Originally posted by no1marauderDo those stats include folk who get tips on top of their wage? When I was tending bar I made the state minimum wage (approximately 7 dollars per hour) but after tips were counted I ended up making 25 to 30 dollars an hour for a normal 6 hour shift.
According to Current Population Survery estimates for 2002, some 72.7 million American workers were paid at hourly rates, representing 59.6 percent of all wage and salary workers.1 Of those paid by the hour, about 570,000 were reported earning exactly $5.15, the prevailing Federal minimum wage, and another 1.6 million were reported with wages below the m ...[text shortened]... um wage or less (there are a number of exemptions as the site points out) is undoubtedly higher.
Originally posted by bbarrWhaddya one of us the lazy right wingers now?? Read the link!ðŸ˜
Do those stats include folk who get tips on top of their wage? When I was tending bar I made the state minimum wage (approximately 7 dollars per hour) but after tips were counted I ended up making 25 to 30 dollars an hour for a normal 6 hour shift.
Originally posted by PeterSwan2It's true to an extent. That said, the 'American' dream can still be had if one works hard enough and long enough for it, saving as much $ as possible along the way. The key to having a good life in America is EDUCATION!!!. If one is poor, there are grants and loans to assist in achieving one's goal. If one wants to be a medical doctor, he/she may have to start out as a nursing assistant, saving $$ and taking courses at night in Nursing, not watching the idiot-box, aka TV. It may take 2-5 years to get that nursing degree. Once that person is a nurse, they are making pretty good $$ and can afford to save even more $$. In 5 more years, they may have enough to go to medical school, which is about another 4-7 years. By the time that person is about 35-40, they are an MD. This is just ONE of many paths of higher education, but it takes perseverence, hard work, some sleepless nights, maybe working 2 jobs at once for a while, and a little luck never hurts. The military is an excellent place to start if one is poor. I get my college tuition paid for 100%. The medical course I am taking will be worth an Associates degree (two-year degree) in Health Science from George Washington University. 16 years ago, I was working at a U-Haul shop washing trucks for 5.50 per hour. Today, I make a comfortable living and can retire with 50% of my base pay in November, but I'm going to stay in for 30 years, God willing, and retire with 75% of my base pay. The military is also dangerous, but that's why the rewards are there. Counting basic pay, housing allowance, and other entitlements commensurate with my rank (CPO), I make about $65,000-$70,000 dollars per annum. I succeeded because I gave up my vices, screwed my head on tighter, torqued my work ethic much tighter, and started studying and haven't stopped yet. Can anybody do it this way? Certainly not, but trying to beats the hell out of hanging on the street corner with a sign that says: 'Will work for food'. When I ask them if they'll move furniture or cut some grass, they say they are injured and would just be appreciative if I give them a dollar.....Education, people! Instill that concept in your children or they are going to have a rough 21st century.
Watched Morgan Spurlock on TV last night- the guy who wrote 'Supersize Me'. This time, instaed of eating junk food for 30 days, he and his wife attempted to live on the minimum wage for 30 days. They chose Columbus, Ohio as the place to do it.
What I want to know is - how typical are situations like this? I mean, I lived with Americans a few years ago ...[text shortened]... round the world if the stories from one's own media are true. Please see it that way.)
In Britain the vast majority of people have theopportunity to achieve. But there is an underclass of society who don't. Poor people who do things too early in life. Have kids, leave school, do drugs too early etc. these people often do not have the skills to access the labour market nevermind earn minimum wage. I do not know how we can solve this circle of poverty.
Minimum wage in this country is I feel as a restaurant manager is quite high. I could find people to work for £3 per hour an hour yet I pay nearly double this £5.50 (min wage is £5.05). Tips bouy their income anyway. The minimum wage has made the restaurant less profitable, and therefore my profit-related income has not risen as fast. As minimum wages have risen about four times the rate of inflation every year for 4 years now.
Originally posted by ChurlantI didn't "extrapolate any generalized knowledge".
My experience is that the folks who extrapolate generalized knowledge based on limited personal experience have their own agenda.
