The 'No Title' Blog

It’s been since November that I last blogged.  Those who know me know that I only blog when I am inspired by something.  Inspiration can come from anywhere, as long as it sparks in me a response to spend some time at the computer.  So this time my inspiration comes from a former high school classmate with whom I am ‘friends’ on FB.  Haven’t seen him since the 25^th high school reunion, but through FB I know that he is a devoted husband, father and grandfather.  It is apparent that he lives a rather affluent lifestyle, is well educated, travels extensively, is a high level executive in his employment etc., etc.  It is also apparent that we are on opposite ends of the continuum on almost any issue you can name.

As I have said before in prior blogs, I tend to stay away from political discussions.  They just seem to spiral out of control so fast and I learned in the ‘70s during the feminist movement that you rarely change anyone’s mind, even with the most persuasive argument.  However, this week, for the umpteenth time, my ‘Friend’ made a comment about how the minimum wage must not be raised or dire consequences will unfold and destroy our economy.  His argument seems to be, and I am taking liberties with his words, I know, that all the employees at McDonald’s are uneducated with minimal skill sets so they deserve to continue their life in borderline, if not actual, poverty.  Gotta tell you, this makes my blood boil, and I just have to respond.  The first time I responded and asked him how long it had been since he lived on $15/hr.  No response.  

He and I have gone back and forth a couple of times this week in private discussions re his initial post.  His additional comments required that I dig out the blog and have at it.  His argument for not raising the minimum wage is supported by formulas, numbers, strategic positioning, etc.  From a purely intellectual perspective, it is difficult to argue his position.  However, given my background and personality, I have to come at the issue from a ‘people’ perspective.  In other words, I am passionate about how individual lives are impacted by trying to live on $7.25/hr.  It may work for a high school student still living at home with his/her parents.  It doesn’t work for a single Mom of 2 struggling to make ends meet.  Friend is very concerned with the cost of living and inflation if we raise minimum wage.  I say a major overhaul must take place if we are ever to move this piece of our population beyond the halls of McDonald’s .  And what about the McDonald workers who are well educated, have good skill sets and are under employed?  

Given our recent economic recession, many people ended up in situations where they are underemployed, not because they weren’t giving it their all, but because much of Corporate America is greedy, corrupt and only interested in making huge profits and holding on to it for themselves.  Case in point, the current leading story regarding Anthem Blue Shield, CA which just had its ‘not-for-profit’ status revoked by the state of California, in part due to huge profits, excessive executive compensation and a reserve of $4 billion!!!! 

You see, our culture is an ‘Us vs Them’ culture.  The ‘Haves’ are accumulating more and more and more wealth and the ‘Have Nots’ are sinking ever deeper into poverty.  We cannot sustain this ‘Us vs Them’ position, it must change to a position of ‘We’, where We seek out the solutions that allow those who seek employment and strive to support themselves can do so.  We cannot give up on education just because some outcomes are miserable.  And while today individual skill sets may be minimal, where will they be tomorrow?  Or 2 years from now, or 5 years from now?  There are people who will spend their entire working lives at McDonald’s because that is all they are capable of doing, but does that mean they must live in poverty?  For others Mc Donald’s will be the jumping off point and who knows where they will land!!!

I don’t expect Friend to agree with any part of what I have written.  But I sit here with a slight grin on my face, knowing that deep down inside of him there is a human being who can experience compassion and who has the gift of intelligence and experience to seek out the needed solutions.  He has just been an ‘Executive’ so long that he is bogged down with too much stake in the status quo to take the moral and ethical position that is required of making the shift from being an ‘Us’ rather than a ‘We’.