I was involved in a discussion about minimum wage and how it isn't a livable wage. The minimum wage should be increased to a livable wage immediately. Of course determining exactly what that living wage would be presents a number of difficulties. The first, and perhaps the most important of all is what is required, as a minimum, for you to live. That is to say, what are the necessities? Well now that surely leads to a rather larger debate. Are everyone's needs the same? At the very basic level they certainly are, the minimum requirements to sustain life.
What has changed is defining that minimum requirement. Government has had the largest impact on that by establishing standards, always for the "betterment" of mankind. It is the regulations and requirements established through legislation that has changed that definition. Can I build my own home? No, I can not. I am required, at a minimum, to obtain all the proper permits, inspections and adherence to building codes. Each of those requirements cost money. Even if I were to build such a home without any of those requirements being met, I would still require a certificate of occupancy. Yes, I need to pay a fee to be allowed to live in my own home. And that is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg when it comes to government regulations regarding my "quality of life" and what the minimum standard for that life should be.
The vast majority of these regulations were established in the interest of public safety. That has been the standard reason given. In order to provide for the "general welfare" as our constitution declared. John Adams and James Madison both spoke of that theory of constitutionalism. For the common good is the same idea. That's the premise of the constitution, a government of the people, by the people and for the people. The majority of the people is what is often left unsaid regarding all of that. In regard to public safety how much authority should the government impose upon its' citizens? A popular argument I hear today is that, "as long as I'm not hurting someone else" that is justification enough. Isn't that saying if my action does not have an immediate and direct affect upon your safety it has to be allowed? Or are we to say, if that action has the potential to harm others that is justification enough to restrict that action?
So just what is the general welfare? I'd say it is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That is what they are talking about, your ability to pursue your dreams and aspirations in a safe environment, free from oppression. That is life and liberty. Happiness is an individual pursuit, free from government mandates, but not free from civic responsibility. That is the reason for the separation of church and state. The church (religions) contain those mandates for achieving happiness. What we call, charity. Charity isn't simply giving something away, charity is caring enough for the individual to help them obtain their inner peace and a sense of contentment. That is what we all really desire. To be happy. No one can give you happiness, that is something you have to find (pursue) for yourself. It requires neither money nor material possessions.
But we were talking about minimum wage. How much money do you actually need to live the life you deserve. That's something I hear all the time, what I deserve. Funny thing about that is you are the one that determines that and others rarely agree. I should be wealthy by now, I deserve that. Yes, there is so much I deserve that is being denied. I deserve a living wage! And that wage should be what? How do we measure that? Currently the government says I'm poor if I make less than $15,600. That's $7.4748 per hour for a typical working year. Strange that the same government sets minimum wage at $7.25 an hour. Or is it that more than the minimum effort is expected of you? You know, work a little overtime. For a family of four that number is $32,150. If we were to say we should have a single wage earner in that family they would have to make $15.40 an hour to reach the poverty level.
We have to figure expenses. How much of that expense is the direct result of government mandates? I'd suggest a significant portion. There are those things that government insists I must have to function in society, legally. As I mentioned earlier all the licenses, permits, and certifications required by law. Then there are those things we consider "essential" to living in the modern world. Cable television, cell phones, internet service, at least one car, and entertainment expenses. We have the electric bill, the gas bill, the grocery bill, the doctors co-pays and we deserve designer clothing and the latest tech! We should get all of that for the minimum amount of effort! That's what you're suggesting when you say, minimum wage should be a living wage.
The issue is, who is going to pay for all of that? I chuckle when I hear those proclaiming the billionaires should! The top ten percent of all income earners are currently paying about 72% of all federal taxes collected. The top 50% pay 97% of all taxes. Do the math, that leaves 3% being contributed by half the people. Do you really believe billionaires could fund 100%?
The bottom line is simple enough to understand, when you put forth the minimum amount of effort, you get minimal results. If we were to say $100,000 is the minimum amount required, before taxes were deducted, the hourly wage would have to be $48.50. How much you think that McDonalds hamburger is going to cost you? If you wanted to be in the top ten percent of earners you need to make $149,000 annually. But guess what, if that were the minimum wage you would then be in the bottom 50%. On average each of us will pay 15% in taxes alone. Well, the top 50% will anyway, a significant portion will pay nothing at all. Living in poverty is still living! The other option is dying, something we all do whether rich or poor. That doesn't change at all. It all comes down to how much do you really need to do either one? It's my thinking we can, and have, legislated ourselves into poverty, but we can't legislate ourselves out.