-JC
I related my experience as asked for in the thread.
Reread your post. That would mean you have an genda also!😲
Originally posted by RedmikeI have lived both in Zambia and in South Africa. In Zambia a typical middleclass to upperclass household employs 1 maid, 1 gardener and sometimes 1 guard. In south africa a household earning more than the Zambian one will employ 1 maid 1 day a week = approx 1/5th maid. The reason for this is because South Africans are generally wealthier and strong unions have forced up the minimum wage. There are many unskilled people who cannot get a job of any kind because people cannot afford to employ them at minimum wage. Simmilarly many of the labour intensive industries in Zambia will employ more people rather than to mechanise as it is cheaper. In South Africa there is more mechanization and less employees.
We heard all the horror stories here about the supposed effects of the minimum wage here before it was introduced a few years ago. The CBI (the employer's lobby group) said it would decimate jobs etc etc.
It didn't.
There wasn't even a blip in the employment stats.
Similarly, are you seriously saying high spending on social services leads to laziness? How do you come up with that wee gem?
I know someone who did her University degree in Cuba and told me that many Cubans have no interest in working as the welfare state is sufficient. This is a common criticism of communism and any welfare system.
The solution to almost all poverty is education. However education starts at home and so it can take several generations for the full benefits. However if all countries in the world insisted on a fairly high standard of education for all then poverty would be almost eradicated.
To have to work at the minimum wage or to be unemployed due to being unable to find work at the minimum wage can only be due to lack of education and skills. However this is different from a large number of 'unemployed' who are just people who cant find a job that is paying what they think they are worth but could get a minimum wage job if they so desired.
Originally posted by slimjimWell said.
Graduated High School, went in the Army, got out of the Army, Drove Company trucks and saved my money, Bought me a truck and now gross $180,000.00 a year. Raised 9 kids without Government assistance, putting two through college along with the wife who is also a freshman in college. If I can do it anybody else can too. Just takes determination and a good work ethic.
Good for you.
Originally posted by PeterSwan2Well, I'm glad that you are asking instead of making a baseless rant on the United States like some people such as Redmike. Anyways, that's besides the point.
Watched Morgan Spurlock on TV last night- the guy who wrote 'Supersize Me'. This time, instaed of eating junk food for 30 days, he and his wife attempted to live on the minimum wage for 30 days. They chose Columbus, Ohio as the place to do it.
What I want to know is - how typical are situations like this? I mean, I lived with Americans a few years ago ...[text shortened]... round the world if the stories from one's own media are true. Please see it that way.)
In response to your question, I do think America is becoming a colder and more unwelcoming place. Honestly, I just do. The national debt is getting larger, the economy is going to the dogs, taxes are raising, and people are simply becoming desensitized to violence, death, and idle sex. My generation is probably the saddest. We are babied over every little thing and sheltered far to much. You can't even slightly tease someone anymore without faculty jumping down your throat and worrying about the kid coming to school with a gun. I'm so afraid that the next 40-50 years are going to bring revolution to America. The ideals of many are going to erupt into violence because we can't simply reason anymore.
However, we are still the land of freedom, which keeps us great. Don't get me wrong, America is still a very great place to be, but it's slowly going down into the slums. If we don't pick it up now, we never will.
Originally posted by slimjimOh God, we must get rid of this post! Success and happiness in America? That's simply not possible!
Graduated High School, went in the Army, got out of the Army, Drove Company trucks and saved my money, Bought me a truck and now gross $180,000.00 a year. Raised 9 kids without Government assistance, putting two through college along with the wife who is also a freshman in college. If I can do it anybody else can too. Just takes determination and a good work ethic.
Originally posted by IorekCan you show me one such 'baseless rant' about life in the US?
Well, I'm glad that you are asking instead of making a baseless rant on the United States like some people such as Redmike. Anyways, that's besides the point.
In response to your question, I do think America is becoming a colder and more unwelcoming place. Honestly, I just do. The national debt is getting larger, the economy is going to the dogs, taxes are ...[text shortened]... e, but it's slowly going down into the slums. If we don't pick it up now, we never will.