"In the post-meditative experience become a child of illusion" is a slogan from the Tibetan mind training tradition. We engage the world as we experience it all the while realizing that reality is not as it seems to be.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Minimum wage
Just think about this:
If you work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, at the minimum wage, you earn $10,700 a year.
Think about this as well: Over two thirds of the people working for the minimum wage are not living in poverty, and the best way of helping the working poor is by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit rather than raising the minimum wage.
Only someone who isn't living on minimum wage could possibly make that comment above. I live on two thousand dollars more a year than the minimum; and let me tell you, no tax break can overcome the daily struggles for money. I should add I have no children, save a dog; with them, it would be near impossible to live.
The following web site which can be found at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/threshld/ thresh04.html will show you the most recent poverty threshhold numbers by size of family according to the US Census Bureau (sorry, but you will have to cut and paste). Please, take time to look at these numbers and see if you would want to even try to live at these levels. Has anyone ever considered raising the minimum wage AND expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit? There is always the cry about "what will it do to the economy?" and "where will get the money?". How about, for starters, cutting so many of the tax advantages that have been given to the wealthy and big corporations? After all, isn't part of the purpose of a middle class to buy goods thereby sending more money back into the economy? Those making minimum wage and those below the poverty line certainly are putting very little back into the economy. No one ever seems to consider that if we raise the minimum wage so people can spend more, the economy might actually benefit. Besides, it is the right thing to do. Carolyn L.
Thanks for this comment, Carolyn and thanks for reminding us that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do. Here's the link for the address you gave.
New policy: Anonymous posts must be signed or they will be deleted. Pick a name, any name (it could be Paperclip or Doorknob), but identify yourself in some way. Thank you.
Think about this as well: Over two thirds of the people working for the minimum wage are not living in poverty, and the best way of helping the working poor is by expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit rather than raising the minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteOnly someone who isn't living on minimum wage could possibly make that comment above. I live on two thousand dollars more a year than the minimum; and let me tell you, no tax break can overcome the daily struggles for money. I should add I have no children, save a dog; with them, it would be near impossible to live.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Anonymous. Even if a person's tax was done away with altogether he or she couldn't live with any kind of decency on minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteThe following web site which can be found at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/threshld/
ReplyDeletethresh04.html will show you the most recent poverty threshhold numbers by size of family according to the US Census Bureau (sorry, but you will have to cut and paste). Please, take time to look at these numbers and see if you would want to even try to live at these levels. Has anyone ever considered raising the minimum wage AND expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit? There is always the cry about "what will it do to the economy?" and "where will get the money?". How about, for starters, cutting so many of the tax advantages that have been given to the wealthy and big corporations? After all, isn't part of the purpose of a middle class to buy goods thereby sending more money back into the economy? Those making minimum wage and those below the poverty line certainly are putting very little back into the economy. No one ever seems to consider that if we raise the minimum wage so people can spend more, the economy might actually benefit. Besides, it is the right thing to do.
Carolyn L.
Thanks for this comment, Carolyn and thanks for reminding us that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do. Here's the link for the address you gave.
ReplyDeleteHere.
Ironically, under Social Security Regulations, a person can earn up to $10,320 a year and still be considered disabled.
ReplyDelete