I heard a High Level Government Official say that the latest proposed increase in our Minimum Wage will lift a whole bunch of people out of poverty.
We all believe that there is no one in our government that lies to us but we have seen a few times when they have been fed bad information which they were tricked into quoting as fact. Is this the case with this High Level Official?
Let’s look at the numbers...
- Current Minimum Wage is $7.25/hour which means that this unfortunate individual is making $15,080 ($7.25 X 40 hours a week X 52 weeks a year).
- If the Minimum Wage were raised from $7.25 to $9.00, that would mean that the above unfortunate individual would see his pay increase by $3,640 ($1.75 X 40 hours a week X 52 weeks a year).
- This means the above unfortunate individual would now be making $18,720.
There it is! Poor unfortunate person has been raised out of poverty! ... Or has he?
The Current Poverty Level for a family of 4 is $23,550. Is the Proposed New Minimum Wage based on $9/hour of $18,720 at or over $23,550? It does not look like it is. Many times I have blogged about the crying need for Members of Congress to understand Arithmetic. It looks like this High Level Official is Arithmetically Challenged.
I always like to look for ways to cover for misstatements of Members of Congress and High Level Officials because they try so hard to be honest with us. Please allow me to stretch for cover on this one...
Maybe this High Level Official was talking about a single worker saddled with a mere $7.25/hour Minimum Wage. The Current Poverty Level for a family of 1 is $11,490. Oops, that did not work, did it? At $15,080 that worker is already over his Poverty Minimum Wage Level by $3,590.
Am I being too harsh? Am I saying I wish I were making these kinds of wages? Not really. I am only espousing the use of correct and truthful numbers when Members of Congress and High Level Officials attempt to sell us on why we ought to do what they say we ought to do.
This calls to mind what Geraldine Jones (Flip Wilson) used to say...
“Honey, a lie is as good as the truth as long as you get somebody to believe you”.
It is incumbent upon me (Oh my gosh! I am starting to speak like a Member of Congress!) to keep speaking the truth to Members of Congress and High Level Officials.
I know this is why so many Members of Congress and High Level Officials have started reading my blog. They really want to do the right thing ... Or have they? ... Or do they?
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
