Can YOU live on $5 .00 an hour???

[Breeze54]

Watch Oprah Winfrey today and learn more !!!!!!!!

Very interesting show with live interviews!!

Like a documentary!!

PS EDIT: to add....

The guy who did the SUPER SIZE ME movie is living on $5.00 per hour with his two teens.
As an experiment.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. No. I can't.

I already know that I can't.

[Breeze54]

6. It's unbelievable!

What these families are trying to do...omg!
Talk about micro management!!!
It's really sad what corporate 'amerika' has done to this and other countries!!

[Yupster]

51. I did when I just got out of school

Live on minimum wage I mean.

It involves roomates to share expenses. I don't think a single person could do it. But three combined roomates could with difficulty.

[Dulcinea]

109. I've done it.

Of course, this was 1989. I was 24, single, no kids, & lived with 2 roommates in an old house. I drove an old Renault with no air conditioning & ate ramen noodles.

[HereSince1628]

2. In an old red van without wheels down by the river.

[titoresque]

58. nice SNL flashback

thanks :)

[yvr girl]

3. It's $43,800

If you work 24/7/365

No problem. x(

[mdmc]

5. I could live on 6 bucks an hour

just not the way most merikans live.

[SoCalDem]

28. If you live in Mom's basement and driver her car, you might survive

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3484246


SoCalDem (1000+ posts) Fri Apr-15-05 06:27 AM
Original message

You make $12k a year, rent a crappy apartment, drive a clunker,



and yet our "media" would have us believe that "your" main concerns are :

1. selection of judges

2. whether a woman you never met has a feeding tube re-inserted

3. making sure that only "super-rich" people can still file bankruptcy

4. making sure that super-rich people can hold their family "booty" untaxed for generation after generation

5. making sure that public schools get little, if any federal funding

6. making sure that only rich people can use the judicial system when they are injured or defrauded

7. making sure that no woman has any reproductive choice

8. making sure that your employer has easy access to off-shoring YOUR job if he cannot get you to work for less

9. making sure that insurance companies are "well taken care of", even if it means that YOU cannot afford medical insurance

10. making sure that oil wells go into the Arctic reserve, even though it's a "drop in the bucket" that will probably end up in Japan..TEN years from now.

11. pushing for private accounts for social security, even though ALL reliable experts say this is a recipe for DISASTER

12. making sure that God is EVERYWHERE..in courthouses, schools, TV, radio..

13. making sure that gay people can never marry

14. making sure that "our borders" are "mexican-free zones"

It simply amazes me how such uneducated people are "experts" on tort reform, and energy and taxes, and social security, by virtue of regurgitating talking points.

I have to hope that in their day-to-day lives, these people are really thinking about.. :

1. How much Kraft mac 'n cheese will $5 food stamps buy?

2. How can I pay $125 a week daycare on a take home check of $220

3. Why does my crappy apartment cost so damned much?

4. How will I pay a $400 repair bill on a car that's worth $800?

5. Just how high of a fever does the baby have to have, before I break the budget and take him to a doctor?

6. At $2.75 a gallon, how many days will I have to hitch a ride to work?

7. How many part-time jobs are "enough"..2? 3?..

8. When you work 2-3 jobs, and pay for childcare, when do you have "family-time"?

9. How can MY values be instilled in my kids when they never see me?

10. How can a marriage survive when both parents work all the time, and never have any quality time together or with the family?

11. How can Grandma afford to stay in her paid-for home, since the nursing home wants to confiscate it for grandpa's care?

I think these are the REAL problems that most people grapple with...not the esoteric policy issues that so many on call-in shows claim to "worry" about.

It annoys me every time I hear the talking points come out of the mouths of people who haven't a CLUE what they are talking about..

It's all a game..My side-your side.. These people are not even thinking about the consequences of these draconian policies..on their lives or the lives of their peers..

They are merely parroting what they are brainwashed to believe



updated to add gay marriage

[Bozita]

69. That's one helluva post, SoCal!

[Midlodemocrat]

80. Great post and absolutely right on the money.

:thumbsup:

[sweetheart]

81. one of your better works

Prurient.

[Breeze54]

84. Great post! but....

I hope they will be listening come voting time!!
I hope they will vote and NOT against themselves!!
I think the people making low pay ARE paying attention,
more than the MSM has any clue about!

[Auntie Bush]

99. Heckofajob So-Cal!

[msgadget]

103. That's what a voter's scorecard should look like

How can ANYONE think compromising is okay under these circumstances??

[sheelz]

140. Good luck with the voters....

Number of counties by state in the 100 poorest counties: Texas, 17; Kentucky, 16; Mississippi, 14; South Dakota, 10; Louisiana, 5; Alabama, 4; Georgia, 4; Montana, 4; New Mexico, 4; North Dakota, 3; Arizona, 2; Idaho, 2; Nebraska, 2; Tennessee, 2; West Virginia, 2; Alaska, 1; Arkansas, 1; Colorado, 1; Florida, 1; Missouri, 1; Oklahoma, 1; South Carolina, 1; Utah, 1; Wisconsin, 1. Twenty-six states do not have any counties in the 100 poorest counties.
http://www.answers.com/topic/lowest-income-counties-in-the-united-states


This is not a new issue.

[msgadget]

165. Not new at all, unfortunately

but more frustrating than ever looking at that list. Thanks, I've never seen it before.

[VolcanoJen]

138. Here's my belated "SoCal Rocks My World" reply.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[NMMNG]

145. In some cases

The very poor are not even aware of what the issues are, for they don't have the time to educate themselves on them. They are far too busy working their 2-3 jobs, caring for the kids (and maybe a parent), cleaning the house, and attempting to get some sleep in between to even attempt to worry about what is going on in the world of politics.

And that is what some crafty politicians hope for. For even if such voters are not voting for them, they are also not voting for their opponents.

[longship]

66. Sorry, no company paying $5/hr is going to allow full time.

Magically, your work schedule will be cut short at about 30 hours per week.

30 * 5 ~ 150 per week. That's only $7800 per year.
So, remember. Minimum wage == no full time.

[lavenderdiva]

87. excellent, excellent point...

because if they cut your hours less than 40hrs/week, they don't have to include any benefits. Presto, change-o you're part-time, and don't qualify for benefits. The company hires more part-time people to make up for the loss of worktime that one employee is contributing, however, the company still makes out like bandits, because they don't have to 'pay' benefits to either of them!

[Breeze54]

88. Benefits at minimum?? LMAO!!

Not only that but they DO NOT pay part-timer's the same as full-timer's!!
And they will give that as the reason!!
"Well; you're only PT!! So the pay is lower!"

[lavenderdiva]

91. yes, in fact most of my working life has been at minimum wage...

or a little (and I mean a little) above. Retail work. They offer 'benefits'. Sometimes healthcare. Not that you can afford it. However, when they put you on part-time, there go the benefits. That's my experience. I don't know what you have personally experienced.

[Breeze54]

95. No benefits at part-time/minimum....

and expensive benefits at full-time but ?low/average pay.
I'm not rich at all and never have been.
I've been paid crappy wages, even with a college education.
I'm a single parent. No child support.
I know what it means to "just barely/hardley" make it."

