Wealth Inequality in America

[Pemalite]

sc94597 said:

Again, this is not true. 56% of Men born in the lowest decile (in the United States) change deciles. Even more women do this. Source: U.S Treasury.

Also, the cost of living in Australia is higher than in the U.S, with the USD having higher local purchasing power. Seeing as the federal minimum wage must consider the lowest cost of standards of living (in a very diverse economic landscape), it makes sense that the minimum wage is where it is at. Some states have higher minimum wages. The highest being $9.19 (by statual law.) We know that minimum wage laws can lead to more inflation and unemployment when poorly implemented. As for health-care, half of Americans are covered by their jobs, 16% are on Medicaid (the ones with minimum wage jobs or no wage that we're referring to), 14% are on Medicare. Only 5% of Americans pay for their own insurance, and 15% are uninsured. Plus the health-care you speak of is paid for by somebody. There is no free lunch.

Probably true.

As for cost of living, that's most certainly true, but you also get more benefits.
For instance, you get universal health care which obviously has done more good than harm, life expectancy in Australia is one of the highest in the world, the wealthy pay a 1.5% levy to fund it, for me that's about $1,000 a year, others it is less than half that.
You also have the option of private insurance if you wan't.

The IHDI/HDI or inequality-adjusted human development index easily eclipses that of the US, it's a good indicator of standard/quality of living.
You also get more Sick leave, Paid Holidays and Paid Annual Leave.
The way I look at it, Americans live to work while Australians work to live.

Plus... Because the minimum wage is higher, people spend more, when our dollar was higher than the USD, I was spending hundreds every week importing stuff and because the minimum wage is higher for workers at places like resturants, people don't leave "tips" which is something expected in the USA, those are things that are usually not accounted for in most cost of living reports.

All in all, those who are on the minimum wage can live comfortable and happy lives in Australia, even if you have children, the same thing can't be said about the US for allot of families on the minimum wage working a single job.
Besides, on average the cost of living is roughly only 30%-50% more, but workers get paid almost 100% more and has kept in line with inflation which didn't really happen in the US, it's been at the same rate for how many years?