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Mustt_mustt
Citizen
Username: Mustt_mustt
Post Number: 274
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 10:34 am: | 
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A Social Justice Quiz
Twenty Questions
By BILL QUIGLEY
1. In 1968 the minimum wage was $1.60 per hour. How much would the minimum wage be today if it had kept pace with inflation?
2. In 1965, CEOs in major companies made 24 times more than the average worker. In 2003, CEOs earned how many times more than the average worker?
3. The US is composed of 3,066 counties. In how many of the nation's 3,066 counties can someone who works full-time and earns the federal minimum wage afford to pay rent and utilities on a one-bedroom apartment?
4. How much must the typical US worker must earn per hour hour if they dedicate 30% of their income to housing costs.
5. How many million workers in the US earn poverty-level wages of less than $8.20 an hour?
6. What are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Tennessee?
7. What are Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia?
8. In 2001, the average financial wealth for black householders was about what % of the average for white households?
9. The median financial wealth for blacks is how much of the corresponding figure for whites?
10. Over the entire 28 year history of the Berlin Wall, 287 people perished trying to cross it. In the ten years since the Clinton administration implemented the current U.S. border strategy with Mexico, how many people have died trying to cross?
11. Where does the US rank worldwide in the imprisonment of its citizens?
12. In 2004, the direct reported US military budget was how much for each second of the year?
13. In 2003, the US military budget was how many times larger than the Chinese budget, the second largest spender?
14. In 2003, the US military budget was how many times as large as the combined spending of the seven so-called "rogue" states (Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria)?
15. The difference in income per head between the richest nation and the poorest nation in 1750 was about 5 to 1. Today the difference between the richest nation and the poorest nation is what?
16. Of the 6.2 billion people in the world today, how many live on less than $1 per day, and how many live on less than $2 per day?
17. The richest 1% in the world receive as much income as what percentage of the poorest?
18. The Congress under President Bush has been more generous in helping poor countries than under President Clinton. In 2003, the US increased official development assistance to poor countries by one-fifth. Where does the US contribution rank in the top 22 countries in proportion to our economy?
19. Americans give how much per day in government assistance to poor countries?
20. Americans spend how much on soft drinks each day?
Answers will be posted very soon.
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Mustt_mustt
Citizen
Username: Mustt_mustt
Post Number: 275
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 12:50 pm: |
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ANSWERS
1. The minimum wage would be $8.70 today if it had kept pace with inflation. Brennan Center, NYU Law School, November 3, 2004.
2. In 1965, CEOs in major companies made 24 times more than the average worker. In 2003, CEOs earned 185 times more than the average worker. "Wages" in State of Working America 2004-2005, Economic Policy Institute, www.epinet.org
3. In four of the nation's 3,066 counties can someone who works full-time and earns the federal minimum wage afford to pay rent and utilities on a one-bedroom apartment. New York Times, "Study Finds Gap in Wages and Housing Costs," December 25, 2004.
4. In fact, the typical US worker must earn $15.37 an hour if they dedicate 30% of their income to housing costs. New York Times, "Study Finds Gap in Wages and Housing Costs," December 24, 2004.
5. How many people in the US earn poverty-level wages of less than $8.20 an hour? More than 30 million workers. William Quigley, ENDING POVERTY AS WE KNOW IT: Guaranteeing A Right to A Job at a Living Wage, 24 (Temple 2003).
6. What are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota and Tennessee? The total population of these states represents the number of people in the US living below the official poverty line. William Quigley, ENDING POVERTY AS WE KNOW IT: Guaranteeing A Right to A Job at a Living Wage, 23-24 (Temple 2003).
7. What are Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia? The total populations of these state populations must be added to the states above if you count all the people below 125% of the official poverty line, a total of 22 states. William Quigley, ENDING POVERTY AS WE KNOW IT: Guaranteeing A Right to A Job at a Living Wage, 23-24 (Temple 2003).
8. In 2001, the average financial wealth for black householders was about 12% of the average for white households. "Minorities," in State of Working America 2004-2005, Economic Policy Institute, www.epinet.org
9. The median financial wealth for blacks was $1,100, less than 3% of the corresponding figure for whites. "Minorities," in State of Working America 2004-2005, Economic Policy Institute, www.epinet.org
10. Over the entire 28 year history of the Berlin Wall, 287 people perished trying to cross it. In the ten years since the Clinton administration implemented the current U.S. border strategy with Mexico, more than 2,500 people have died trying to cross. Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UC San Diego. Marc Cooper, "On the Border of Hypocrisy," December 5, 2003, LA Weekly.
