Minimum Wage
Normally I like to keep my posts (as a percentage) oriented towards energy related issues. However, I would like to take the opportunity to talk about the minimum wage law. I am opposed to this in principle but am in favor of it in practice.
At $5.15 per hour, the current minimum wage, a person working 40 hours per week makes $10,712 per year, about $5,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.
Exploitation is a word. Sadly, for all the “disadvantaged” people out there, there are people willing to exploit that fact. There are “poor” people who work multiple jobs - these are not lazy people. Granted, you may find abusers of the “system” but, by-and-large, the majority are just trying “to make a living”.
Free market, you say. Caste system, says I. Having known, and been, a member of the underclass I can say that making a summary judgement against them is a mistake. One of my favorites, Albert Einstein. comes to mind. My greatest hope is that the internet provides the path for the next “Einstein”.
One laptop per child is a good start, but it is more of an attitude. Do not dismiss ideas based on “rank”. Certainly try to keep everyone alive - you don’t know which ones you need to save.
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