Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

72% of the country is needy? Maybe we really can't afford all the flat screens, cameras, iphones, Xboxes, dishwashers, and on and on. Maybe that figure suggests we go back and learn to live within our means.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Yes, conservatives flip-flop, but liberals evolve in their opinions.

Curtis_Lowe Loc: Georgia

First of all may I point out that a STATE run and funded program is not the same as a FEDERALY run and funded program. Some have been slowly trying to change our form of government for a long time and apparently think that everything should be run from Washington. I do not.

Taxes went up on the RICH just this year. Income Tax, A new Surtax on unearned income, a surtax to increase Medicare Tax just for the RICH. The last two specifically to support the ACA or Obamacare, along with many other taxes on manufactures of specialty medial devices {this was postponed or repealed with the help of Dems that voted for the beast called Obamacare}

Where do you get your information? More specifically your information on "72% of the country can't make ends meet or just barely make ends meet"

What should the minimum wage be? Why not $25.00/hour? I would appreciate your response to this question in particular.

Thanks

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

It was eighteen on the PBS News Hour or the CBS evening news.

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

Oh boy, that's what the Republicans want those old days to return.

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

I don't know what the minimum wage should be since I have not worked for minimum wage since 1974. In 1974 I was paid $2.00 per hour. A quick bit of research on the web and I found this information:

If you want to compare the value of a $2.00 Income or Wealth , in 1974 there are three choices. In 2012 the relative:

historic standard of living value of that income or wealth is $9.31

economic status value of that income or wealth is $14.20

economic power value of that income or wealth is $20.90

So using this factual representation of the worth of money we can say that the minimum wage should be between 14.20 and $20.90 to maintain the economic wealth I enjoyed in 1974.

Source www.measuringworth.com

Curtis_Lowe Loc: Georgia

What will happen to the cost of goods and services with we raise the minimum wage to some fair number like $20.00?
Do you think we should require that business not let people go because the cost of employment has gone up so much?

heyrob Loc: Western Washington

Funny you seem to be against self-defense, that's unfortunate, but I'm sure you never had to rely on it either.

I once dated a woman who told me that she would never harm another human being, even if it meant they might kill her. I just looked at her and said, "what if someone was hurting your granddaughters?" (Her granddaughters were the most important thin in the world to this woman) She just looked at me with a look that I could only interpret as "Damn! I never thought of that." but she never answered the question and changed the subject.

Just because most liberals would rather run than fight, doesn't mean that running away is always the correct course of action.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

That's different, Romney flip flops, Obama evolves. :mrgreen:

heyrob Loc: Western Washington

Pepper, PLEASE! Get real, why live within our means if few can get those nasty old rich folks to pay for all this s**t for us?

heyrob Loc: Western Washington

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

This is definitely Bush's fault, can't wait to vote him out of office. 8-)

heyrob Loc: Western Washington

Really? In 1977 I was making $3.25 an hour, usually had to work at least a couple of Saturdays of OT every month just to pay my rent after my roommate moved out unexpectedly. Did I go crying to the government and beg them to force my employer, who was already laying off dozens of my co-workers, to pay me more? Hell no, I went out and looked for a better job with a better company and almost doubled my income to $6.16 an hour to start. All without ever having to have the government force someone else to do anything they couldn't afford to do. When I submitted my two week notice, I was asked by the personnel rep "If you don't mine my asking, how much are they going to pay you?" when I told her she said "We don't want to lose you, but we can't afford to match that!" I replied, "I know, that's why I gave you my notice instead of asking for a raise".

A higher minimum wage would have only forced my former employer to go bankrupt much sooner than it did, and would have forced the rest of my co-workers into unemployment that much sooner. Many like me saw the writing on the wall and got off the ship before it sank, but at least they had time, something a minimum wage hike would have eliminated.

Do you think in this economy that there aren't scores of other small employers who wouldn't likewise go bankrupt or simply close up because they can't afford the higher wages? You liberals seem to hate all these greedy corporations , but without them the high standard of living the majority of this country enjoys wouldn't exist. You gripe about the greed as though they are in business just to pay taxes. Just like in nature, everything seeks it's own balance it's own balance, and without government interference. If a company doesn't pay enough, then it's employees will seek a higher paying jobs and leave, and when enough flee, they will either pay a fairer wage to keep their employees or go out of business.

Curtis_Lowe Loc: Georgia

Go ahead and LEAN Forward, that will do the trick no doubt!

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

When you consider a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread cost about $8, what do you think minimum wage should be?? Costco pays $12.50/hour. The executives seem to do fine. when people earn $8/hour society subsidizes the corporations that pay such poor wages. We pay for hospitalization emergency visits because they have no health ins. food stamp etc. The bottom line is we are subsidizing Walmart like companies. If you can't afford to pay a decent wage,you don't belong in business. And no one can live on $8 an hour.