Oh, where to even start with this one? Mad props to anyone who can make heads or tails of what’s happening in California’s legislative circus. It’s a show, full stop. Exhibit A: this shiny, new law that seemed pretty cut-and-dry until the powers that be decided to slap on some exemptions here and there – places like your airport burger joint and stadium hot dog stand got a free pass. Classic move, right? Tack on amendments after the fact, because why get it right the first time? This is the kind of brainstorming that’s piloting the ship in the Golden State.
Now, onto the hot topic of hiking up the minimum wage by a whopping 25% smack in the middle of inflation’s joyride. If there was a prize for bad timing, this maneuver would take home the gold. It’s like they’re aiming to side-step the real issues Californians are grappling with by brewing a fresh batch of problems. Think about it. They’re essentially trying to quench a fire by tossing on more fuel. You’d think they’d stop there, but nope, there’s more.
Cue to some top brass in California dreaming up a $20 per hour minimum wage as chump change. Enter stage left, Rep. Barbara Lee, with her proposal that sounds more fairy tale than fiscal policy. She’s pitching the kinda income that would have fast-food workers out-earning some professionals. When asked about how this fantasy plan would float economically, she dodged that bullet like a pro. Why? Because the math just doesn’t add up. Even at $20 an hour, we’re seeing layoffs and price surges. Imagine the chaos at $50 an hour. Maybe it’s a clever plan to bring about the end times for commerce in Cali. On the flip side, maybe not.
Then there’s this gem from Lee – a claim that a four-person household needs six figures just to scrape by. That might raise some brows. Sure, you can argue that cost of living ain’t cheap, but do minimum wage jobs need to finance a family of four? It paints a picture of minimum wage gigs as lifelong careers, rather than the entry-level, learn-the-ropes jobs they’re designed to be. If you’re decades into a job and still making minimum wage, the issue might be a bit more personal than systemic.
Listen, I’m all for folks getting a well-earned raise. Key word: earned. You work hard, show you’re reliable, and bam, you’re making more dough. But expecting to plant your roots in a minimum wage job and grow a family tree? That’s like thinking a tent’s a good substitute for a house. Sure, some manage to call a tent home, but that’s more about necessity than it’s meant to be a solution. Minimum wage jobs are your first step, not your final destination.
Getting ahead while earning minimum wage is doable. Be on time, look sharp, go the extra mile, and prove you’re worth more. No need to wait around for the government to step in. Moving on up is on you, not them.
And while politicians will sell you the moon, remember, those promises usually come with strings attached. Worst case scenario? They actually come through, and we all end up paying the price, in more ways than one.
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