[nonconformist]

111. I used to work in retail, I can definitely confirm that

In fact, if I was lucky enough to get good hours, they'd always drop me back to about 30 every few weeks to avoid the benefits. Every company I ever worked for pulled that shit.

[sheelz]

144. Some part-time jobs offer benefits including health...

I work at a union grocery store that pays minimum wage. They do offer (free) health benefits but I have to wait two years to qualify. :grr: I'll be homeless and sick by that time.

When I was a retail manager, at a specality department store, they offered part-time employee health care if they worked at least 1000 hours in a calender year. I not sure if they still offer it.

Some people work just for the healthcare. There are a few part-time jobs that offer health benefits--but they are hard to find.

We really need a natioanl healthcare that's not tied to employment.

[Breeze54]

147. Yeah, but I live in the 'real world'...

...I hear what you're saying...but those jobs are scarce or non-existant!
Like they do not exist!!
If they do where you are, where do you live? :shrug:

;)

[sheelz]

148. I live in the real world too!

I live in western NY--Chautauqua county. Why does that matter?

[Breeze54]

150. Because...

if there are part-time jobs there, that pay benefits?
Then I want to move there!
Simple!!
LOL!
;)

[sheelz]

153. Come on then...

I'll fill you in on the details....

Rent is cheap. My apartment is 375.00 a month + utilities. My last apartment included all utilities and was only 300.00 a month. I'm not sure if there are any open apartments. But the whole house (4 apt)is only worth $10,000. Check out it out here: http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=223+McKinley&citystatezip=Jamestown%2C+NY+14701&mode=search

As for the job, apply at the local grocery store and you'll get the benefits but you'll have to wait 2 years for them to kick in. You'll earn an extra (total) $4.00 for holidays and $3.00 for Sundays. The wage is 6.75. You have to pay union dues. We could use a good union members. The union pays for your life insurance. I believe the death benefit is around 10,000.

Not much to do here, and we get a bit of snow. It's a little hilly and the 100 year-old brink streets can be pretty tricky in the winter.

Good luck, I'm not from this area and I'm still in culture shock.

[Breeze54]

155. I'm glad you found this job.

It sounds rough and hard for you.
What made you move there? :shrug:
But you do have bennie's? Maybe?
That's a positive!
Good for you!
I'm glad you have something with some security!
Your rent sounds low but I hope you are safe! :hug:
There are a lot of companies doing the 1000 hrs before benefits dance.
They suck!! I feel your pain. I've been in your shoes...it's just that
I'm not working at all right now...
Kudos to you!
:thumbsup:

[sheelz]

161. Thanks but the job sucks!

I'm leaving the first chance I get. It's a long story on how I got here....basically there is family here. The reason is for support for them and us.

I hear Boston is expensive to live in. How can you afford to live in Boston? And how can you afford to live in Boston and not work.

I think I should be moving by you. :)

[Breeze54]

164. I don't live in Boston...

but it is expensive here... I have family here.

[SoCalDem]

166. When hired, they lead people to believe they will get full time, BUT

around here, even the union plans are based on a minimum of TWENTY hours to qualify, so you know the places without uninon are even sketchier..

Some places even ask them to do split shifts..with gasoline what it is these days, that's INSANE..

a place I know of sometimes has their WAITRESSES come in and work breakfast to lunch...then LEAVE..and come back at 6:30 pm... Talk about RUDE!! But they do it because they don;t want to lose their $6.50 hr jobs..

[sheelz]

119. Most minimum wage jobs are only part-time...

They get on average 24 hours per week. That's only $124.00 per week (gross). It's disgusting!

[KingFlorez]

4. Good topic

I'll have to watch this

[quiet.american]

7. $5.00 an hour wouldn't even pay for what it costs me to get to work.n/t

[Cobalt Violet]

8. Not in America.

No way.

[Tool Fan]

9. Bloody hell, no, I was barely making it on $10

And I don't have a family to support, just me. The problem isn't just the wages, Ms. Winfrey, the problem is when wages don't rise at all and the cost of living skyrockets at the same time.

[Breeze54]

11. Amazing.....

you haven't even watched the whole show and you are attacking her!!
What a nerd!

[BiggJawn]

19. I haven't watched ANY of the show, and I'd attack her.

This is the woman who spends $6,000 a finger to fly her jet to CA and get her nails done, remember?

"How can a woman who spends $60,000 for a manicure understand a woman who can't afford even an emery board?" BiggJawn, with apologies to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

The Rich have NO fucking idea what it's like to be poor. Sure, they can say "I was poor when i was a kid. My mom worked 2 jobs" Yeah, that was 40 years ago, this is NOW.

Empathy from somebody who drops more on LUNCH than I spend for a whole WEEK'S worth of groceries? I don't think so. I ain't even mad at her, I'm just saying she has NO IDEA what it's like to not be wealthy in Il Douche's Murka.

[TheDebbieDee]

27. Not tryin' to pick a fight with you, BiggJawn, but........

Oprah wasn't born rich and neither were her parents. I'm sure she can recall lots of times when she didn't get the shoes she wanted.....
or had to wear a second-hand coat.

Granted, she can afford to pay $60,000 nfor that manicure, but I'm sure she remembers lots of times when she didn't get what she wanted! :hi:

[BiggJawn]

35. Like I said, that was 40 years ago.

25 years ago, I was trying to raise a family on $3 an hour. But some things never change, like playing "utility bill roulette" because there's not enough money to pay for everything else if you pay the heat bill...
Yeah, she paid her dues, but the bouncer at the club wouldn't recognize her anymore, can you see what I'm saying?

[leftstreet]

29. Oprah loves doing this "freak show" stuff

And I'm sure some of her viewers get off on it, too. Just another typical "Ladies Charity Day" on Oprah. I'm sure they'll all vote to raise the minimum to $6 an hour. For the good of the poor.

The woman has the power to mobilize people yet she squanders it on nothingness.

Oh wait. Didn't she make a call to arms recently and people ran out and bought energy-saving lightbulbs? At like $5 a crack. Just doin' their part.

:eyes:

[Breeze54]

33. Actually, she's been

building houses in the gulf and in Africa. Also schools in Africa!
She DOES contribute BACK to society!

[BiggJawn]

39. Well, *I* bought those light bulbs!

The compact fluorescents, right? Took me a year to change over completely, since I conducted a field test first with 2 incandescents and 2 CF's in my bathroom fixture. Based on lifespan alone, I converted 99.5% to the compacts (the porch light is still incandescent because CF's don't "fire" at 30 degrees) and the first month my electric bill went from $42 to $21.

The damn things actually MAKE me money!

But I didn't read about them in "O" magazine.

Maybe instead of a pay-raise, she'll give Priuses away to the studio audience today?

[Pharaoh]

60. watch the show biggjawnn

Oprah is a compassionate and very enlightend being..........

some of her shows are fluff but she does more good for the world than you think......

[prolesunited]

43. Yes, poor people are a "freak show"

I watched the program and it was a very compassionate and clear view of what it's like, filled with facts and statistics.

She featured one woman who lived with her daughter in a homeless shelter. She was so against the stereotypes, I think it would make a lot of people think and realize how close the razor's edge that they dance.

