If you've wondered why the economy sucks, here's a very big reason.
People haven't been able to live on minimum wage since it began in 1938 (set in the Fair Labor Standards Act). People lived on less than that before then.
Willy, this report doesn't defend WHY the "economy" sucks. It only points out that minimum wage doesn't cover the necessities of living in the US.
On top of that, from personal experience, the chart is flawed. Who really gets a place for only $470 a month in this day and age (even in Eugene, the least expensive studio is more than that)? Who on minimum wage has an emergency account where they put in $60 every month, much less saving $38 for retirement? Who on minimum wage pays out $140 on health care (most people on minimum wage don't go to doctors because they can't afford it)?
Minimum wage sucks. But, it's better than no wage at all, which is where some people are today. Hence, the number of homeless today.
In this area of the country, $470 a month would get you a pretty decent place to live. Right after college, I lived in a cute little 1 bdrm apartment, about 500 sq foot....the rent was $315 a month. Its been a few years since I lived there, but I doubt if the rent is much more than $400 even today. Just last week, I went with my sister to look at some apartments for rent. She looked at a cute little 2 bedroom apartment in a decent neighborhood, and the rent was $525. Their studios were going for $400.
That honestly illustrates the real problem with a national minimum wage. The difference in cost of living can be huge from one area of the country to another. Out here, an income of $40K a year would allow you to live comfortably, even with 1 or 2 children. The same definitely cannot be said for most other parts of the country.
So should we set a min wage that will allow for a comfortable standard of living by midwest standards, or by New York living standards?
Where I disagree with Jolene is that the minimum wage, in the late 60's/early 70's actually did provide for a "living wage". i.e. a single full time worker could provide for a family of 4 just above the poverty level. Today it wouldn't support a single person at the poverty level.
Sin, I saw a news report some years ago, where they looked at every congressional distrist in America, and found that only 2 districts were affordable enough to live on minimum wage at the poverty level for a single individual.
I agree that there is a serious flaw in a national minimum wage, as costs of living vary greatly from place to place. It also doesn't help that some localities have made local minimum wages illegal, as in the case of the state of Louisiana.
You could not possibly hope to feed a family on minimum wage even then.
When I worked for minimum wage at age 16 (I claimed to be 18 so as to recieve minimum wage, about $1.65 if I recall) it was not possible to support a family on $70 a week. I survived by being the only mouth to feed and having three roommates, and riding a bike for transportation.
Minimum wage was never designed to be a "living wage" nor should it be.
FWIW I also worked for less than minimum wage in order to eat. My first job in Louisianna was $1.25 hr, when I first arrived the only job I could find was at a labor camp where we alternated between "mud runs", carrying hundred lb sacks of mud onto barges to use as ballast and working in pipe yards drifting and testing casing. by far the worst job I ever had in my life. We worked on average about 100 hrs a week, but after room, board, etc etc, we were lucky to net twenty bucks after a grueling 100 hr work week.
I am not crying about either of these experiences or any of the other hardships I had as a youth, quite the contrary. I learned that sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to survive in this world. It sure beat living off of government or family handouts. I think a few hardships do indeed "build character" I don't think I no anyone that hasn't had at least one rough patch in his life that I respect. Trust fund babies have no idea what life is all about.
I agree that a few hardships do build character. It's unfortunate, but true. I learned this the hard way, when at 18 I spent a few months homeless. That experience changed everything for me.
my folks because I couldn't afford a place even then. I think Oregon has been above Fed min wage for decades; but even then - as Gag said - it wasn't a livable wage even for a single person.
I think ours is artificially high due to all the colleges here (in all my travels, I've never seen a small city have quite so MANY colleges in one place; bigger cities, yes, but not a small city like Eugene). The landlords seem to think that because "Dad and Mom pay for college and rents and... and... and..." they can jack up the rents to an intolerable level.
Hell, she should jus' work three jobs. Or four. We can't be payin' a fair livin' wage, yall!