Provide a good narrative that portrays yourself reflecting the politics/government you support

[Baltravens]

As I was able to see my 1st doctor in over 5 years and get my prescription medicine at dirt-cheap prices at the pharmacy, I remember some of the little battles fought by the strong, manly, and raw men in my family and their brethren (co-workers) as steel workers, longshoremen, auto workers, and truck drivers.

Well, it was a snowy sub-zero winter night at the truck depot in the early 1970's, as the Teamster men blocked their semis from leaving the depot for their routes. What it took was baseball bats and knives. Do you see, to get the raise they worked for and deserved, my father and his fellow Teamsters, busted all the windows out in the rigs and slashed the tires of the trucks, so they lay inoperable to deliver their freight, some of which was perishable goods or food.

Ah, the enemy lie dead because the truck drivers got their raise, $1 an hour. So, I am ready for any (R) who stands in my way who flaunts their capitalism-at-all-costs belief at the expense of the middle class.

So thanks to the working middle class, those who fight battles for just deserts. And, thanks to those military veterans who laid the groundwork in the economy, like my family, so I could see a doctor of my choice and desired race and have affordable prescriptions mandated by the ACA, the Federal Healthcare Law.

Edit: The ACA is not what it once was, so we all are waiting for a national healthcare proposal that takes care of all Americans in our affluent country. (There are 2 enemy Senators, one from WI and one from KY.) God before money.

[Mista T]

Over the last five decades, union workers have shrunk from one-third to merely one-tenth of the workforce. Hopefully, within a few more decades, this anachronism of the past will disappear.

No disrespect to your ancestors and their baseball bats & knives.

btw: We tailgated near Jimmy Hoffa's unmarked grave when we went to the Ravens-Jets game a few years ago.

[CincyCat]

Edit: The ACA is not what it once was, so we all are waiting for a national healthcare proposal that takes care of all Americans in our affluent country. (There are 2 enemy Senators, one from WI and one from KY.) God before money.

That affluent country is $20 Trillion in debt. Does that matter? Being in debt over your eyeballs does not make you affluent, does it?

[Baltravens]

America still is affluent. Those like Big Business and Corporate America hold trillions of dollars and with that capital and resources provide jobs for citizens to earn money and purchase goods and services.

Personally, the debt over 20 trillions dollars does NOT affect me and what I buy and purchase in the country. I have a SIMPLE plan to wipe put the debt in over 2 years.

Plan/Proposition: If every citizen, everyone who has an income, makes a DONATION to an account THAT IS USED TO PAY OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT which is currently over 20 trillion dollars, THEN the FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE which is raised to a standard, possibly $15/hr. (This cannot be lowered once it is set and the debt is paid off.)

With this idea the details and terms have to be worked out. For example, Bill Gates would make the donation once a year for 2 years just like John Smith who is a cook at a fast food restaurant, and that donation is based off of income or a wealthy person's worth.

This would seem to eliminate the debt and instantaneously the minimum wage could be raised nationally, to say, $15/hr.

I understand there are negatives to this proposition.

[CarrollCoRaven]

America still is affluent. Those like Big Business and Corporate America hold trillions of dollars and with that capital and resources provide jobs for citizens to earn money and purchase goods and services.

Personally, the debt over 20 trillions dollars does NOT affect me and what I buy and purchase in the country. I have a SIMPLE plan to wipe put the debt in over 2 years.

Plan/Proposition: If every citizen, everyone who has an income, makes a DONATION to an account THAT IS USED TO PAY OFF THE NATIONAL DEBT which is currently over 20 trillion dollars, THEN the FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE which is raised to a standard, possibly $15/hr. (This cannot be lowered once it is set and the debt is paid off.)

With this idea the details and terms have to be worked out. For example, Bill Gates would make the donation once a year for 2 years just like John Smith who is a cook at a fast food restaurant, and that donation is based off of income or a wealthy person's worth.

This would seem to eliminate the debt and instantaneously the minimum wage could be raised nationally, to say, $15/hr.

I understand there are negatives to this proposition.

That sounds like basically a flat tax, which is fine with me. Minimum wage at $15 is a bad idea. It becomes a job killer. Burger King is already replacing people who used to take orders with a user friendly touch screen computer. I've been in one. I believe Seattle has already increased their minimum wage to $15 and many jobs have been lost, On the surface it's a feel good story for Democrats to push for it, but it ends up causing more harm then good.

[Mista T]

Minimum wage to $15 would create an instant recession. It would throw millions out of work. A very stupid idea. This is yet another reason why Democratic Party is fading away in most states.

[Baltravens]

If you believe the Minimum Wage is a valid standard or idea then these are the facts. If the Minimum Wage kept in line with a.) inflation and b.) the cost of living since 1969 then it would have been $20.38/hr. in 1988.

In 2015 what do you think the Minimum Wage ought/should have been if it stayed up to date with those 2 factors? That is right, about $30.00/hr.

We SHOULD NOT get into a political discussion here in regard to political parties or groups, but we are sticking to the facts in presenting our cases.

[CincyCat]

If you believe the Minimum Wage is a valid standard or idea then these are the facts. If the Minimum Wage kept in line with a.) inflation and b.) the cost of living since 1969 then it would have been $20.38/hr. in 1988.

In 2015 what do you think the Minimum Wage ought/should have been if it stayed up to date with those 2 factors? That is right, about $30.00/hr.

We SHOULD NOT get into a political discussion here in regard to political parties or groups, but we are sticking to the facts in presenting our cases.

So you see no problem with using baseball bats and knives to get what you want or feel entitled to?

[Baltravens]

That was back in the day and in a union city. Times have changed and the middle class has shrunk considerably.

Thanks. ...Let's hear more narratives about oneself to see where he or she is coming from.

[Mista T]

imes have changed and the middle class has shrunk considerably.

More fake news spun by the liberal media. We've got one of the strongest middle classes in the world. Everyone I know is doing well except for the druggies and criminals, who made poor life choices..

[NCRAVEN]

Minimum wage is a terrible idea. That is all.

[Dirt1]

Minimum wage to $15 would create an instant recession. It would throw millions out of work. A very stupid idea. This is yet another reason why Democratic Party is fading away in most states.

To me, the government is making the minimum wage more complicated than it needs to be by trying to use a one size fits all approach. The government should set a national minimum wage, which would be set at an hourly wage that should slightly exceed the national poverty limit for a single person if that person were to work one full-time job. Then the actual minimum wage should be adjusted based on the rating area of where the employer is physically located. Rating area weights have been used in our country for reimbursement adjustments for decades, and are based on the cost of living in each rating area.

So, the more costly a rating area, the higher the rating area weight. Why can't we apply them to the minimum wage? The effect would be that a person living in Manhattan might have a minimum wage of $15/hour, because Manhattan may have a high rating area weight due to high cost of living expenses, but the minimum wage might be $8/hour in rural Arkansas, which may have a low rating area weight due to low cost of living expenses. This makes the most sense to me.