In addition to talking about wage laws, they discussed how lack of health insurance was bankrupting people.

There was a call to action to press legislators on these issues. But, I'm sure she was just "squandering" her soap box in your view.

But, I guess it's easier just to bash Oprah when it's evident that you didn't even see the show. Is it because she's a woman, African-American, or rich or a combination of all three?

Sure, I don't agree with everything she does or all her views, but where do you get off on bashing her. What did YOU do to reach millions of people on this topic?

[leftstreet]

52. "press legislators on these issues"

:rofl:

She said the same thing about the plight of homeless Katrina victims.
How's that working out?

You're right though. She does show how "close the razor's edge they dance." And while the poor and disadvantaged people listening to her nod and say "Right on! Finally someone is speaking for US," the people further back from the razor's edge will nod and think, "thank God it isn't me."

It's a toxic koolaid Oprah serves.

[Breeze54]

59. Info is 'toxic'??

:shrug:

"It's a toxic koolaid Oprah serves."

Since when is this info toxic??

[BiggJawn]

158. Only because she's rich, Proles.

Leave the sexist and racist undertones out of it, OK?

The Wealthy throw us a few crumbs and we're supposed to canonize them.

And you know as well as I do that our legislators don't pay attention to anything that doesn't have a $1,000 cheque pinned to it.

[MADem]

168. I've found those bulbs for 49 cents each!

At dollar stores and discount shops. You can't plan ahead, but if you're at BLDG 19 and see a pile of 'em, stock up! I just won't pay that supermarket price--I've got a load of them put by, too--and never paid over a buck for them, either. They are the default lighting in my house.

[unblock]

36. i guess empathy and understanding just plain don't exist?

the only way to understand something is to experience it first hand?


ok, i'm white, straight, male, and earn a comfortable living.
most likely, i'll never directly experience being female, gay, pregnant, or poor. but that doesn't completely invalidate anything i have to say about such things.

moreover, just because someone is poor does not make one an expert on the subject.

[DBoon]

44. and to constantly experience throughout your life?

Since Oprah having hard times growing up doesn't count?

If her current success disqualifies her to show what it's like to live on minimum wage, then should she make something like "lifestyles of the rich and famous"?

And John Kerry had no business running for president as a Democrat, given the wealth he has married into?

[azmouse]

37. Oprah has a good side and a bad side.

From MSN:

Oprah Relishes Riches

If loving life's little luxuries is wrong, Oprah Winfrey doesn't want to be right. The mega-rich media mogul, whose affinity for designer goods is familiar to anyone who has swooned during her annual swag-crammed "Favorite Things" episode (or been blinded by the stamp-sized diamonds she frequently sports in her ears), is embracing the label-conscious shopaholic within.

"I have lots of things, like all these Manolo Blahniks," she said Monday at a fundraiser for Baltimore's Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School (via People). "I have all that and I think it's great. I'm not one of those people like, 'Well, we must renounce ourselves.' No, I have a closet full of shoes and it's a good thing."

And woe to the person who tries to make the self-made Big O feel bad about the mountain of money she's piled up, especially when she's using it to do good deeds.

"I was coming back from Africa on one of my trips," she told the crowd. "I had taken one of my wealthy friends with me. She said, 'Don't you just feel guilty? Don't you just feel terrible?' I said, 'No, I don't. I do not know how me being destitute is going to help them.' Then I said when we got home, 'I'm going home to sleep on my Pratesi sheets right now and I'll feel good about it.'"

(Want to get some of the swanky, ultra-high thread count linens for yourself? Be prepared to shell out at least $1,500 a set.)

Winfrey, who recently balked when Meg Ryan asked whether she ever felt "bitter" about being famous ("I was born at a time in 1954 where to be colored in Mississippi was like against the law. And to have come from where I have come from to now be embittered because lots of people know you or like you, I would have to be totally, completely stupid"), is probably snoozing peacefully knowing she's giving back to those who need it most.

During her speech, which reportedly raised $1.4 million in scholarship money, she talked about the school she's opening in South Africa next January.

"I want to offer opportunities to girls who have nothing but the will to learn," she explained. "... t will be one of the great days of my life to see 450 girls, most of them orphans who would not have had the opportunity for education in their lives, come to school."

[Journeyman]

38. But by that argument, BiggJawn, how can Michael Moore. . .

hope to understand the poor of Flint, or do a documentary on the impact of factories closing there?

Just asking. . .

[BiggJawn]

40. Was he wealthy when he did "Roger and Me"?

Believe he was still a hungry unknown when he did that, right?

[prolesunited]

46. He certainly isn't now

Does that discredit everything he's done since then because he tries to speak on behalf of the Average Joe or Jane?

[MADem]

41. HOLY SHIT--NOW THERE's a REALITY show!!!!!!!!!!

Picture it--some production company rents five blocks of a blighted neighborhood that's about to be torn down for urban renewal. They fence the place off, a la BIG BROTHER. No one gets in or out.

Oprah, Donald Trump, Paris Hilton, and, oh, say a half dozen or so other "celebrities" with cash are tossed into a rat-infested tenement. They are given everything, from clothing to crappy furniture, and not allowed to bring anything with them, save perhaps a toothbrush. They are assigned low wage jobs in the blighted neighborhood stores, with actors playing the roles of the shopkeepers, bosses, other residents and what not.

Their challenges consist of making the rent, avoiding the collection man, not getting mugged, keeping the electric on, dealing with unanticipated expenditures, and there's a point system assigned for successful completion. At the end of each week, they meet in the vacant lot with the rusted, burnt out car and ten tons worth of garbage, kick the rats out of the way and find out who gets hauled off the 'island.' The ones who lose, and are booted off, are sent to a mock "jail" where they eat bologna sandwiches, wear fetid, used, poorly washed clothing, and have to wait out the end of the experiment with no tv and nothing for amusement other than old magazines and a crummy prison job to occupy their time--that way, there's no motivation to lose the game. The one who makes it all the way to the end of the series has a substantial donation made to the charity of their choice. The losers get lesser donations, based on the amount of time they are able to hang in there.

Alternatively, they could make them ALL stick it out, and base the donations to charity in their name on their successful navigation, based on points, of "the Poor Life."

I can't stand reality shows, but I would WATCH that mutha!!!!!!!!!!

[azmouse]

49. One problem...

they always know they have their mansions to go back to.

[MADem]

169. True, but that said, imagine these putzes having to do their OWN hair

Trump alone would be worth an admission price!

And who knows, it just might make their "least of my brothers" genes kick in...when the rich start advocating for a living wage, then you've got something going on.

[DBoon]

45. would you attack John Kerry as well?

For trying to become a president of all Americans, when he married into family wealth?

and Ted Kennedy?

[BiggJawn]

157. As a matter of fact, I HAVE.

Remember when the MSM was trying to make a stink about his $9,000 custom Serotta bicycle?

I did a little calculator work and came to the conclussion that one of my $25 thrift-store bikes actually cost me MORE of my annual income that JFK's Serotta did him.

Do I think if I could sit down with him and talk about how every year inflation creeps up 2-3-4% while my pay stays stagnant that he'd have any understanding for where I'm at? Could he understand my frustration over watching everything I bring home go towards just surviving, with maybe $50 here and there for "fun"? Could he understand my fears that I'll have to work as long as I'm physically able, like my great-great-grandpa did because there will be no more "retirement" for poor people like me?

