I live in South Texas, I've seen the TRUELY poor. I've lived within half a block of them (25 people living in a 4brm house), I've grown up with them. I can tell you that the poor are some of the staunchest opposition to the wage increase.
It is not because of some propoganda the right is spewing (it was a Dem. district afterall). It is because they realize that if they do not get ahead in life they will be poor in comparison whether they get $2/hr or $15/hr. The blue collar workers will always make less than the white collar, the less skills required the less they get paid in comparison, no matter what. The more everyone else gets paid the more everything costs no matter what. The only way to advance to become a skilled worker or get educated. This is the way it's been since the world started, and lofty goals will not change it.
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. You have one of two stances to take based on this: either you think minorities are biologically and/or culturually incapable of success, accounting for their higher drop-out rates, lower performance, and so forth - perhaps you think there is a black laziness gene? - in which case I have no qualm about calling you a racist, or you acknowledge that everyone does NOT have a chance in America.
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I love your logic. I hold people responsible for their success or failure so I'm a racist?
How about being from the poor community, in the Texas school system (ranked among the bottom), in a mostly (re: 90% minority) mexican/black school district. In all accounts I should be working at McDonalds along with half my class. This is not so. Why? because I strive for more, I work hard, and I succeed with my friend (black/white/mexican) who do the same. REGARDLESS of race.
You want everyone to have an EQUAL chance. That's fine, lofty goal which would be ideal. I hail from the school of pragmatism in which I know it'll never happen. I think we should stop pitying people from hardship and showing them examples of those that have risen above it (as I'm trying).
Yes, I see people here at UT driving BMW's, never working a day in their life, while I've been saving since I was 10, have 2 jobs and owe lots in loans. But would you as a parent leave your kids wanting if you had the means? Would you let your kid go hungry for a week because they would otherwise not be able to pay their gas bill (happened on more than one occasion for me), just to pay for some other kids schooling? If you say yes then you're a liar. This is the only way "true" equality in education would occur.
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The point is, neither face of poverty is better than the other - 15% unemployment is unacceptable, but so is having such a HUGE gap between the rich and the poor (and basically no middle class).
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I really enjoyed your second paragraph, you clearly put a lot of thought into it. I enjoyed it till this sentence. I would love to see where the US has "basically no middle class". I agree the rich are getting richer, but so are the poor.