhere. I was on my own completely. Got a good job after that and have been upward ever since.
Yah it took effort. No it was not overnight. Some people get lucky and born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Others aren't. Some people know how to seize opportunity and others just rather blow it all away. Why should someone that wants to party all the time and not spend their money in an effort to provide a better opportunity to advance where they are in life receive a free pass to a better life all of a sudden? What does that teach people?
See what I meant?
This country provides all the necessities for living for the lowest. EVERYTHING - food, water, clothing, utilities, cars/transportation, electricity, education, career training, housing, health and dental care, EVERYTHING.
Do explain what you mean by "can't provide for the lowest".
No, working 8hr a day and still not being able to provide for yourself just means you need to work more or another job. People don't get to be successful by working only 8 hrs a day. Min wage jobs are not meant to live on, they are a stepping stone only.
Anybody physically able can succeed in America. If they don't it is out of pure laziness. Go learn a skill, apply that skilled labor, profit handsomely.
If you put in 8 hours/day every week, should you receive a wage you can live upon?
Basic economics.
You should get paid based on the value you contribute to society.
Why work if after 8 hours/day every week you can't live on what you made?
Why have such high standard of living expectations? I could survive on minimum wage in the Bay Area again if I had to. I would have to give up some things I currently enjoy but I would get by. It's called living within your means.