Aside from lightbulbs, IMO the mimimum wage should be raised. To what? I'm not exactly sure. But NY's current (and already increased) rate of $8 is hardly sufficient. Perhaps $15 is a bit high in the aggregate, but then again, on an individual basis $15 an hour is petty cash. Are there other ways to spark the economy and lead to a better overall societal well-being? Absolutely! But I think raising the min wage shouldn't be negated.
I'm not about to get into an economics debate. In fact, I think more humanistically and holistically. (after all at the end of the day we all are just humans that live and die!) Economics, like biology, is a science. But biology has limits. That is where philosophy and/or religion steps in. Similarly, people like to think in terms of money, taxes, economics, progress and so on and so often forget the very real and human aspect of things...:rant:
However, here on Long Island the poverty level is a little over $20,000. I was probably making about that ($10 an hour) when I was detailing jets part-time this summer and let me tell you I was having a hard time just paying for gas and the occassional dinner, along with other petty expenses. Forget tuition, textbooks, unexpected expenses, children, utilities, taxes, insurance, medical bills, groceries, rent/mortgage payments partying etc etc... I don't know how some people do it.... and the truth is, many don't...they foreclose, go homeless, stay with family or friends to make do etc etc...and many people just don't care/pay any attention or (perhaps worse) are in denial, caring only about themselves and how cheap they can get their meal/sweater/car (you get the picture) for.
I
absolutely agree with the fact that a fast food job should be considered entry-level. Yes, people (esp with families) have a responsibility to make ends meet and get a new (or second) job if the current one isn't cutting it.
But that doesn't mean we should give those at the bottom the short end of the stick, which minimum wage IMO currently is.
Aside from which, sometimes moving up isn't as easy as it is purported to be. Take my mother as the paramount example: she has a Bachelors degree in human development from UVM, A+ student, traveled cross country in human resources, was a training manager, and then had to stay home b/c I (and subsequently, my sister) were premies. She then got off her butt, got an R/N degree, and since she was "old" (under 50 mind you) (and had an associate's RN not bachelors b/c thats all she and my father could afford after raising two kids and a household) she was jobless for 2 years until her FRIEND GAVE her a job. We were okay, because my father does reasonably well (very far above poverty line and perhaps a salary many would aspire to but
still very tough to live on for Long Island)
...So everything is relative, and I'm not here to attack anyone, their view or get into an argument. In fact, This is to be my first and last comment. I just mean to (maybe) enlighten, and to speak from personal, empirical experience. We can throw out numbers, data, or whatever else. We can complain about "burdens" on the system and individuals b/c of minimum wage or whatever...but we must guage what the really important issues are... Just my $0.02