I doubt it.

You people who think the Rich are our kindred spirits because we belong to the same political party are really fooling yourselves.

[msgadget]

104. Oprah gives millions yearly to charities and

I'm not a fan or devotee but she can do whatever she wants with the rest of her money and get no criticism (except for the environmental impact of that jet of course :)) from me.

Edit to add: I do agree there's a lot of money floating around in CEO bank accounts that could be put to good use...like givebacks so employees can share in the profitability of the company!

[mondo joe]

106. How short sighted and bitter.

Regardless of whether Oprah can empathize or not, she's bringing the issue before a lot of people and is on the right side of it.

What a sad, unfortunate response.

[unblock]

26. amazing....

you haven't even seen an attack on her and you are defending her!!

:evilgrin:

seriously, i don't think the post you are replying to was meant as an attack on oprah or anyone else.

[Tool Fan]

34. haha, "nerd" I accept.

I think Oprah sees the issue and wants to shed light on it, but because she is as wealthy as she is, she might not understand the real-life impact the economy has on an income. I'm sure Oprah doesn't like spending extra money on gasoline at $3.00 a gallon as much as any of the rest of us, but if she needs gasoline, she can buy it. Someone who makes $5 an hour and actually has a car(?) can simply no longer afford to drive it. Doesn't mean she can't sympathize or support, just means she doesn't "live" it the whole way.



:think:

[nonconformist]

10. No fucking way. And with $3 gas to boot?

It's like a cruel joke.

[MissB]

21. You wouldn't likely have a car.

Insurance and car repairs would likely take a car out of the picture pretty damned fast. Gas would be the least of your worries.

I agree with your "no fucking way" comment.

[sheelz]

143. Many don't have a car..

Those that do have a car often loose it to vehicle inspections.

Some things that are helpful to donate are things like toilet paper and feminine products that food stamps don't cover. If they even qualify for food stamps. I have co-workers who don't qualify for food stamps because the make slightly "too much money." Like 22 cents too much or $1.20 too much. The food stamp program needs an overhaul too.

[flamingyouth]

12. Uh...

Absofreakinglutely no.

[ceile]

13. That''s not even minimum wage.

Are these people unaware of that?

[nonconformist]

15. Min wage is only $5.15/hr nt

[ceile]

20. I know.

I just was commenting because it seemed odd to say $5 instead $5.15. Not that that makes a shit bit of difference. I make $13.25 and have to pick and choose which bills to pay each month.

[nonconformist]

23. Yeah, it would have been more effective if they stated the actual min wage

And I hear you on picking and choosing which bills to pay.

[Breeze54]

16. What is the Federal minimum wage? $5.15 in California? n/t

[louis-t]

24. I think it's more in CA. Like $7.

[nonconformist]

31. Here is an interactive map of all the state min wages

http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

Most states are use the federal at $5.15/hr. California's min wage is $6.75. Some states have no minimum at all!

[DBoon]

48. Most states without are former "slave states"

old habits die hard.

[QC]

Arizona is a slave state?

I learn something new every day at DU! :silly:

[Breeze54]

110. Thanks for the 'Minimum Wages by State' map and the other info! n/t

[Bill McBlueState]

14. i wish they had marketed it as $5.15

It would have been better to say "Can you live on $5.15 an hour?" since under our minimum-wage law, lots of Americans are making exactly that.

But I'll take it.

[Breeze54]

18. Maybe they were trying

to make a point about people being paid under the table?/
But I guess it's close enough!!
I mean, what the hell difference dos 15 cents make???
:shrug:

[MissB]

22. Gee, that extra 15 cents might help.

Over the course of the week, you'd maybe net another $4, which would currently buy a bit more than a gallon of gas.

[libnnc]

32. not if it goes to taxes

[MADem]

42. It would buy enough beans and rice to keep the belly full n/t

[oscar111]

53. no it would not.

not even if you own your own house.. your money would go to upkeep, to health food store cures, to clothing, to misc supplies like kleenex and soap.

[MADem]

170. Kleenex?? Soap???

Hell, when you are poor, you steal that stuff out of the public restroom!!! To say nothing of the carefully swiped light bulb from the busy lobby....

[nonconformist]

54. Or ramen: the poor man's meal nt

[Speck Tater]

63. I buy rice and beans from a wholesaler

in 50 pound bags. As well as barly and flour. I grow most of my own veggies, and my grocery bill is always under $10.00/week. Most weeks I get by for $7.50 in groceries. (Although I only actually go grocery shoping every other month, so that's an average.) Since I don't watch TV (except for movies on DVD) I don't get brainwashed into thinking I "need" to buy gallons of flavored sugar water in order to be "cool", and I leave the ready-made meals in a box or can on the shelf where they belong. Happiness is being a non-consumer.

[Cobalt Violet]

76. Most of these people don't own any land to grow anything.

Or a freezer to freeze it all.

[pitohui]

82. i almost killed my husband with that diet

god help you if you or yours develop metabolic syndrome or diabetes, i had no idea that flour, or healthy whole grains i bought in 50 pound bags like brown rice were killing the person i love most in the world

unfortunately the glucose meter doesn't lie

i was so proud of growing my own fruit trees, no more "healthy" fruit at this house, fruit kills too, it is just fructose (sugar) in a pretty package, fine for animals that don't plan to live for decades, not so fine for those that do

it just breaks my heart

one day you too will pay a price for being smug, either you'll learn the hard way or you're alienate everyone else who has learned the hard way, metabolic syndrome and adult onset diabetes just aren't rare conditions any more, and they don't care if the carbs come from so-called good carbs like brown rice and organic fruit, in fact, those foods create some of the worst spikes in my husband's readings

we have not been told the truth about human diet, there is a reason why certain foods are cheap and it isn't because they promote health

in the end, there is no free ride, and valuable things do tend to be valued so those 100 pound bags of brown rice and winter wheat, hmmm, turns out you get what you pay for, it just takes awhile

[AllieB]

126. Soybeans, corn, and grains are fed to cattle to make them fat

That should tell you everything!

The diet you mentioned sent my husband's blood sugar through the roof-at 34 years old.

[MADem]

167. What do you feed him, if not fruit, rice, beans, wheat? Is he on the

meat eater's diet?

[sheelz]

136. We have an agreement in our home....

No more beans and rice--no matter how bad it gets.

[redirish28]

17. NO and Thank goodness PA Min wage will be raised a dollar the next two

years...It's not much better BUT it is a start.

[MadHound]

25. Yes I could

But my standard of living would drop dramaticly, and it just wouldn't be pretty, or pleasant at all.

[leftofthedial]

30. no

slavery is preferable, considering the master has to feed, clothe and house you.

[Strangefire]

47. I live on $7 an hour.

It's not fun.

[titoresque]

57. Do you live alone?

without any help with rent/mortgage?
In Az. I find it very hard to believe anyone could actually live alone and afford the basics to survive and pay for housing without any other outside assistance.

[Strangefire]

101. I do.

I live alone, with no outside financial help such as relatives, in a rather "antique" apartment in a not-so-nice area of a small city.

