Comments on: Fair is for Sissies http://incredipete.com/archives/603 Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions. G.K. Chesterton Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:13:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Wombat http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11325 Wombat Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:38:07 +0000 http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11325 I missed argueing with you these last two years, Pete. Stop by the new site one of these days I missed argueing with you these last two years, Pete. Stop by the new site one of these days

]]> By: HRT http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11324 HRT Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:04:41 +0000 http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11324 I am going to come down squarely in the middle of those last two comments. :) JK. But seriously, I am curious who is it that takes a job for minimum wage, works as hard as he or she is capable of working for 10+ years and still is only making minimum wage? This is just hard for me to completely understand, but then I work for a University and try to help people everyday to earn a degree and to change their lives and you would be amazed at how many people wouldn't blink at taking out a loan for a $30,000 car but whine and complain because school costs a few thousand dollars and "heaven forbid" they may actually have to take out a government guaranteed student loan that they'll have 20 years to pay back. But seriously, I'm not bitter... ...well a little bitter at tax time. I am going to come down squarely in the middle of those last two comments. :) JK.

But seriously, I am curious who is it that takes a job for minimum wage, works as hard as he or she is capable of working for 10+ years and still is only making minimum wage? This is just hard for me to completely understand, but then I work for a University and try to help people everyday to earn a degree and to change their lives and you would be amazed at how many people wouldn’t blink at taking out a loan for a $30,000 car but whine and complain because school costs a few thousand dollars and “heaven forbid” they may actually have to take out a government guaranteed student loan that they’ll have 20 years to pay back.

But seriously, I’m not bitter…

…well a little bitter at tax time.

]]> By: Incredipete http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11323 Incredipete Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:43:01 +0000 http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11323 The minimum wage was never intended to be what it has become today - the safety net for working folks. It was intended as a floor to wages that were supposed to be for people entering the workforce, who were frankly not worth more than that... like your high school kids working part time at McDonalds. No one would try to argue that minimum wage is a living wage for an adult with a family. However, it does make me wonder - I was able to get a job when I was 17 that paid $6.30 an hour, which is more than minimum wage, and through hard work, 4 years later I was making twice that. I still fervently believe that success is about hard work and good decisions. The minimum wage was never intended to be what it has become today - the safety net for working folks. It was intended as a floor to wages that were supposed to be for people entering the workforce, who were frankly not worth more than that… like your high school kids working part time at McDonalds. No one would try to argue that minimum wage is a living wage for an adult with a family. However, it does make me wonder - I was able to get a job when I was 17 that paid $6.30 an hour, which is more than minimum wage, and through hard work, 4 years later I was making twice that. I still fervently believe that success is about hard work and good decisions.

]]> By: GoingLoopy http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11322 GoingLoopy Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:22:59 +0000 http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11322 http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html The majority of the wealth is controlled by a minority of the population. While this study indicates that most people don't inherit big chunks of money, it appears that trust funds are not counted as inheritance - rather, they are part of the wealth held. Most of the rich types I've worked for have been trust-fund babies. Also, read "Nickel & Dimed" (I believe the author is Barbara Ehrenreich. I may have spelled the last name wrong). It has to do with how it is nearly impossible to survive on a $7-$8 an hour job. I understand that your point is, people who really, really want it will find a way to persevere. Maybe that's true. But I think there are a lot of people who work their asses off and can't get ahead. And let's not even talk about how screwed up the minimum wage is... http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

The majority of the wealth is controlled by a minority of the population. While this study indicates that most people don’t inherit big chunks of money, it appears that trust funds are not counted as inheritance - rather, they are part of the wealth held.

Most of the rich types I’ve worked for have been trust-fund babies.

Also, read “Nickel & Dimed” (I believe the author is Barbara Ehrenreich. I may have spelled the last name wrong). It has to do with how it is nearly impossible to survive on a $7-$8 an hour job.

I understand that your point is, people who really, really want it will find a way to persevere. Maybe that’s true. But I think there are a lot of people who work their asses off and can’t get ahead.

And let’s not even talk about how screwed up the minimum wage is…

]]> By: HRT http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11321 HRT Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:41:07 +0000 http://incredipete.com/archives/603#comment-11321 The choices we make today, for better or for worse, will have a powerful affect not only on our own lives but on the lives of future generations, choose wisely. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. -- Vince Lombardi The choices we make today, for better or for worse, will have a powerful affect not only on our own lives but on the lives of future generations, choose wisely.

Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
— Vince Lombardi

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