Hashbrown, I hope things get better for you. Sending virtual hugs.
I thought minimum wage was designed for high school/teenagers to learn how to work and save money. It was not designed to make a living but to strive to get a better job after they prove they are able to hold down a job and continue to be a desirable employee. They need some training as well after high school. Sadly most decide they can’t make enough money at the first hire. They don’t realize start low and get promoted with a solid work ethic.
No. That is a myth that it was only for entry level workers.
Quoting FDR here:
"In my Inaugural I laid down the simple proposition that nobody is going to starve in this country. It seems to me to be equally plain that no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By "business" I mean the whole of commerce as well as the whole of industry; by workers I mean all workers, the white collar class as well as the men in overalls; and by living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level-I mean the wages of decent living.
Throughout industry, the change from starvation wages and starvation employment to living wages and sustained employment can, in large part, be made by an industrial covenant to which all employers shall subscribe. It is greatly to their interest to do this because decent living, widely spread among our 125, 000,000 people, eventually means the opening up to industry of the richest market which the world has known."
Now, a big part of the problem now is that many of the big corporations are not giving more than few cents raise above minimum wage to their employees. Places like McDonalds (at least in my area) are no longer hiring people fresh out of school with no job experience. It is no longer entry level. $15/hr is less than half of a living wage in today's market. So, it's not just that entry level minimum wage jobs are underpaid, but it sets the bar for the progression of pay. The store manager of the local Fred's was only getting $8/hr (no wonder it shut down). Walmart has increased pay to $11/hr but they cut employee's hours. One of my friends who works there got a promotion and they gave him a 2cent pay raise. In some areas just about the only jobs available are the retail an food service jobs. The others require training people can't afford or are so few an far between that most people are stuck with the sucky jobs. The heads of the corporations are dodging taxes or paying less taxes than their impoverished employees, and make more money than they could ever spend in their lifetimes. If their profits were reduced even a little, it still would not hurt them and paying their employees living wages would mean those employees would not need public assistance and they could afford to buy more things, there would be less theft (not eliminated totally of course bc even rich people can be thieves), and the economy would be in better shape. But these greedy jerks can't be bothered to pay people half of a living wage.
Additionally, people who are working for these low wages are having to work harder than their counterparts in previous decades for what is essentially less $ bc there is less bang for their buck. One person has to do the job of 2 to 5 other people. But, it's not just the wages themselves, it's the hours they are given. Most people are only hired part time. No pensions, very little if any benefits, etc. Walmart knows that if someone works fulltime for 12 weeks they qualify for fulltime pay. So they work them fulltime for 11 weeks and give them 1 hour shy of fulltime hours on the 12th week to reset it. Although, now that they are paying $11/hr they have reduced hours. Some people only get 4 hours a week.
TL: DR? What used to be entry level work is no longer entry level. Low starting wages affects overall wage tiers to keep even experience worker wages lower than a living wage.
I know people say they should go get other jobs, but most people can't find other jobs in some areas. Moving is not an option as much either. People are putting blame on the workers instead of the people who are bilking the system & underpaying people and then not paying their fair share of taxes.
So, I'm up early again. LOL. Had cereal for breakfast. Took my vitamins. Fed the kitties. etc.
Lucky if the plow makes it by etc. The only thing we want to double check when the time comes is that the rocker panels are in good shape. Hubby is a metal fabricator and has done vehicle restoration in the past (though it's been a long time) so we'll make them right and sturdy if need be. We are pretty arid on this side of the state which is nice from a rusting stand point (opinions may differ from a gardening standpoint.)
Not going to be fun looking for a new dash panel if not. Still have a month or two at least to get it worked out. 
YES!