11. Where does the US rank worldwide in the imprisonment of its citizens? First. The US imprisons over 700 persons per 100,000. Russia is second with 584. Sentencing Project, Facts About Prisons and Prisoners. www.sentencingproject.org
12. In 2004, the direct reported US military budget was over $399 billion, $12,000 a second. www.globalissues.org
13. In 2003, the US military budget was more than 8 times larger than the Chinese budget, the second largest spender. www.globalissues.org
14. The US military budget was more than 29 times as large as the combined spending of the seven "rogue" states (Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). Even if you add China and Russiaís military spending to that of the seven potential enemies, all nine nations together spent $116.2 billion, 27% of the U.S. military budget. The US military budget is more than the combined spending of the next twenty three nations. www.globalissues.org
15. The difference in income per head between the richest nation and the poorest nation in 1750 was about 5 to 1. Today the difference between the richest nation, Switzerland, and the poorest nation, Mozambique, is about 400 to 1. (David S. Landes, THE WEALTH AND POVERTY OF NATIONS, xx, W.W. Norton 1998).
16. Of the 6.2 billion people in the world today, 1.2 billion live on less than $1 per day, 2.8 billion live on less than $2 per day. 2002 UN Human Development Report.
17. The richest 1% in the world receive as much income as the poorest 57%. 2002 UN Human Development Report.
18. The Congress under President Bush has been more generous in helping poor countries than under President Clinton. In 2003, the US increased official development assistance to poor countries by one-fifth. Where does the US contribution rank in the top 22 countries in proportion to our economy? Last. Nicholas D. Kristof, "Land of Penny Pinchers," New York Times, January 5, 2005.
19. Americans on average give how much per day in government assistance to poor countries? 15 cents. Nicholas D. Kristof, "Land of Penny Pinchers," New York Times, January 5, 2005.
20. Americans spend how much on soft drinks each day? 60 cents. Nicholas D. Kristof, "Land of Penny Pinchers," New York Times, January 5, 2005.
"I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing" oriented society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies." Martin Luther King, Jr., "A Time to Break Silence," April 4, 1967.
Bill Quigley is a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans. He can be reached at quigley@loyno.edu
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Mark Fuhrman
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 1304
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 1:20 pm: |
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Musty:
This is very challenging stuff. Sure, one could quibble with sources of data, or some of the interpretations (the Berlin Wall was about keeping people in and ideas out, versus our border policy of keeping people out; standards or living are rising in some poor areas, such as China, India, and Southeast Asia, even though the distribution of income is still woefully unbalanced). But the overall thrust of the argument is strong.
But the challenge, to me at least, is to figure out what we as individuals can do about it, if we care about it. And I am not talking about pie-in-the-sky ideas like King's in the quote above--there is not going to a fundamental revolution in the American economic culture, at least not by choice.
Is it enough to try to live a little more simply, buy one less computer and instead give the money to Save the Children? That may make me feel a little more holy, but it does nothing to address economic imbalances globally. Certainly voting for John Kerry or others of his ilk will do little to affect this. Perhaps I have a failure of imagination, but I don't see what follows from this quiz. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 2066
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 2:27 pm: |
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The fundamental purpose of government is protection, yes? I think this "quiz" makes a very strong case that the government is failing to protect a huge number of us.
A question for the board's conservatives: In the year 2005, in the wealthiest nation on earth, shouldn't every worker who dutifully puts in 40 hours (or more) at the workplace be compensated enough so that they can afford to house, feed, raise, and educate a family without additional government assistance?
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5538
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 4:37 pm: |
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Thank you for this. Very eye opening.
The one thing I would contest is number 15, the ratio of richest nation to poorest nation. I think it indicates that fewer people live in abject poverty than before. It also means that we can and should and don't do enough about it. But it doesn't necessarily mean that people in poor countries are worse off than their ancestors in 1750 were. |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 339
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2005 - 7:59 pm: |
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I forget who said this, but:
'Nothing more is required to turn the poorest nation into the richest one but peace, easy taxes, and the tolerable administration of justice.'
