Because South Carolina doesn't need more press

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

This is a whole other topic, and it's not completely related to poverty, so I hesitate to even get into it. But there is definitely a such thing as being "underpaid." Saying that no one is "underpaid" is at the least an overbroad statement, and I think you know that.

Not really. We have a minimum wage. If someone's paid below that, they're underpaid. If they're paid more than that or at that, then they are paid what they agreed to be paid. If they're not being paid what they agreed to be paid, then they have a valid complaint for the Department of Labor. They may consider themselves underpaid, but that's a matter of opinion, not a matter of quantifiable fact.

And as far as being unemployed, I don't see how it isn't the worker's fault? Or that it should be up to the employed to subsidize the unemployed. Poor savings/spending habits, choosing to work in a doomed industry, etc. These are all personal choices or at the very least, they are gambles that turned out poorly. That's part of life in a non planned economy.

Heck.. my investment account was doing awesome until the market crash. Now it's mediocre. Those investment decisions were my choices as well. It's not my fault the market crashed. Maybe I should be receive government subsidy as well for my investment losses?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

They may consider themselves underpaid, but that's a matter of opinion, not a matter of quantifiable fact.

Which is a quite different thing from saying that there is no such thing as being underpaid.

Originally Posted by Kevin

And as far as being unemployed, I don't see how it isn't the worker's fault?

A worker gets laid off or his company goes out of business, that worker looks high and low everyday for a job -- any job -- but can't find one because no one is hiring, and it's the worker's fault he's unemployed? Seriously?

I'm all for taking personal responsibility into account, but sometimes things can be son out of someone's control that personal responsibility doesn't enter into it.

And the "they chose to work in a doomed industry" argument is just plain specious. Feckless (I love the chance to use that word) even.

Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.