Two weeks worth of pay covers my monthly rent. The next two weeks pay goes toward other necessities, such as food, gas, and my other bills, which are mainly phone, electric and internet (only $10 a month for dial-up, which isn't too shabby).

I'm usually left with around $150 - $200 left over at the end of the month, if unforeseen expenses do not rear their ugly heads.

[oscar111]

50. Wages lower than 1980... toss Trickledown

wages lower now than then... adjusted for inflation

just a reminder to "toss trickledown economics"... that theory is still believed by Joe sixpack.

we must toss that theory from his thinking, to get his vote.

[im10ashus]

55. Not at all.

I couldn't do it when I was making $5.00 an hour 15 years ago. I certainly couldn't in today's economy.

[Speck Tater]

56. That would be a raise for me...

...and would leave me an extra $120.00 a month, after taxes, to put into a savings account.

Voluntary simplicity is a wonderful way of life.

[oscar111]

65. Details? housing cost? food you eat? doctor at all?

i want details, please

[Speck Tater]

74. Details

House - free and clear on a couple of fertile acres with a large fruit orchard, and a mile walk from a great salmon fishing river.
Car - 1997 economy car, free and clear, most transportation is by bicycle.
Food - bought in bulk at a wholesaler every other month. 50 pound bags of rice, beans, flour, etc. NO packaged or prepared foods. Veggies mostly home-grown. No meat, some fish once or twice a week.
Medical - a couple of generic BP meds at $18.00/month
Entertainment - My Netflix subscription
In two more years I can start collecting Social Security and then I'll REALLY live like a king!

Check out:
http://geocities.com/newlibertyvillage/earthstar.htm
http://www.gallagherpress.com/pierce/
http://livinglightly.gn.apc.org/

I couldn't find it just off hand, but I have a book written by a family that lived very comfortably on $1000 a year.

"Normal" society is so incredibly wasteful that even injecting a LITTLE BIT of sanity into your life can save you a fortune.

[AlienGirl]

127. Sounds great! Now how do I buy that land so I can own it?

Where can a broke person get the initial outlay to buy the plot of land, the old-but-reliable car, and the bicycle? Save for it? But where can they live in the meantime--even a crummy apartment costs a lot of money anymore, and to have a job at all you need a car and "nice" clothes and gas. If you're living in a 350-square-foot apartment to try to save up, you have no place to store 50-lb bags of provisions. If you are working as many hours as possible to try to make enough to save some, you get home and are too tired to amke food out of whole grains and dry beans anyway. The problem is that the sides of The Hole are so steep, it's really hard to get a foothold to start climbing out.

At the moment, I have a tiny studio apartment, a wardrobe of clothes from Goodwill, access to a car (two people, one car, three jobs) and I don't see anywhere to cut expenses below what they are, without losing the ability to pay bills or to try to catch up on substantial medical debt. :-(

Tucker

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

61. Absolutely Yes.

Contently and comfortably? Probably Not.

[sandnsea]

62. $10 = $1600 mo

Remember, $200 goes to FICA and misc withholdings right away. I'd have a helluva time making it on that, just by myself. Ask the people who are doing it on less if they've got health insurance or medical bills; or child care. Wages are horrific in this country. I've got no clue how a whole bunch of people make it and I'm a pretty cheap person as it is.

[Saphire]

64. $160.00 per week ( with min. tax withholding)..No, I couldn't live on tha

[qanda]

67. It was a good show, but those weren't his two teens

Those were his niece and nephew who only came and stayed for a weekend.

[Breeze54]

73. Sorry...I must have missed that detail...

not that it matters!! lol!
They're still teens!!

[qanda]

152. Right!

I just thought you would want to have that straight.

[Breeze54]

156. Yes. I like facts but..

when I was posting this topic, I was on a voice chat with a friend
and I was seeing the tv...so? I must have missed that detail.
Thanks for the correction in the details.
It would have been better if the teens had stayed the 30 days, IMHO,
but even two days with two teens...
that'll blow your weekly grocery tab in a heartbeat!
Thanks!
:hi:

[slackmaster]

68. Things are sometimes tight for me at over $37 per hour

OTOH the $56/hour overtime pay is nice.

[Finder]

72. Wow, almost the wage of a lettuce picker.lol n/t

[partylessinOhio]

70. The answer is NO!

No person can live a good life on $5 an hour.

The show was very sad but it was just a show to most people.

Those that have money do NOT care about those who don't.

Years ago a person could live on minimum wage because prices were compatible. Today prices are not compatible to $5 an hour.

America is mostly third world but nothing will be done about it.

[Speck Tater]

75. No person can live a good life on $5/hr?

When Gahndi died his material possesions were his rice bowl, his glasses, and two books. He didn't need an SUV to live a good life. He didn't need a McMansion in the suburbs to live a good life.

To some living a good life means being free from domination by material things. The less I own the better my life gets. I still have too much stuff, however. If I could put all my worldly posessions into a single paper bag instead of the 10 or 12 bags it would take now, I would be even happier than I am now.

[Breeze54]

78. Who's stopping you? n/t

[pitohui]

86. gandhi did not live a good life, in fact he died by violence

is that what we aspire to? to see what we have worked for fail spectacularly, as when pakistan and india split because of hatred between hindu and moslem, which still continues today, in fact, i believe there was an act of terrorism of that type in new delhi today, and then after we have strived our whole lives to not achieve what we wanted to achieve to end up getting murdered?

that is not good enough for me, sorry

gandhi was a saint and maybe that's a good enough life for him

but i think most of us rightfully aspire to live our lives in peace and not in struggle ending in murder

you can be a good person and still have a shitty life, obviously, christ himself was crucified and i'm sure he was a good man but his life is not one we would care to live ourselves

[laruemtt]

105. my sentiments exactly, fiziwig.

i aspire to have and need less and less. in my view, that equates to freedom.

[rman]

172. try not needing health care

good luck

[laruemtt]

174. that is my biggest fear

about moving back to the u.s. - one accident can wipe you out, regardless of how frugally you live and how much you save. the health care system is ridiculous. just for a comparison, down here in st. lucia i had to go to the emergency room with a bad finger cut. emergency room care, tetanus shot, six stitches, and return a week later for stitch removal was $40 EC - or about $17 u.s. dollars! a couple of weeks ago i had to get four prescriptions, including an antibiotic: total cost was $17 EC - or about $6 u.s.!!!!! no need for insurance. i hope the u.s. can get its health care act together - soon - before more people are destroyed.

[JI7]

107. Gandhi grew up in a wealthy family which allowed him the education

which taught him about protest. he may have died with only those things. but it was a choice he made and mostly out of protest against the British.

it's not the way he lived his entire life though.

[nonconformist]

113. There's a world of difference between making over min wage

and owning an SUV and a McMansion.

In many areas of this country, you wouldn't even be able to find a place to live on that income - much less transportation, food, clothing, insurance, healthcare, etc. - all necessities.

[Sapphire Blue]

116. The less you own? A house & 2 acres w/fruit trees, free & clear?

Fishing just down the road? Most of us could get by on $5/hr under those circumstances, too. Not everyone is that fortunate. Others have the typical expenses that you don't.

The Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. will take your donations should you choose to get down to one bag... and a few homeless families would be able to live on your land should you choose to give it away.

[mondo joe]

121. I love the "voluntary simplicity" people - we had a lot of Microsoft

young retired millionaires in my area who were in to it.

"Well I just sold my house and two cars, bought a little farm with a garden and get by on what I can grow. And the dividends on my stocks, of course. I don't know why everyone can't live as simply as I do!"

[Lorien]

134. My mom is a "voluntary simplicity person" keyword: VOLUNTARY

she decided to downsize and gave away most of her possessions to charity. Now if she needs new cloths or shoes herself she gets them from Goodwill. She seems happier than she has been in years. I see no reason to scoff at ANYONE who rejects VOLUNTARILY the notion of consumerism as a lifestyle. "Voluntary simplicity" is not "voluntary poverty"; it's about rejecting materialism, not living without the funds to pay for healthcare, food, retirement etc.

If every human being on earth consumed as we Americans do, we would need five uninhabited planets to support their materialism (see http://www.affluenza.org/ for more on this topic).Would you be more supportive of those Microsoft millionaires if they lived in McMansions with all the latest gizmos and an H2 and asked "I don't know why everyone can't live as I do"? Personally, I'm thankful that they aren't living the "American ideal" for people of their means.

[REP]

137. I'll Help You; Give Me Your Land and House

I own no land and no house. You can rid yourself of these material things by giving them to me. You will lighten your soul and house the needy.

[rman]

171. To others, living the good life means getting $13,700/hr

The Nation
Katrina vanden Heuvel
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?bid=7&pid=75273

<snip>

At a town hall meeting in Ohio last Saturday, Representative Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a staunch advocate for social and economic rights--he and Bernie Sanders are the two best candidates running for Senate in 2006--railed against stagnant wages' contribution to economic hardship. "It is unacceptable that someone can work full-time--and work hard--and not be able to lift their family out of poverty." He blasted a system where a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $10,500 annually, while "last year the CEO of Wal-Mart earned $3,500 an hour. The CEO of Halliburton earned about $8,300 an hour. And the CEO of ExxonMobil earned about $13,700 an hour."

<more>

[Cobalt Violet]

77. Welcome to DU!

I agree with your statements.

"Those that have money do NOT care about those who don't." That is crystal clear.

[Breeze54]

79. You've got that right!

Welcome!!
:hi:

[area51]

90. Welcome to DU, partylessinOhio.

And I fear you are right when you said:

"America is mostly third world but nothing will be done about it."

[Finder]

71. I could, but...

too many variables for any judgement about others. Variables like: how many hours, how many in household, what region, etc...

A lot of people on salary sometime work in excess of 16 hrs a day and up to 7 days a week so there may be many working for around $5.00hr when the math is done.

Case in point, managers at a certain pizza or donut shop make $12.00hr but...that is the salary. So many end up working in excess of 12hrs a day for 7 days a week that they end up making a hell of a lot less than 12hr.

To clarify, I do not think anyone should make only 5 bucks an hour. The min wage should be double what it is now. I think calculating 40x5 is not exactly accurate either...nobody can afford to work only 40hrs a week the way things are today.

[Gormy Cuss]

83. I hope someone does a synopsis.

I can't watch Oprah in real time.
Interesting experiment, although 'Nickel and Dimed' covered similar ground.

[Breeze54]

85. Maybe she did on her website?? I haven't looked. n/t

[leftchick]

89. she dropped the ball when it came to solutions

It would have been a great time for her to point out it is the repukes in congress who KILL any bills involving a raise in minimum wage.

[Breeze54]

92. The Oprah Minimunm Wage Follow-Up -- from her website...

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200604/20060414/slide_20060414_284_205.jhtml

Paying the Price : How Can We Help?

Beth Shulman is the former vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union
and author of the book;

"The Betrayal of Work: How Low-Wage Jobs Fail 30 Million Americans"

http://www2.oprah.com/tows/booksseen/200604/tows_book_20060414_bshulman.jhtml

She says that as a nation, we can start making different choices that ensure
the American dream is a reality for everyone.

First, citizens should urge Congress and the Senate to approve
an increase in the federal minimum wage, Beth says.
Some states—such as Illinois, Florida, Hawaii and California—
have already passed laws to raise their minimum wage above the federal rate of $5.15.

Second, employers should ensure that every American has health insurance, Beth says.
She also points out that 75 percent of all low-wage workers do not get any paid vacation
or sick days per year.
"They have to choose between taking care of a sick child … and losing their job," she says.

The biggest misconceptions about minimum wage workers
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200604/20060414/slide_20060414_284_206.jhtml

There's a lot more on her website.

[sheelz]

124. I'm a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Union

and our union contract allows for minimum wage (state) at 6.75/hr. It's part-time work only!!! No full-time work. Union contract states 16 hours minimum. 5.15/hr full-time is better than 6.75/hr part-time when you live in a community that is economically depressed with very few jobs. Most minimum wage jobs are part-time. It can be very difficult to coordinate two or three jobs--especially in the service sector. Employers demand complete availability at the time of hiring.

[Breeze54]

125. "Employers demand complete availability at the time of hiring."/ Exactly!

[sheelz]

129. It's not a good thing if you need a job

and unions can't do anything about that. Unions can't make a corporation hire full-time.

The workforce is headed in the wrong direction. Corporations are cutting worker's hours while hiring more workers. There is no excessive work hours like the union fought against. Corporations are doing the exact opposite--limiting hours.

It's not only about minimum wage. It's a race to the bottom. The corporations know how to make people even more vulnerable! :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Breeze54]

130. er...ah...are you telling ME???? LOL!! n/t

[sheelz]

131. What's so funny?

[Breeze54]

146. Because....

....You are explaining it to me!! LMAO!!

Been there, done that....many times!!!

That's what was funny!

I thought you had read the previous posts.

[sheelz]

151. I'm still surprised your laughing...

even after you've "Been there, done that...many times!!!" I don't know when was the last time you've "been there done that" but the situation is getting dramatically worse. It's not a laughing matter. That's what I was trying to point out. You don't seem to know the issues. Re-read your posts for a clue. If you need me to clue you in, I'd be happy to...

Until then stop mocking the working poor.

[Breeze54]

154. You are OFF track, hon!

I'm far from 'mocking' the poor!!

I AM THE FUCKING POOR!!!!!!!!!!

Get a clue!!! Can you not read between the lines??
Have you no sense of humor??
You're telling me the situation is getting worse? :shrug:
That IS funny that you felt the need to 'clue me in on that'!
I'm laughing WITH you...get a clue!
I was agreeing with you! Gheesh!

And as far as your accusation that I'm "mocking the working poor"??
Give me a break!
I AM THE WORKING POOR!!!

Get a grip!!

Except; I'm NOT working!

I'd rather laugh than cry...
I have to much to cry about, having a hard time choosing which, these days...so, I laugh!

And I was 'laughing' at the idea; that a PT worker gets health insurance!
Because that IS funny!!! :sarcasm: Because it doesn't happen...
except from what you say.
I never heard of that from any company!

Get some rest! I was not making fun of you.
I am you.

