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| Fast food workers marching |
Income
inequality has been the third rail of American politics and social discussions
for some time now. It is far more than
talking points. It is REAL. The “1%”
that has become a large part of the political lexicon in America owns a STAGGERING
37% of ALL the wealth in America. (Bloomberg: The 1% May Be Richer Than You Think, Research Shows)
Conservatives, of course, see nothing wrong with that scenario at all. They believe the “free market” should dictate financial worth. That hard work is the simple cure for income inequality. Never mind the fact there are 10 million Americans who work for a living and yet live below the poverty line. (Washington Post: Here’s why 10.4 million American workers are still in poverty) Conservatives use buzz terms like “redistribution of wealth” and “socialism” to discourage any discussion about leveling the playing field when it comes to Americans who DO work and still live in poverty. They will tell you those working poor should just work harder and they, too, will reach the “1%” status. That is the biggest lie told since kids in my generation (I was born in 1960) were told we could run FASTER and jump HIGHER if we only had a pair of PF FLYERS. That is MIND INTERCOURSING of the highest order. If only becoming wealthy WERE that simple. President Obama has introduced legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. The Republicans, despite the fact an overwhelming number of Americans favored raising the minimum wage, wouldn’t even consider the legislation. President Obama did raise the minimum wage for government contract workers to $10.10 by Executive Order. Some states have taken it upon themselves to raise the minimum wage and the city of Seattle has raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Again, most Americans agree the minimum wage should be raised and therefore should demand their representatives on all levels – local, state and federal – make that become reality. As united Americans are on this issue, the debate is what the MINIMUM wage should be as opposed to what a LIVIABLE wage should be. There is where Americans who work for a living DON’’T agree. The battle for livable wages pits working Americans vs. working Americans.
Over
the last 12 months or so, we’ve seen fast food restaurant workers go on one day
strikes and demonstrate in front of fast food restaurants all over the
country. These workers are demanding the
FEDERAL
minimum wage be raised to a LIVABLE wage of $15 an hour. Those workers, who definitely work hard, say
they can’t support themselves and their families on $7.25 an hour, which comes
to $15,080 a year. Broken down further, that
is a gross monthly income of $1,256.
Wage earners on this scale would be in the 25% tax bracket,
approximately, which would leave them with an approximate net income of
$942.50. In whatever part of the country
you live in, it is highly improbable that you can pay rent or a mortgage, pay
utilities, buy food, pay life and medical insurance premiums, pay for and
maintain an automobile, save at least 10% of your net income and then have some
discretionary income left after you take care of all that. In fact, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do. These workers are asking to be paid at least
$15 an hour - $31, 200 annual gross income.
Those wages would put those wage earners in the 30-35% tax bracket and
at best, that comes out to a net monthly income of $1,820. Not exactly living in the lap of luxury, mind
you, but a lot more realistic to live off of.
Makes sense, right? Not so
fast. Republicans and a majority of the
business community oppose a $15 an hour minimum wage, of course, but the bulk
of the opposition is coming from OTHER American workers. Right.
Working stiffs. Working stiffs
who seemingly are INSULTED because other Americans holding jobs they deem menial
– “burger
flippers” and “order takers” – have the nerve and AUDACITY
to want to make more money so they can take care of themselves and their
families. A gross misnomer is that only
teenagers and young adults between 20 and 22 years of age work in fast food
restaurants. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Another gross misnomer
is that fast food workers are the ONLY Americans who work for the
current minimum wage. Again, nothing
could be further from the truth. A large
part of the resistance comes from Americans who make more than the minimum wage
but less than $15 an hour. In a strange
and contorted way of thinking, those wage earners consider themselves in a
different “class” than those minimum wage earners. For them, it is matter of maintaining their “prestige’
over the “”burger flippers” and “order takers”. Never mind many of them qualify for some form
of public assistance, too. The real fear
within those narrow minded circles is that if the “burger flippers” and “order
takers” were successful, they would then be forced to either ask THEIR
employers for a pay raise or look for another job that pay more. The obvious by product is missed
completely. Guess what? If fast food workers and other Americans who
work for the minimum wage are successful, then other Americans will flock to
those employers seeking jobs because the pay is better than where they
currently work. Study after study has
shown that fast food consumers would pay an extra 25 cents to offset the pay
increases. That pretty much kills the
argument that restaurants would go out of business if they were forced to pay
$15 an hour. Working Americans in
opposition of raising the minimum wage would be forced to take a stand and be
shaken out of their complacency. They
may even realize THEY and their families would benefit, too. For some, that is much too risky. The “burger flippers” and “order
takers” would have more discretionary income and that alone would
stimulate the economy. It is a simple
formula. More money would be circulating
within the economy. More importantly,
employers would then be in a position where they would have to COMPETE
for employees, thus forcing an across the board pay raise for 37% of the lowest
paid Americans. The competition for
employees would appear to satisfy the “free market” mantra of the
conservatives. They’re all about working
hard and competing, right? In addition
to stimulating the economy and creating demand – and thus creating jobs – for
goods and services in general, a $15 an hour minimum wage would reduce the
number of working Americans qualifying and receiving various forms of public
assistance; therefore freeing up money to fund public education, infrastructure
projects and enhanced public safety.
This is your basic “cause and effect” formula.
As
simple as it would seem to be, there will still be resistance from working
Americans. Those working Americans who
will be in opposition will say those “burger flippers” and “order
takers” should get a better education and/or look for another job. That’s a fair point. The perception will be those underclass
workers would have an advantage they wouldn’t have and that is simply
unfair. Never mind that fast food
restaurants are making record profits and certainly can afford to pay higher
wages. In fact, American companies in
general are sitting on $3 TRILLION in profits and can afford to pay higher wages. They don’t because they don’t HAVE
to. Most American workers are content to
make a way off the crumbs disguised as wages while the CEO and shareholders
make off with the whole LOAF. That is text book divide and conquer of the American workforce. Position wage earners to be resentful of OTHER
wage earners while the big shots make off with the REAL money. Sigh. WHEN will
we LEARN?
The
politicians who oppose a minimum wage increase can be dealt with on Election
Day this coming Tuesday (November 4).
Your displeasure with them can be settled at the ballot box. The Republicans have to sell people on the
premise they will be better OFF if they had LESS of everything – less
income,
less healthcare,
less public
education, less regulations, less public
safety and less sound infrastructure as in roads and
bridges. Of course, that only pertains
to the bulk of Americans – the “takers”. The “makers” … the “1%” are ENTITLED
to all they can get. Since most
Americans agree the minimum wage should be raised, the Republicans should be
held accountable for their dogged resistance to putting more money in the
pockets of working Americans. After all,
they are the party that constantly tells the American people there is dignity
in work. Correction: there is dignity in
work that allows one to support themselves.
THAT is the dignity in work.
Where there needs to be a meeting of the minds is within the circle of
working Americans.
If
the MINIMUM
wage becomes a LIVABLE wage, that would be a good thing for America. The discord between working Americans on this
issue is misplaced and regressive. The
discord is shameful.
Sadly,
the battle for livable wages pits working Americans vs. working Americans.
Peace,
peace.
Craig
Riggins
Facebook:
The Riggins Report
Twitter:
@CraigRiggins
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