tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post116188193225603413..comments2023-11-30T04:19:29.368-06:00Comments on ILLINOIZE: 7 Days at Minimum WageRich Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05405714376169753223noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1162021936656494242006-10-28T02:52:00.000-05:002006-10-28T02:52:00.000-05:00Education is the key to lifting oneself out of pov...<I>Education is the key to lifting oneself out of poverty.</I><BR/><BR/>Let's correct that to 'education in a marketable skill, without going into outrageous levels of student loan debt'. IOW, don't pay $50K for training/ed for a job that pays $25K. Many people with education and good paying jobs wish they had savings accounts and are living the same paycheck to paycheck existence of min-wagers, Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161962854801584072006-10-27T10:27:00.001-05:002006-10-27T10:27:00.001-05:00Seeing as how the vast majority of people working ...Seeing as how the vast majority of people working at minimum wage are single mothers, when do you propose these single mothers "progress" through either education or extra work? And what effect will that additional time away from their kid have on the children?<BR/><BR/>And, given that they're at min wage to begin with, don't you think they may be in a dead-end job as it is?<BR/><BR/>Have you Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161962851558979752006-10-27T10:27:00.000-05:002006-10-27T10:27:00.000-05:00I think the above comment speaks for itself. Taki...I think the above comment speaks for itself. Taking stock of my friends (and enemies), none of them are in poverty. Several of them partake of the above vices. And since when is public transit a vice?<BR/><BR/>You obviously don't get out much, Anonymous. You may want to consider widening your circle of friends. Being poor is not a lifestyle choice and is not a marker of moral worth. Poor is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161954675366375412006-10-27T08:11:00.000-05:002006-10-27T08:11:00.000-05:00More importantly, are we making our lowest wage ea...More importantly, are we making our lowest wage earners have to make tough choices? Pay the cigarette tax or go gambling at the casino? Pay the fuel tax and vehicle tax, or pay the liquor tax? Property tax or sales tax? Tolls or take the bus? <BR/><BR/>How will we ever be able to continue to raise taxes if poor people can't pay them?!?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161907441584592472006-10-26T19:04:00.000-05:002006-10-26T19:04:00.000-05:00My first few jobs were minimum wage. Then I got a...My first few jobs were minimum wage. Then I got a job at the RR that paid about 3* the minimum wage. Then I got laid off. Then I got a job with the state that paid OK but on the low side.<BR/><BR/>The only thing that really increased my income was a decision to go back to school and get a college degree, which I did in my 30's. Education is the key to lifting oneself out of poverty. MarryingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161906822725255052006-10-26T18:53:00.000-05:002006-10-26T18:53:00.000-05:00Echo the Thanks for stopping by Mike Doyle.I apolo...Echo the Thanks for stopping by Mike Doyle.<BR/><BR/>I apologize for saying you did not go deeply into debt, when I obviously had no realy knowledge. I just wanted to bring wealth onto the table. I just read a couple of <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author-exact=Thomas%20M.%20Shapiro&rank=-relevance%2C%2Bavailability%2C-daterank/104-8007591-7974362crash-devhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04858577670947314819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161904126095835052006-10-26T18:08:00.000-05:002006-10-26T18:08:00.000-05:00I'm gonna find this article but over the summer th...I'm gonna find this article but over the summer there could have been a minimum wage increase that could have been combined with a estate tax decrease. It got voted down. For that I blame politics. There are a lot of issues that could have easily been decided but there are those politicians who just won't compromise and continue on the same talking points without coming back down to earth and Levoishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11738239742618133212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161897190253469362006-10-26T16:13:00.000-05:002006-10-26T16:13:00.000-05:00I think the days of a minimum wage being just a st...I think the days of a minimum wage being just a starting wage are over; so are the days of sticking with one employer throughout your career.<BR/><BR/>What you make is much more a function of your first wage (not counting part-time jobs while going to school or major career changes). What's scary is that more and more people fall off the high-wage ladder, often for reasons unrelated to Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161896907818633292006-10-26T16:08:00.000-05:002006-10-26T16:08:00.000-05:00Crash-Dev, You make a good point. However, how on...Crash-Dev, You make a good point. However, how on earth does anyone making minimum wage, paying rent, and feeding and clothing themselves in even the least expensive corner of contemporary America ever have anything left over to build a "safety net"? Or get credit?<BR/><BR/>For the people we interviewed for 7 Days at Minimum Wage, money in the bank would be a luxury. Money in the bank is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14463601.post-1161888131986644622006-10-26T13:42:00.000-05:002006-10-26T13:42:00.000-05:00In the video on the project, the Jessica, the Chic...In the video on the project, the Jessica, the Chicagoan interviewed, is in school and has attained more degrees since beginning work at minimum wage and has not seen a direct improvement.<BR/><BR/>I agree that is a tough call either way. One point is that Mike over at ChicagoCarless had some savings during his move. He did blow through them all, but it did not appear like when his first job feel crash-devhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04858577670947314819noreply@blogger.com