[sheelz]

159. You are not me...

If you understand the issues then why did you say (post #6)"It's unbelievable! What these families are trying to do...omg! Talk about micro management!!! It's really sad what corporate 'amerika' has done to this and other countries!!"

The above statement doesn't sound like you've "been there...done that" to me.

Most people try to find full-time employment if that's what they are looking for. I would never have paid any attention to the benefits a part-timer might get because I was only looking for full-time work. I can understand why people would think there are no part-time jobs that offer benefits. I agree, most do not!!!

The only reason I know this is because I stumbled upon it--twice. I've worked two jobs that have offered health care to part-time employees. The first time I came across it was because I had to give my staff 20 hours per week for them to get their health insurance. Like I said, I'm not sure if they still do but they did at one time. My current job offers insurance--probably because it's a union job.

Regardless, I'm not in favor of health care provided by employers. I prefer a national health care program. But for now, some people are in desperate need of heath care benefits. They are working seniors and people with pre-existing conditions etc. They may have assets to protect or prefer to have that benefit. I think it would be more helpful to pass the info on and perhaps someone could use it.

For the working poor--
Health insurance does not matter. The working poor have no assets to insure. They have nothing to financially to protect. And nothing to loose. Health insurance is not for the working poor. If the working poor get an illness they go to the ER or a clinic. Free clinics are far and few. I know we don't have free health clinic here. Most small towns and rural areas don't have free clinics. That being said, the working poor can't pay their hospital or clinic bills. They have so many other worries.

[Breeze54]

160. You are now getting on my last nerve...

"It's unbelievable! What these families are trying to do...omg! Talk about micro management!!!
It's really sad what corporate 'amerika' has done to this and other countries!!"

BECAUSE IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THAT THEY AND I; COULD TRY TO SURVIVE ON SUCH SHITTY WAGES!!!

"I would never have paid any attention to the benefits a part-timer might get
because I was only looking for full-time work."

Well, you DID say you were in a union, right?
I was referring to non-union regular crappy jobs with no benefits!

"For the working poor--
Health insurance does not matter. The working poor have no assets to insure.
They have nothing to financially to protect. And nothing to loose...."

Ah...they have THEMSELVES to protect and thier families!!
Debt is debt is debt!! Even if you die? You still owe, or your family does!

WTF is your problem?
Do you think you are the only poor person in America or on DU??
:shrug:

I find it pretty laughable, that you question my authenticity
as a "poor person" and yet, I am a single female parent!
Do you have any kids?
Do you even know what it's like to raise three kids alone?
I have three. Although only my youngest is still at home.
Trust me! You don't get rich supporting three kids alone!!
Give it a rest...I wish you well.
PEACE!!!!

PS. Saying , "I am you." is a way of saying, ... "I walk in the same shoes as you!"

[countingbluecars]

93. Cheney made over 8 million dollars in 2005.

I believe that comes out to a tad more than $5.00 an hour. Oh and don't forget, the VP recently advised people to save more.

[SmokingJacket]

94. It might be possible to "survive" on that amount...

but life would suck most of the time.

[Breeze54]

96. Yeah...you could survive....

in a cardboard box, down by the river!!!!

[SmokingJacket]

98. Exactly.

Or, you could work three jobs, never see your friends and family.

Twelve or more years ago I worked for $3.35 an hour, and only part time. I was perfectly comfortable -- but I didn't have kids, a car, or a kitchen.

Once you have kids, things are totally different. Either you're with them (and not making money) or you're paying someone to be with them, or you have a spouse.

[debbierlus]

97. No.

Isn't that kind of obvious?

It seems a little silly to be having a show on - 'Can you live on poverty wages?'

[AuntPatsy]

108. It really isn't silly having such a show, believe it or not I have heard

many people exclaim that others can live on minimum wage and they shouldn't be crying about it, of course these people have no problems with money and absolutely refuse to look at this very real horrific situation for Americans with anything but contempt claiming that those who complain about their measley earnings are just looking for handouts.

Its amazing what the mindset is on this issue for far too many citizens.

[debbierlus]

112. I don't see how a talk show will give these people any empathy

But, if it helps, more power to her....

[Breeze54]

115. It's silly?? ....

How 'elitist' of you!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-elitism

Must be great to be "in your world"....

What COLOR is the sky in your world, anyway??
:shrug:

[debbierlus]

162. Wow. You took my post in the completely WRONG way.

First, I have BEEN through YEARS of struggling financially. I had a hard time buying enough groceries to feed myself when I was pregnant with my daughter. I lived in a friggin shack, and I have been evicted for being unable to make rent (despite working full time). It is only in recent years that I have maintained a modest quality of life.

So, your sarcastic comment is completely off base.

Oprah has done these stories before. How hard...how terrible....Yet, she fawns over celebrities who epitomize excess. She, herself, spends obscene amounts of money on luxuries. I find the shows condescending.

How stupid and self centered do you have to be to figure out that five dollars an hour is not a living wage?

I seriously wonder what change will come out of the Oprah show. Look what happened with Hurricane Katrina....We were suppossed to have a 'war on poverty' after that disaster. But, now that is all forgotten. If seeing babies without food and people dying on t.v. didn't do a damn thing, a talk show sure is hell ain't going too.....

My personal opinion is that the capitalist society perpetuates the kind of poverty that Oprah claims to disdain. Only in addressing the imbalance of billionaires and the wealth being concentrated in 1% of the population can we have a real dialogue about wealth distribution and ending poverty.

What color is the sky in my world, indeed.

Yeah. I am an 'elitist'.

Right.

[Cobalt Violet]

123. Do poor people only make good TV when they're dying in hurricanes?

When are poor people ever on TV? Just when they make the evening news because something horrible happened to them, never to cover the hardship of their poverty.

[Protagoras]

100. Lets look at what life is like on $10 an hour

all this obsession over sub-minimum wage sometimes misses the boat because even at double the American dream is a staggeringly long way off.

[nonconformist]

114. I'd like to see that too! nt

[Kansas Wyatt]

120. I thought I read somewhere a few years back

That if minimum wage had kept up with cost of living and inflation, when it was first put in place, it would be around the $18 / hour range today. Millions of people are getting severely screwed, while CEO salaries bust and break their company's own payroll, health, and pension accounts.

[iamthebandfanman]

102. no!

and i dont!

[sheelz]

117. We need to focus on solutions....

not the problem. Sharing stories is simply not enough. A detailed discussion about solutions is urgently needed. What is a living wage? What should that living wage provide for? And How?

[killbotfactory]

118. Live in a shanty, with a bunch of friends and relatives!

Just like the good ol' days, it will be fun! Honest!

[degreesofgray]

122. Of course I can

as long as I work 125 hours per week. Piece of cake!

[Zorra]

128. Yeah...in Mexico or Guatemala it's easy. n/t

[Ilsa]

132. My first job out of college was $5/hr. But that was 26

fucking years ago, too.

[genieroze]

133. Sure, just give me a box and a blanket.

[jzodda]

135. I am glad she is on this issue: Moving to the woods? Not for me...

and I hope she keeps at it. She can do a great deal of good when she "really" goes after an issue. For the people making fun of her in this thread b/c she is rich and has nice things...Why? She is using her fame to try and do some good. Thats more then most of all the other rich celebs do. Most of them do nothing at all.

