A minimum wage hike is just part of the solution to help the working poor

[Citrus]

3. A mere nod...

These minimum wage increases are nothing more than a mere collective nod that acknowledges a problem. By the time wages are actually at $15 an hour, the cost of living will have increased to the point that any increase will be moot. That $15 is a (barely!) livable wage now, but it won't be a livable wage in 4, 5 or 6 years.

It's a way for those in power to point to the increase and say, "See? We took care of that!" And in 4, 5, or 6 years, when people point out that their $15 is not a livable wage, TPTB will point to the old increase and say, "Nonono... We took care of that!" It's exactly like welfarism for nonhuman animals, which does no real good. Being a tiny bit "better off" isn't measurable, nor does it really eliminate suffering. Whether for humans or nonhumans, eliminating the problem now, and creating lasting solutions, is the only thing that works.

This is all a sop. And I'm astonished that more people don't see it. More's the pity.

And yes, I realize that some employers can't hike it that fast, but many can. And I realize the only real solution is for government to step in and provide temporary assistance until the full amount is reached, and then to legislate truly livable wage laws from then on. (Or something similar and perhaps even better.) But that ain't gonna happen. More's the pity.