How Much is a Living Wage? | Meet the Press Reports

A rise in the cost of living and stagnant wages affect voter attitudes and political preferences.

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#Wages #Economy #Inflation

[andrewheffel]

I don't know what the answer is, but something is very wrong. I am old. When I got a full time job as a grocery clerk in the early 1970's, I made enough to live happily without debt. I bought a decent used car, rented a clean apartment, ate ok, bought a six pack of Bud and a chuck steak on Fridays, and paid my bills on time. More importantly, in two years I was able to save a downpayment for a small house in Ventura, CA where I lived.

Now that house costs $1, 000, 000 and a grocery clerk will never be able to buy one. We are not the country we once were, we are far less.

[meatrocket]

When owners starts talking about how "this company is like a family" run as far & fast as you can. They will without question try to manipulate & take advantage of you eventually. You are there to exchange your time & labor for money. Never let them manipulate you into thinking otherwise. This doesn't mean be rude or disrespectful to your employers. Build as many bridges & advantageous relationships as possible. But never forget your individual value as a human being & do not let yourself be taken advantage of. Employers take advantage of people's desperation when they say they can't pay you a livable wage. They are nothing without your labor. If they can't pay employees a livable wage then they are prioritizing the companies expansion & the growth over their workers. If they can't pay a livable wage then they shouldn't have so many employees.

[primordialbeing]

it’s beyond inhumane how unserious we have been to address such gaping inequality. To think so many have so much and yet many have barely anything to get by.

[Gaming_Antics]

A living wage should:
Pay rent or house mortgage
Pay for food
Pay for utilities, phone, internet
Raise 1 kid
Pay for transportation to work
Pay for health insurance/ insurances

Anything less is pretty much a slave labor life. That’s why some people prefer to be homeless, instead of working to death and get nothing, when you not working and get nothing, but less stress.

[NHSSHINOBI]

I agree with Tamica's sentiments. The system has a flaw where if your income surpasses a specific threshold, your benefits are taken away. Furthermore, the state considers the income of other individuals living in your household, even if they don't contribute any money. This practice can inadvertently push you over the threshold, leading to the loss of your benefits.
In the end, you find yourself struggling once again, being pushed back into poverty. The system is inherently flawed, an unending cycle that seems to work against you at every turn.

[Siskos-pnnd]

Who should we blame for this problem? Who can solve it? Who are the ones who raise the price of things you buy, goods or services? Who decides how much labor is paid? The bosses, the billionaires who own the multinationals corporation, make these decisions. Yet, we blame "Biden" or who ever is in office. The billionaire class controls our government, all 3 branches and the media companies. Yet, rarely do Americans blame those who decide what we get paid and what we pay for what we need.

[Kiriesani]

As someone who can't work for more than $10, 000 a year without losing state insurance this issue is extremely underrepresented. There's so many poverty traps in this country. I have medical and mental issues but there's no step up program I can work towards. If I make too much, I lose it all. I make _less_ money making more money.

[al_chargedup]

The prices of grocery goes up every time I go to buy food. The companies make billions in profits every year yet claim they need to raise prices because of inflation.

[joeymcguire]

My dad worked full time in a warehouse that paid enough for him to buy a house, a car, and cash for his trade school at 25. By the time he was my age, he made as much money as I do now, but 30 years later and I’m smarter, more educated, and more capable in 90% of everything. There are aspects of his job that I can do despite never having directly studied or worked in his industry. Somehow, I’m unqualified to make a decent living and my retirement is on pace to be in my 80s.

[Sasha]

I used to think $15 was the magic number but as long as landlords can raise the rent as high as they want, whenever they want, quality of life will suffer.

[RussellNorris-jobi]

The truth is it's not just education and good jobs that have been lost over the years it's paid apprenticeships unions and not having a living wage in the country as well as the high cost of everything.

[AndrewHoangOfficialChannel]

Me making $34/hr, $4200/month, living in Seattle is just enough for myself. Half that is for rent, rest is for food and other bill, but no way I can buy a house on my own. $25/hr now is like $15/hr 10 years ago. Anyone making less than $25/hr are maybe making ends meet

[HansJohnsonStudios]

We need more in-depth reporting like this on the major news networks.

[Dadsworld_]

I remember working minimum wage jobs, I feel for everyone that is stuck there still.
It took a lot of work but going from $8 in my teens now to $50 in my adulthood has made me grateful for every penny and allows me to help others in need.

[virginiamoss]

In my college town a married young woman with 3 kids and a husband in prison started receiving government assistance; to get it she had to either be working or going to school. She went to school to get certified to be a hospital worker; I don't remember what kind. She worked hard and graduated with new hope, did a job search and got an good offer at the local hospital. The amount of income was not enough for her to take the job without the government assistance, so she had to decline the offer that just put her over the line to lose her benefits. She was forced to continue her benefits by working a low-wage job, wondering why she made the effort to learn all she had learned. Hopeless. And a continuing burden on the taxpayer. The whole reason for the rules was to get people off welfare.

[garydavidson]

GOP vote against raising the minimum wage but raise their own pay by 7000 a yr Think About It

[AwkballOddward]

Living wages aren't just about "living"
It's about "satisfaction"
What's the point if all you're able ti do is "exist"

[spoonbendingspacemonkey]

I know in the US couples without children aren't considered a family, but those "non-family" people are struggling, too. Yet somehow they are overlooked and ignored.

P.S. if your job is a "family" run away a fast as you can! Your job is just that, a job. Keep family separated from your job. Your co-workers are not your besties. Again, run away as fast as you can form those types of bosses!

[Isaac-ulyz]

Living wage is more than just being able to afford all the important bills. It’s about being comfortable and having the freedom to grow and to have some fun too.

[jermainemyrn]

Corporations having deregulation is the problem. Reagan letting corporations reign supreme ended up being the obvious bad idea that it was