She has real power in this country and she puts it to good use...If it were not for her this thread would not exist.

As to $5.00 an hour, thats terrible. Cost of living is going up, hours people have to work is going up to make ends meat and the people at the bottom....I don't know how they can survive on that kind of wage. A better word would be thrive, because they are obviously surviving, but not really enjoying life. How could they? Bush cuts taxes for the rich but him and his party ignore the cost of living for the poor and middle class. We are being slowly squeezed...Whats their answer to this? Make it harder for people to file for bankruptcy....So we all know they are running sham operation in D.C., and I have to say many of the DEMS are also complicit in this as well.

As to the people making the argument of simplicity...Its an interesting concept moving out to the country and growing all your food and living in a cabin BUT its not for everybody. I am not married and so I would be very very lonely off in the woods someplace. Having said that, I believe that people can achieve a happy medium if the circumstances are right. Using some of the simplicity strategies from books like

Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence

and

The Complete Tightwad Gazette

those are two very good books on helping people to change how they look at things and to get things more simple, even if they don't plan on moving to a log cabin.

[LaPera]

139. I've got a job harvesting lettuce for $50.00 an hour ...And I'm going

to keep it for as long as possible. Until, a better rate can be negotiated...I'm looking forward to it!

Sunshine, fresh air, desert, Arizona and 50 bucks an hour, under the table...I'll produce my own "bennies", (the least I can do)...

Then, I'm going to donate to McCain's presidential campaign for finding these great jobs!

[iamthebandfanman]

163. yes!

would u mind tellin' Boss McCain to contact me ?! I wrote him an email about work on his lettuce farm as soon as he mentioned it in a speech... I am very upset that i havent heard anything yet.
lol

[Erika]

141. The retiring CEO of Exxon earned $6,000 an hour

His payoff $400 million.

[GRLMGC]

142. No

That's gonna be a tank of gas in a few months, for fuck's sake!

[Random_Australian]

149. No. n/t

[PaDem]

173. Better question is can a family of four make it on........

$12 an hour.

[APPLE314]

175. yOU CAN GET YOUR FOOD COSTS DOWN TO 68 CENTS A DAY

RICE AT 26 CENTS A POUND AND GRITS CAN BE BOUGHT EVEN CHEAPER. THESE CAN BE A BIG PART OF YOU FOOD ARSENAL. WRAPPING YOURSELF IN LEAVES AND RAGS AND SLEEPING IN THE WOODS OR UNDER OVERPASSES WILL CUT YOUR OVERALL COSTS. CALCULATING YOUR TOTAL COSTS ON A 2100 CALORIE DIET YIELDS 68 CENTS A DAY. IF YOU USE A 8 HOUR WORK DAY THIS COMES OUT TO 8 AND 1/2 CENTS AN HOUR. YES, YOU CAN LIVE ON $5.00/HOUR.

[neebob]

176. No.

Thanks to past stupidity, I barely get by on $27.20 an hour. And I just did some math and discovered that $2.50 of that goes to health insurance. That means some of my coworkers are paying 25 percent of their wages for the same insurance.

[jmowreader]

177. You lost me at "Morgan Spurlock"

The guy's some sort of an exhibitionist.

Common sense says you can't eat three of McDonald's biggest meals a day, every day, and nothing else, and not fall apart. Spurlock does this idiotic thing, makes a movie about it and all you guys rant on about how evil McDonald's is for serving this kind of food. You can eat it occasionally and be fine. You can eat it for lunch every day and be fine, as long as you have a good nutritious breakfast and a good nutritious dinner. You can't live exclusively on it. Not even McDonald's recommends living exclusively on it. McDonald's is guilty of enough evils that no one should ever have to make shit up like "they made me eat the Two Triple Quarter Pounders Supersize Extra Angina Meal with A Whole Fryer Basket of French Fries and A Gallon Of Coke."

But we made Morgan Spurlock rich by supporting his stupidity. I ain't gonna. I won't even buy his so-called "movie" from the Previously Viewed bin at Blockbuster.

Common sense also says you cannot support two teenagers in this country on $200 a week. Especially since it's not even legal to pay someone $5 per hour anywhere in the United States--federal minimum wage is $5.15.

I'd like to see this fucker try this experiment: Come to Fayettenam and get an "average" job--one that pays $8 per hour. Then try to rent a place to live, pay for transportation (we're talking bus passes here), buy food, pay utilities...about the only way to do it would be to rent Section 8 housing in the projects. Entertainment? Lots of cheap entertainment in Fayetteville...so long as you're willing to go to church every night.

[killbotfactory]

179. Apparently, you didn't see his show called "30 days"

Where he and his girlfriend tried living on minimum wage for 30 days. You are challenging him to do something which is pretty much what he has already tried. He didn't have two teens with him the whole time, they just visited for a couple days.

And the whole thing about "supersize me" isn't that the fast food is bad for your health, which everyone he consulted with at the beginning of the movie told him before he started, it's that they far FAR exceeded everyones expectation as to how bad they would be. We're talking liver failure bad, mood swings, nasua, addiction, gaining 30 pounds, losing your sex drive. This is just from eating fast food and excersizing as much as the average American. He didn't even finish the 30 days since the health effects were so bad, and he was in good health at the start. It's also about the invasive marketing that fast food companies engage in to get kids hooked to their crap.

[mondo joe]

181. Yeah but why let facts get in the way of a silly rant? -eom-

[mondo joe]

180. It WAS $5.15 an hour. Duh.

Did they actually need to spell out the 15 cents for you?

[jmowreader]

183. Check the Illegal Immigration threads

Let's play with this for a minute. You've heard of Day Labor, right? Get picked up in the morning, do manual labor for eight hours and cash out at the end of the shift.

You're going to receive $40. No taxes will be deducted. No 1099 will be filed. Your name won't be recorded, and God help you if you get injured because there's no worker's comp.

If you go across the street to work for a legitimate minimum-wage employer, you will receive less than $40 per day because of taxes being withheld. (I know about EIC; EIC doesn't affect payroll taxes, just income taxes.)

Where will you live? Easy. Hook up with three other guys and rent a $150/week studio apartment. If you're getting $200 per week tax-free and living with three other people, it's affordable at $37.50/week/tenant.

Yes, you can work in this country for five bucks an hour. It ain't legal but it's done all the time.

[mondo joe]

184. Well let's see -- 1. You ignore the point of the post you responded to

which is that in the Spurlock experiment it WAS 5.15 - that's to correct your first post.

2. Obviously people live on that little - the point wasn't to see if they DIED by the end of the experiment but to look at what life is like on those wages.

[McCamy Taylor]

178. Depends. 18 y/o with 2 roomates no health insurance, bicycle maybe.

But the 18 year old is only doing it short term, until he/she gets a real job, so there is no stress or depression associated with it, and if something bad happens there is always the Bank of Mom to fall back on.

[Orangepeel]

182. In grad school, I made $1000 a month

I was single, lived in an efficiency apartment, didn't have health insurance or a car payment, and still graduated 4 years later $8,000 in debt. And that was 10 years ago.