Income equality

Over and over again I continue to read about politicians pandering to those folks who live on tax dollars from the public coffers. "Millionaires live off the backs of the working person and this has got to stop!" Sounds a lot like what I've read in the Communist manifesto. Whatever anyone else may believe, my folks professed a method of how those in my family could overcome "Income inequality" Albeit not so easy as accepting a life of dependency on the tax dollars of our neighbors, it is our way.

For the men:
Don't become a sperm donor and saddle yourself with a boat load of child support.
For the women:
Don't become a baby machine with an apartment full of children from several sperm donors.
For everyone:
Get a job,
get two jobs,
whatever it takes to earn enough money to survive.
Live frugally
Get whatever education you can afford without being overwhelmed by student loan debt
Save whatever money you can and let it build and earn interest.
Strive every day to improve your lot in life without placing the blame on anyone else.
Remember that life is not fair, learn to deal with it with a sense of humor.
Support your own family the best you can.
Learn to accept those things that you and only you can provide for your family.
It is a choice to be happy or to be angry, Choose happy as often as you can.
Thank God every day for the opportunity of another day.

That's about it. Other folks have other ideas and that is their privilege. But Its worked for me so far.I had good folks.

Minimum wage

One confusing aspect of governmental controls that is a bit crazy to me is the imposition of a minimum wage. Personally, I feel that those people that work should receive a fair compensation for their labor. Anyone withholding wages from a worker to keep exorbitant profits for themselves should be prosecuted in a court of law. A minimum wage to me however, is counterproductive in many ways.

#1- Minimum wage, as dictated by government, does not take into consideration market, demand, costs or any other conditions regarding any particular business and the profitability to remain operational.
#2- Minimum wage, as dictated by government controls, removes the competitive nature of international commerce and manufacturing. Countries without minimum wage produce and manufacture cheaper than we can. Fair or not, that is a fact.
#3- With far less jobs available due to the competition in non regulated countries, right here in the United States, far more people are on government assistance. Government assistance is funded (supposed to be anyway) by income taxes of working people thereby reducing their take home pay.
#4- The higher the minimum wage, the less competitive our products and services, the less competitive these things are, the less companies there are, the less companies there are, the less people are employed at any wage, the less people employed, the more people on government assistance. The more people on government assistance, the more taxes needed to pay for the assistance. With less people working, the higher taxes they pay so minimum wage or not, their take home pay is taken away by excess taxes.
#5- With more and more people losing their jobs because we cannot compete with other countries, more and more people are buying the imported products from other countries because they are way cheaper. Resulting in a reverse cash flow from the united States to the other cheaper countries draining our cash resources so fewer and fewer companies remain open. Creating a downward spiral in our economy.
#6- In my opinion, wages too high to compete=fewer people employed=more people on assistance=higher taxes=fewer people to pay those taxes=an overall lower wage and our currency becomes worthless. So, what did the minimum wage dictated by government to increase our standard of living actually accomplish?

Oh, wait a second. Am I talking about the United States or is it Greece? I forget sometimes. I'm probably just a bit tired, need coffee. Have a good day.

Jobs, jobs, jobs

Jobs are on the top of a lot of peoples Christmas list right now. Perhaps I've reached the time of life when dispensing a little wisdom of the ages to those younger than me is allowable. If you are looking for a job maybe this will help in some way. I've walked the street of life over the years and came face to face with the possibility of long term unemployment and overcame it. I've paid my dues! We all approach this problem with our own set of circumstances and what works for one, may not work for the other but lets look at it from my perspective. This is how I attacked getting a job and continued to support my family.

When it came to a job I never let my pride get in the way: I've dug holes for outside toilets, sold Christmas trees, bagged groceries, peddled newspapers, washed cars, shoveled sidewalks, cut grass, picked apples, changed tires, poured cement, bailed hay, cleaned out barns and worked for less than minimum wage at several jobs at a time to earn enough to pay the bills.

I spent over 12 hours a day looking for work. Any time I wasn't sleeping or eating I was taking the bus, riding my bicycle or walking and knocking on doors asking for a job, any job. I felt that if I didn't have a job to support my family I couldn't afford to go hunting, fishing or sit down and watch sports on TV. Sunday was the exception but I even spent that looking over prospective opportunities and making plans to get there.

I always dressed well and clean, like I was looking for a job and appreciated and respected my prospective employer. I looked successful even without a job. I dressed to please the employer, not myself. My hair, when I had some, was clean and combed, I wore no jewelry except my wedding ring and a watch. Cell phones were not a problem then but if I was on an interview now I wouldn't have one in my pocket or turned on.

I used my best manners, the ones my folks taught me when I was being interviewed.

I always expressed my willingness to work any job, any hours, at any wage and accepted any job unconditionally. At least until I got a better one. It was always easier to get a good job when I was working and paying my bills no matter what my present job was.

During an interview I never complained about my previous jobs or bosses or disparaged any companies. I readily accepted responsibility for my own actions, bad or good.

No matter what type of job I had at the time I worked harder than anyone else. The only time I was taken aside by my bosses it was because I didn't take a break. I always asked for overtime.

I never let anything keep me from a job interview. I once walked over six miles in a driving snow storm for two and a half hours to get work. The employer didn't show up so I walked back home and returned the next day and got the part time job at a very low wage. there was lots of overtime and it paid the bills until I quit for a better job three weeks later. I found the better job through someone I met working there. There are hidden opportunities everywhere.

I wish you well in your job search. It's not an easy road, I know. Keep going, no matter what! We can all get discouraged from time to time but keep going anyway. Use your energy finding a job, not sitting and pouting about not having one and expecting someone else to step in and save you.

Those are some of the things I've learned. I hope they help. There are definitely jobs out there...................Joe