Market Forces

"Life is good these days if you are a yuppie. For those making minimum wage - not so much..."

The good news today was a reminder that our state's minimum wage is going up to $9/hour on August 1st. The minimum wage will go up to $9/hour. That is $360 for a 40 hour week (that is, if you can get a job for 40 hours), $1,560/month and $18,720/year. Progress! If you are single, you will be way above what the 2014 government poverty level is ($11,670). And living in Minneapolis, what can you do with all that extra money? Not much.

Here is the big problem. Market forces always win. If you are really a good worker, have some technical or higher education, CAN SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, you are not going to be making $9/hour. You will be making much more than that. The average rent in the City of Lakes keeps going up. Right now the average ONE bedroom apartment in Minneapolis will cost just a shade under $1,000/month. The average TWO bedroom apartment will cost almost $1,300/month.

Here is the bottom line as I see it. Coming into this country, not being able to speak our language, having no marketable skills, and little to no education, puts you on the bottom wrung of the ladder. It even puts you out of the running for the most economical rental (without government assistance). It simply amazes me the number of people we have in the Twin Cities who still don't speak nor read our language. You can hear it every day when in the Twin Cities. How in the world can you survive? How do your drive? Cash a paycheck? Anything?

Every time I bring this up, I receive blow back from some. Sorry, here it goes again. Over the years, many immigrants from many different countries have come here looking for a better life. They wanted to become Americans. Even though many kept their native language, most became bi-lingual. they knew not being fluent in the language of this country would crush their dreams. They also knew this country was rich with opportunity. If you worked hard enough, dreamt big enough, learned fast enough, opportunity and success was there for the taking.

Nothing much has changed in this country. Opportunity still abounds. However, many of the new immigrants are satisfied to only ride in the wagon. Not learn our language. Not assimilate. For those people, market forces will not be a kind friend. A life of poverty and dependency awaits. Decades ago, failure to assimilate meant you did not eat. Today, with the plethora of government programs we bathe immigrants in, everybody eats. Everybody gets an "Obama Phone". Everybody gets cable and high speed internet. Who needs a job?

Our country became a great country because of hard working people who knew how to dream. Who knew how to dream and then to put those dreams into reality. They knew how to produce. Europe has become a shell of what they once were because they let everyone ride in the wagon. America could follow the same path if we are not careful. Even though our government always tries to tinker with our economy and the market, market forces always win. And that - is a fact of life.