The Way Forward

Studies show that a father in the house leads to much better outcomes for kids. A big part of being a man is providing for your family. Men will take jobs that cause early death if it means a secure life for their family. Think coal mines, drill rigs, logging, fishing, etc. Since covid job growth for the native born has been flat according to the St Louis Fed. Jobs don't pay enough to support a family.

I just read on Next Door that we've a new business opening up in town that should bring 100 jobs. Fast food. If the people working there worked 40 hours every week they'd make between $27K and $52K. Of course in fast food they cut your hours so you aren't full time, so it really pays $20K or best case $40K. None of those jobs can support a family. Can't buy a house, can't pay the doctor, not middle class at all.

The mine in the Iron Range in MN that just had a lay off paid $100K with overtime.

We've seen some drastic shocks to our economy of late. Huge tariffs, big layoffs in government. Call me a socialist but I think it's time to triple the min wage, not gradually but incrementally a dollar every two weeks. I used to have a payroll, I signed the front of the check. With computers it's extremely easy to change the numbers.