[Reno89519]

Yes, $35-45K. Think about that, maybe $17.50 per hour, $700 a week before taxes, maybe $3,000 a month before taxes. So, about $2,500 to $2,700 net, dependig on the state. Now if union, cut that down. So let's say max take home is $2,500, being generous. Okay, rent (1,000 - 2,000), utilities (150-300), water and sewer (25-50), car insurance (100-200), health insurance (maybe minimal or nothing thanks to Obamacare), and we haven't even gotten to food, much less car payments or maintenance, gas money, and so forth. It won't work.

Over the past year and a half were were hiring people at $21 per hour and they couldn't pay gas money to get to and from work, cars breaking down for lack of maintenance, couldn't repair, driving on tires with core showing, wore out clothes, and so forth. Not pretty, not sustainable.

I firmly believe wages would be better, ability for government services, and all would be better if all illegals both with and without work permits were deported, if we said no work permits to anyone but citizens and green card holders. Starve out those folks, jail employers that hire them, self-deport or deport 60+ million from the country. Then maybe employers will appreciate American workers, pay them better, and they in turn, with livable wages, might be willing to give the work more respect.

Again, a low paid worker cannot focus on work when they cannot pay the bills and not everyone can live in mom and dad's basement or have or get their parents to suppliment their low pay.

[Skwor]

That is a starting pay and yes you cannot rise a family on starting pay, nor should anyone expect to.

This is not about what people start at but what they can achieve and how best to get there.

Most trades will start low but the motivated skilled craftsman can make bank. The entrepreneurial one can achieve real wealth.