Guess what, No One in American is Expected to Raise a Family on

No, my point is that, with all the rhetoric, nobody with a family makes less than $10/hr. What would you propose we do to "even" things out across the country?

Well, we sat down and did the math the other day, and we came to relaize that my sister - even with the child support she doesn't receive anyways - does in fact NOT make $10/hr. She's in realestate, but since the market out here sucks right now, she isn't selling houses, and is doing contract work. We never realizes that with her child support included she makes $9.28/hr (we used her tax records) And she is entitled to NOTHING! No WIC, no medical when she was pregnant, no food stamps, no assistance with the bills, NOTHING! Partly because she lives with us, but even still, if she were to move out on her own, she would only get $128/month in food stamps and WIC doesn't cover the formula teh baby gets (she has allergies in that department) and Misty would basically be living in poverty. So yeah, I think they do expect people to just suck it up and move on and stay broke when they get turned away from the social services offices. Up until recently we thought they had turned her down cause she was making too much money and therefor doing pretty well for herself. Really though - that is not the case. As far as getting things more fairly priced - I have no clue how to acheive that! I just wish it could be done. I know it won't happen and I am not clever enough to pull it off, but I wish it would happen. I would LOVE for our rent in so cal to be the same as it was in Texas! But I do live in reality and sadly accept the fact that it cannot be that way. Just wishing though, and that doesn't hurt anyone but my own little soul :( Anyways - Happy Wednesday!

If she is living with you, she isn't raising her child on mimimum wage, right? Actually, to me you and she are doing it the way it should be done. She is having problems so you are helping her out. You and she should be commended!

Exactly! It isn't the job of the federal government to guarantee a standard of living.

Marciaj Do you enjoy making excuses for others? Do you enjoy acting like I've never been there? Do you enjoy accusing me of things when you don't know me? You see, I can play that silly little game too. The point is that no one in America actually raises a family on "minimum wage", so they want to raise it. But the thing is, people who have kids already receive a lot more than what they are trying to set "minimum wage" at. yes, there are people have to settle for minimum wage due to situations beyond their control. However, if they aren't willing to put themselves out in the areas they can control, that is a CHOICE they make.

marciaj.... You assume a lot when you comment on one of my posts and suggest that I have never been in a situation like some of these people who are b!tching about not being able to make ends meet on minimum wage. Tell you what... why don't you try living with no income other then food stamps for 18 months while fighting for SSA disability that you paid into for 30 years and then tell me how hard you have it? Give it a try and see if you don't change your attitude some. You want to talk abouit jumping through some hoops? You haven't seen hoops until you try to get disability. Then once you do get it, see how you like living on 60% of the average of your last 7 years of income based on your 3 highest years. Don't even try talking to me about how hard you have it, because I don't even want to hear it. My suggestion to you is learn how to budget and get your priorities straight as to what is more important, such as discretionary spending as opposed to the necessities and what you have to do to survive. Learn to stand on your own and stop looking to the government to take care of you. If you don't like your situation then figure out some way to change it.

So when you decide you need/want more, will you do something to increase your income, or expect the government or your employer to give you more?

I'll ask you what I ask everyone I meet who complains they don't make enough... "What are you doing for yourself to make more?"

I make about 19,000, family of four, we don't qualify for food stamps, it's hard making minimum wage, at least I don't pay for heat.

Well, communism isn't automatically atheism, but any government program that seeks to replace personal altruism is wrong headed to start with.

But it isn't the government's job to make sure people who choose to have kids make enough to raise them. That is the responsibility of those of us who choose to have kids.

Your comment doesn't make sense. Federal Minimum wage isn't what the federal government pays, it's what the federal government mandates private businesses pay.