Somehow this whole discussion reminds me of the freedom to sleep under the bridges of Paris...
@slappy magoo I really admire your patience.
@slappy magoo I really admire your patience.
But why didn't the prez use his pen and his phone he has been proudly touting of late to make it happen?
You and I know well enough that executive orders only apply to the federal branch and laws with a national reach are only passed when he signs a bill approved by the senate and congress.
The following statement doesn't apply to you, but I'm constantly amazed by the number of people in the US who have no clue how laws are made and passed.
Because he's President, not a king, not a dictator (despite some people claiming that he thinks he's one of those two things). There are some things he has executive authority to do to help stimulate the economy - one recent example being the insistence that anyone who does business with the government has to pay all employees a minimum of $10.10 an hour. He can't magically raise the wage for everyone but he can requirement like that to people who wish to contract with the government. It may only raise the incomes of about a quarter million people, but it changed the tone of the topic in national circles, which has resulted in some companies voluntarily raising their minimum pay, and some states raising their minimum wage as well.But why didn't the prez use his pen and his phone he has been proudly touting of late to make it happen?
Slappy magoo you are a man or woman after my heart. Putting forth your knowledge without insulting others is a gift.Because he's President, not a king, not a dictator (despite some people claiming that he thinks he's one of those two things). There are some things he has executive authority to do to help stimulate the economy - one recent example being the insistence that anyone who does business with the government has to pay all employees a minimum of $10.10 an hour. He can't magically raise the wage for everyone but he can requirement like that to people who wish to contract with the government. It may only raise the incomes of about a quarter million people, but it changed the tone of the topic in national circles, which has resulted in some companies voluntarily raising their minimum pay, and some states raising their minimum wage as well.
But for things like a giant stimulus package, that affect the federal budget to such a degree, he's gotta work with Congress. And while there was technically a supermajority in the Senate for a brief time during Obama's first 2 years in office, not all of the Dems were on board with the stimulus, notably Dems in redder states who wound up retiring or losing re-election anyway after the fact, and Maine's Republican Senator Snowe who demanded most of that stimulus I wrote about earlier, in order to get past the filibuster.
...People who know me personally would be amazed by my current display of restraintSlappy magoo you are a man or woman after my heart. Putting forth your knowledge without insulting others is a gift.
Again, I'm amazing myself today, too.Somehow this whole discussion reminds me of the freedom to sleep under the bridges of Paris...
@slappy magoo I really admire your patience.
"give" should be "earn" ....therein lies the problem
everyone who works deserves a livable wage? I could find a way to live off of minimum wage if I had to... ex. if I didn't live alone, have a kid, pay for my directv drv, iPhone, phone plan, internet, clubbing costs, alcohol, etc. ya know... the things that aren't neccesity if you have little income from the job you have
I am sure he can change that with a swipe of the pen also.......You and I know well enough that executive orders only apply to the federal branch and laws with a national reach are only passed when he signs a bill approved by the senate and congress.
The following statement doesn't apply to you, but I'm constantly amazed by the number of people in the US who have no clue how laws are made and passed.
However internet access, for one, is, by many organizations, not considered a luxury anymore, it is a necessity. As more businesses and governmental agencies move their operations to the web, not having access or a working phone can prevent people from getting assistance or finding employment. A few years ago, I found myself unemployed, fresh out of college with very few prospects.
1: The current minimum wage is $7.25/hr. If you worked a 40 hour week, you'd make $300/week. Before taxes. You probably wouldn't pay much in federal taxes, but there's still state and payroll taxes. Plus hopefully you have insurance, but you'd probably have to contribute to that. Realistically, you'd take home about $225 a week if you're lucky. $900 a month. Let's see how you'd break that down.
2: When you write "if I had to... ex. if I didn't live alone, have a kid..." are you implying you currently DO have a kid but you wouldn't factor him or her into your finances if you had to live off of minimum wage? And if so, how would go about gettind rid of your child so you could survive off of minimum wage? Because most people I know of who either have been making minimum wage or suddenly lose a decent job and can only get a minimum wage job, they tend to not, you know, dump their kids. But you might have different priorities, who am I to judge? Never mind, just an itemized list on what you'd pay for to survive on $900 a month. Hell, I'm generous, make it an even grand a month. Go. I'll even stop bugging you about who you think deserves to starve by making less than $9.64/hr if you can present a realistic budget, for just you, on an even grand a month. But it has to be realistic, no "I share a studio apartment with 20 other people" hilarity. Realistic rent, realistic cost of utilities, realistic food and travel budget. Shouldn't be that hard.
EDIT: Here, I decided to be helpful, because I'm like that. Here's a listing for a 4BR apartment in Orlando for only $900! http://www.apartments.com/Florida/O...ef8-951b-4e49-92fa-add931370dd6&stype=cityseo
I have no idea if it's a good or bad part of town, but with 3 roommates only paying $225 each, you can afford a little risk! That leaves you with a big fat $775 a month for utilities (I don't think they're included, but the apartment has built in A/C so that's one less appliance to buy!), your food, getting to and from work (LYNX is within walking distance) clothes. ZOMG maybe you CAN afford an iphone with the money you'll save!
Of course, that's assuming you can find 3 roommates and none of them flakes on you, at which point you may have to help cover their part of the rent until you find another roomie. But big deal, $225, $300, what's the diff?
And of course, working an hourly wage, you probably don't have many if any sick days so you want to set aside a little cushion in case you get the flu or injure yourself.
Man, you will be living large.
i don't know how anyone can survive on a grand a month.
i was going through scenarios, in my head, to see if it's possible. i broke out the calculator and went through the expenses i have. house payment, car payment, insurance on the house, insurance on the car, property taxes, electric bill, water and trash bill, phone bill, groceries, gas, monthly medical prescriptions. these are the things that i immediately thought of that are necessary. not including everything else and that i live in an area where the cost of living isn't as high, it was still over a grand a month. this is just for me.
i have been making jokes with the fiance' that we are marrying each other for a little bit of relief in the finances...![]()
i don't know how anyone can survive on a grand a month.
i was going through scenarios, in my head, to see if it's possible. i broke out the calculator and went through the expenses i have. house payment, car payment, insurance on the house, insurance on the car, property taxes, electric bill, water and trash bill, phone bill, groceries, gas, monthly medical prescriptions. these are the things that i immediately thought of that are necessary. not including everything else and that i live in an area where the cost of living isn't as high, it was still over a grand a month. this is just for me.
i have been making jokes with the fiance' that we are marrying each other for a little bit of relief in the finances...![]()
If you both work, you move in together to get relief in the finances. Getting married will cost you in federal taxes. The "marriage penalty" is real, although less than it used to be.
It's possible people who fundamentally disagree to have a conversation about something, still not see the other persons point, but still keep the conversation civil. I have failed at that in the past and at the end of the day, it changed nothing........People who know me personally would be amazed by my current display of restraint
Plus, hakunamutata has good taste in music, so I cut him some slack.
And when a Jedi Master "makes a mental note", we are all reminded.*makes mental note* thanks for reminding me about that....![]()
The biggest mistake I made is that I wasn't born rich
You honestly thought that was helpful, didn't you?Or maybe it was your field of study... or choice of work. You have a masters degree, yet only work minimum wage? Honestly you can walk into a fast food place and make more than minimum wage.. or any number of other jobs. Whenever anyone blames others for what they lack of... maybe they should look back at all the things they thought 'weren't for them' and reconsider that.
This if you don’t like the pay get a better job nonsense is just that! This idea that anyone can just go find a 40k (conservative salary) a year job with a little bit of motivation and hard work is not the case…
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