When people can’t afford to pay for the perks of society, we all end up paying. Wages are too low, shelter is too high, food is too high, and water, one of those things humans literally can not live without, is getting too expensive. “Perks” can mean some of the things you take for granted, like housing, food, water, and healthcare.
Most of the crime, drug addiction, and homelessness can be directly attributed to the lack of living wage jobs. Also, remember that 10 trips through rehab cost less than one year in prison.
I’m under no illusion that all of the ills would disappear, but growing up before Ronald Reagan, I can say I’ve seen this country when jobs paid better than now. Prior to Ronald Reagan and “trickle down”, business owners made about twice what their workers made. That’s a reasonable return on their investment. An owner making about $300,000/yr paid their workers an average of $150,000/yr. Today, that difference is much larger. The boss paying their workers $150,000/yr is making 5 to 15 times what their workers are making. That’s $750,000 to $2.2 million/yr. Not everyone does, but the vast majority do.
It’s like Ronnie flipped a switch, and the entire working class of this nation got left behind to drown in poverty.
As an example, in the 1950s, a single worker in almost any job had enough take-home income that they could support their family of four, buy a home, buy a car, and have money to put away for the future.
In contrast, today, a minimum wage job is not enough to live on anywhere in this nation. Remember, we have the highest gross domestic product of any nation on the planet, and we only have 4% of the population.
So tell me… Where is the issue? Our nation generates more wealth each year than any nation on Earth, but we have a problem where people working 40, 60, and sometimes 80 hours a week can’t afford to rent a studio apartment and have enough left over to eat. Let alone feed their children.
The money is still being produced. It’s being funneled to the already wealthy instead of the people generating that wealth, the overworked formerly middle-class worker. Greed has replaced community.
There is a way to fix it, but the GOP has their entire base, the ones that would benefit most from the list below, convinced that other poor Americans are their enemy. They believe it’s not the greed on display by Congress or the wealthy of this nation. It’s the poor. Just wanting to exist. Just wanting to eat. Just wanting a dry, warm place to sleep.
Really?
Giving more money to the already wealthy has never resulted in an increase in anyone’s standard of living. Giving money to not wealthy people allows them to live as members of society and not live in a tent.
Will it be perfect? Nope, not a chance. Nothing ever is. That’s why we adjust. The law is not “one and done.” It requires adjustments from time to time.
#LivingWageJobs #RootCauseOfCrime #HomelessnessInAmerica #CrimePrevention #AffordableHousing #FoodInsecurity #WaterShortage #HealthcareForAll #RehabNotPrison #TrickleDownEconomics #IncomeInequality #WealthDistribution #GreedOverCommunity #GOPBase #PoorAmericans #IncreaseStandardOfLiving #AdjustTheLaw
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