[Steve_Seattle]

Someone making $8 an hour would probably take home around $7 an hour, giving them about $1,120 a month. Around here, a studio apartment will cost about $620-680 a month, say $650. If you want to own a car, which everyone in FR regards as almost a constitutional right, that would be a minimum of $200 a month for a beater, including gas, insurance, and pro-rated maintenance and purchase costs. So we're left with about $270 a month - $9 a day - for everything else: food, clothing, utilities not covered by the rent, medical, entertainment, housewares, furniture, etc. And this is just for a single person. It doesn't add up. If you had a couple of kids, you'd need a two bedroom apartment, which would be at least $950, leaving you $170 for everything else. No way.

[ran15]

That is why poor people gotta do like poor people in the past have done. Live crammed together, not living the good life. While they take training for a job that is in demand.. Gotta have no car, no cable, no computer.. Which should allow them to better focus on higher training anyway.

Which there are many good paying jobs that are in demand.. think welders, plumbers, nurses etc..

If someone tries to make a career out of being a cashier at Walmart, and become a single mother.. well obviously they aren't going to live well. But whose fault is that?

[A. Pole]

And this is just for a single person. It doesn't add up. If you had a couple of kids, you'd need a two bedroom apartment, which would be at least $950, leaving you $170 for everything else.

Well, if the mother works too, the budget will be a little larger (kids could be left at "undocumented" cheap day care). Still what about medical bills or dentist?

I see other solution based on the free market principles. Not afluent Americans should resigned from having children. Then the replenishment of labor force can be done by the import of the new workers from Mexico and similar countries. As it is in my tagline.

That way the afluent Americans would be free from the burden of subsidizing their poorer compatriots and be able to enjoy life more.

[Right_in_Virginia]

So, are you suggesting an increase in the minimum wage? Would $20 an hour do it for you? How about $50?

[balrog666]

You left out the Food Stamps, rent subsidies, low-income energy assistance, AFDC & WIC, free/subsidized daycare, free medical care, state subsidized insurance for poor children, school breakfasts & lunch programs, etc.

And don't forget the Earned Income Credit - tax-free cash for having kids when you are poor. What a great idea, huh?