Things you do not find in the third world.
Their poverty is their own fault, not ours. We can and should help, but the impetus has to come from them. Racist thugs running kleptocracies like virtually any country in Africa will never improve. Expecially when the UN does nothing to condemn them. These countries need to learn that wealth is created, not stolen. That wealth creators (capitalists!!) are to be protected and encouraged, not taxed arbitrarily out of existence or 'nationalized'. Until this socialist/communist attitude changes, the poor nations will remain poor.
And as for the U.S., you think everyone should have a 'living' wage? Great, how are you going to legislate that? Raise the minimum wage to some arbitrary living wage, and watch jobs disappear. You will be hurting those you try to help. A better idea: abolish all taxation paid by the working poor, including social security and sales taxes. Give the working poor an expanded earned income credit so that someone making near subsistence wages can do a little more than get by. Finance this by eliminating the ceiling on social security taxes, so that corporate fat cats pay taxes on their full 185 times salary.
Not a full solution, but a start. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 1131
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:01 am: |
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Was the federal minimum wage ever intended (and did it ever) allow the average citizen to live in a one-bedroom apartment, etc.? I sometimes wonder whether we have higher expectations there than is reasonable.
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Debby
Citizen
Username: Debby
Post Number: 1683
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:41 am: |
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Very interesting points, Chris. I especially like "kleptocracy"...never heard that before. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 2070
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 10:19 am: |
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Chris, I basically agree with your statements about African countries, except that when capitalists are nationalized or taxed into oblivion the recipients of the wealth are too often the government officials, not the populace. Therefore, I wouldn't characterize that as socialism/communism.
Regarding the domestic situation, one thing we seem to agree on is that the money is there. Whether more money is given to lower-end workers in their paychecks, or less is taken in the form of taxes, or more is provided to them in additional programs, there is surely enough wealth in this country to provide all workers with a certain minimum quality of life.
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cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 3145
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 11:07 am: |
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Just because someone works 40 hours a week doesn't make them entitled to a certain level of income, especially if the job they're doing isn't worth much.
Chris -- you're talking about expanding welfare with raising the FICA ceiling and expanding the "earned income tax credit." If the working poor don't pay something towards their own retirement, then they'll be on the dole for their retirement as well. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 5544
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 11:10 am: |
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Everyone is entitled to a certain level of living standard. A low paying job is all some people can get. If a person is willing to work hard, long, and steadily, he is doing his best to contribute. That is his duty, and society owes him something for that. |
cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 3146
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 11:26 am: |
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Then propose expanding welfare and call it that. Be honest about it, and tell those people they're entitled to the earnings of others. |
Southerner
Citizen
Username: Southerner
Post Number: 91
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 11:35 am: |
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Tom,
I agree with your statement wholeheartedly. However, I would add the exception that they should be United States citizens. I wish we could save the world but it is an impossibility.
And it goes without saying that the means to get to your stated end is where the quibbling comes in and generally breaks down upon your philosophy of government. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 1132
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 12:01 pm: |
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My reason for asking was this: when in grad school college, I made minimum wage (40 hrs a week) and supported myself. I was able to live in a rooming house, eat, etc. But, I would not have been able to live by myself in a studio or one bedroom apartment. |
Jonathan Ben-Asher
Citizen
Username: Jonathanba
Post Number: 94
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 12:17 am: |
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Way back when I graduated college, my job paid $6,000 a year, my share of apartment rent was $85 a month, and I spent most of my nights eating in the wonderful new Szechuan restaurants on the Upper West Side. But, of course, I had no dependants and no responsibilities. So, life was easy and cheap.
Unfortunately, over the decades, the cost of housing and the cost of a college education have climbed so high that they are out of reach for people trying to support families on minimum-wage jobs. The other significant fact, as noted in the quiz, is that the pay of many CEOs and other very senior executives has grown vastly out of proportion to the pay of other employees, and way out of proportion to the value of those executives (to either their employers or society). The result: middle class employees find it harder and harder to stay middle class.
A society that finds its middle class squeezed between a small number of bizarrely wealthy people and large number of desparate poor people is a society on its way down, or headed to instability. Yes, there is much opportunity in America, and many people (the highly industrious, motivated and lucky) can move from poverty to wealth on their own. But right now Americans who are poor, and many middle class Americans, are in big trouble. |
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