Minimum Wage Crisis Analysis

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There is a crisis in America, that many are not even aware of. That crisis, is the inability for low wage workers to get by on their pay. The American dream is not attainable by everyone nowadays, due to high rent, and minimum wage being too low.
But, there are some things that we can do to fix this problem such a raising minimum wage or lowering property tax.
But first, what is the American Dream? Google defines it as “the ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative”(Google). The American Dream is having a home, a car, and financial security. The only problem is many people in modern day America don’t have the equal opportunity too. Many …show more content…
“In 1999 food only took up 16% of the family budget, while housing has soared to 37%” (Ehrenreich 200). That means for every $3 a low wage worker makes, $1 goes to housing. This obviously barely leaves money for other expenses such electric, gas, and water bills. Less money for food, clothing, and barely being able to save any money for issues in the future. If one can’t save, one can’t get ahead. This puts one in a never ending cycle of poverty. In Nickel and Dimed Ehrenreich she comes across many people in terrible living situations. “Joan, who had fooled me with her numerous and tasteful outfits (hostesses wear their own clothes), lives in van parked behind a shopping center at night and showers in Tina’s motel room” (26). People shouldn’t have to live in these situations, and something should be done to help change …show more content…
Currently minimum wage is $7.25 average around the U.S. and $8.10 in Ohio. The average American works 1,789 hours a year, and at 7.25 an hour that means a minimum wage worker makes $12,970.25 annually. According to a living wage calculator, the average cost of living in Lucas County for a single male is $18,779. That means that you're coming up about $6,000 short at the end of every month. That means many people have to take up second jobs to help pay for everything at the end of the month. This means in many cases people are exhausted and rarely get a day off, which can lead to injury in the workplace, or in some cases people getting fired for not being able to work efficiently. "I don't mind, really, because I guess I'm a simple person, and I don't want what they have. I mean, it's nothing to me. But what I would like is to be able to take a day off now and then..if I had to ... and still be able to buy groceries the next day" (119). The working poor can’t afford to take a day off, otherwise it means no food the next
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