Just the Basics!

       While reading the last chapter I get a feeling that low wages seem to be the greatest problem of the working poor. These individuals are not making enough to scrape by and because so their burdens become almost unbearable. Minimum wage which was discussed throughout the reading poses a barrier to these families struggling to make ends meet as they progress from the beginning of the month towards the end which adds stress and produces extreme difficulties to the family and especially those who head the household. The word "minimum" is such a striking word in this sense. Minimum the bare basic wage you are allowed to pay someone, yet this wage can't even account for the basic necessities of those who earn it. The answer to why companies and business stick to this small wage earning capacity is clear. However, in paying these individuals such a low wage it says something about the position of which they are paid. It says that this position is meaningless, anyone can do it, and that anyone fulfilling these positions can be replaced. Yet, again these positions are ones that serve Americans everyday from the cook behind the counter, the housekeeper and maintenance staff of the hotel, and the babysitter. All are service positions that aid to make life easier for American consumers. In paying these positions such a low and bare minimum wage are we sending the American consumer the message that they are not highly valued either in comparison to the person who just served them a Big Mac and fries on their way out of the drive-thru. Food for thought.