why we need a living wage

I have contact with some conservative, Ayn Rand types, who argue that their good position in life is earned.  They got theirs, and anyone who did not get theirs is just lazy and does not deserve anything.  My question to them is, "how did you get yours?  and would it be possible for that same mechanism to work today?"

Most of these people were born into families of affluence.  Should they get credit for that?  Should those born to poor parents be punished for that?

Some were born into more modest means.  But most had one working parent and a stay-at-home mom.  The father was able to support the family on one income.  Is that still possible today?  If the parents were able to, they paid for college for them and their siblings.  Is it still possible today for a middle-class wage earner to afford tuition for 2-6 children?  Is it possible for the middle-class wage earner to let his wife supervise the children and take care of the domestic duties and still afford a house?

My father was a psychiatrist.  He worked 40 hours/week and was able to live in a very nice community and raise 6 children.  Although we did not all take advantage of it, he could have afforded to send us all to college.  His wife did not have to work.  My father would not be able to do that today. 

Why do we need a living wage?  Because I want the kids in my neighborhood being brought up by their parents, not by TV and street gangs.  The more involved the parents are, the less likely the child will drift into crime.  The fewer kids involved with crime, the safer our communities and the less money we have to pay for incarceration.  The increased time at work means less time with the family.  Family is important to the health of the individual and the community. 

And, because I want people educated.  College tuition is turing our society into a Caste system.  If your parents don't have $100k per child, then you can't get a college education (by the time my daughter is 18, it'll probably require $200k per child).  It used to be that a high-school grad could still get a manufacturing or labor job paying $15-$25/hour.  Now college grads are competing for $9/hour jobs.  America will never be its greatest if only 10% of the children are allowed to fulfill their potential.  How many Einsteins are we missing out on because they were not able to go to college?

The period of greatest economic growth in this country was in the 1950's, 60's, and 70's.  During that time, a single-wage earning family could afford to buy a house and send their kids to college.  Now we need two wage earners working overtime just to pay rent.    As we neglect our children, we all pay the price.  It does benefit ME for YOU to make a good living.  I don't want to be the only one on top of the hill.  I want prosperity (or at least the opportunity for prosperity) for all.

(And to be clear, I am nowhere near the top of the hill.  Right now, I make a good living, but as more and more wealth drifts up to the top 2%, I am going to have to struggle more).  Even my very-wealthy Ayn Rand folks do not realize that they are not safe.  Billionaires can eat Millionaires for lunch.  And when there is nothing left to squeeze out of the middle class, they will come after the millionaires.

The fundamental problem in our culture is that we value Greed.  In some societies, it is socially embarrassing to have much more than your fellow citizens.  I think we need to have a shift in our value system and start valuing the things we give to society more than the things we take from it.