So then why don't people just get a legit job then?
Some argue that investing in more police and imposing harsher sentences for all crime will help reduce it. Others say the problem in poverty and that investing in infrastructure nationwide, education, especially in impoverished areas is a better solution.
What do you think?
No it doesn't. Long term, legit jobs almost always pay better. You've got to factor in time spent not working, health insurance, retirement savings, plus the cost of tax evasion or money laundering.
To quote Nicholas Cage from Matchstick Men...."Oh, crime pays. Just not very well."
It's hard to get young people, who don't have the life experience to compare, to buy into long-term benefit when the larger short-term money is staring them in the face.No it doesn't. Long term, legit jobs almost always pay better. You've got to factor in time spent not working, health insurance, retirement savings, plus the cost of tax evasion or money laundering.
To quote Nicholas Cage from Matchstick Men...."Oh, crime pays. Just not very well."
Do you think the fact that many prisons now are privatized and that more occupancy = more profit has anything to do with legislative reluctance to ease up on harsher penalties and shorter sentences for non-violent crimes?
It's hard to get young people, who don't have the life experience to compare, to buy into long-term benefit when the larger short-term money is staring them in the face.
The problem is there is not enough good paying jobs to go around. If you live in a bad area and have a bad education, it will just make things tougher.
Yet, I remember when I was a kid, getting my first job, at age 15, and never once did I consider selling drugs, or robbing the quickie mart. My first job was for the Boy Scouts, so the pay was crap, then I got a job at a grocery store, making minimum wage, which was almost 6 bucks an hour at the time, in SC.
And that was 15 years ago. And the minimum wage has since rocketed up to a whopping 7 dollars an hour since then.
And even young dumb kids know that 10-15 hours per week at 7 bucks an hour ain't worth their time. That won't even keep up with the amount that tuition goes UP by each year, let alone paying all of it.
Nor did I. Then again, nor was I in anything that even resembled a dire situation, either. We were solid middle class. I chose to start working because I wanted to make money to buy and do extra stuff. I could have chosen to be a lazy bum and still been well-fed and quite comfy.
MW for me was $3.35/hr. I'm sure due to an age difference.
Seems you're making the mistake in presuming that all people are the same.
Are you advocating an increase in MW? I agree it's not keeping up, and I believe it needs to be raised, but I'm not convinced about the !5/hr demands I keep seeing lately.
Some argue that investing in more police and imposing harsher sentences for all crime will help reduce it. Others say the problem in poverty and that investing in infrastructure nationwide, education, especially in impoverished areas is a better solution.
What do you think?
Some argue that investing in more police and imposing harsher sentences for all crime will help reduce it. Others say the problem in poverty and that investing in infrastructure nationwide, education, especially in impoverished areas is a better solution.
What do you think?
Legalize drugs. End the drug war.
No, the point I'm making is, the cost of living has doubled, but MW hasn't kept pace. Not only that, but due to the ACA, most kids only get 15-20 hours per week. So, that's 140 bucks per week, tops. Subtract 20 for gas/transit. That seems like a lot of money for a kid, but not if that's going partly or in full towards the household. Some kids work to help put food on the table.
Back when I made 6 per hour, ground beef was just over a dollar per pound, as gas was about the same per gallon.
And even young dumb kids know that 10-15 hours per week at 7 bucks an hour ain't worth their time. That won't even keep up with the amount that tuition goes UP by each year, let alone paying all of it.
The 90s. Food has doubled, and in some cases, tripled in price. Gas, tripled. Rent, doubled. Car prices, almost doubled. A brand new base model civic in 93-94 would set you back 12-14k, depending on state. Base civic now is over 20k.From what point (year?) has the cost of living doubled? That (bolded above) assertion is often made yet rarely backed up by any data. Most like to use the 1968 MW value (the historical high when adjusted for infaltion) and somehow justify that as the "proper" MW basis.
5 facts about the minimum wage | Pew Research Center
No, the point I'm making is, the cost of living has doubled, but MW hasn't kept pace. Not only that, but due to the ACA, most kids only get 15-20 hours per week. So, that's 140 bucks per week, tops. Subtract 20 for gas/transit. That seems like a lot of money for a kid, but not if that's going partly or in full towards the household. Some kids work to help put food on the table.
Back when I made 6 per hour, ground beef was just over a dollar per pound, as gas was about the same per gallon.
A lot less stupid than putting someone in prison for life over shoplifting.
Can't blame the ACA. That trend started long before the ACA was ever even conceived.
Maybe if they knew that's what would happen, they wouldn't do it.
Maybe if they knew that's what would happen, they wouldn't do it.
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