Personally, I have a problem paying a $1.00 for a Big Mac but in reality they should cost $15.00 maybe even $20.00 and "Supersize" should cost an extra $20.00.

But as for retail, once upon a time, working retail was a legitimate career capable of supporting a family, but thanks to "Wallyworld" that is no longer true.

Or is it that you haven't caught on, the US is fast accelerating to a third world economy. Soon there will be nothing left but "fast food" and lawyers left in this country. Welcome to the "next" generation!

I am old enough to remember the middle class. We lived in a middle class neighborhood. Some kids dads were cops other kids of union factory workers, a guy who owned a camera shop another dad who was a manager of lawn and auto at sears and all us kids had the same new Schwinn bikes and new clothes for school and medical care was not a financial crisis. We have sunk so hard so fast I think most people do not even notice.

and that middle class had only one car...and it sure wasn't a 40,000 dollar suv or monster truck either...and that middle class had one landline...not a $200 plus a month cell phone bill...and that middle class ate at home not out 3 times a week...and that middle class had kids that had cheap fm radios not $500 computers, tablets, etc and that middle class didn't buy their kids sneakers that cost $200... and that's the real reason this middle class has sunk so far so fast....extravagance and DEBT...

Oh BS on that. Mom did not work either we have two income families now and most of them do not buy their kids sneakers at 200 a pop.

and they STILL Have enough to pass around to those hands and pay a decent wage

and what numbers, statistics, etc,, are offered in this thread to support the opinions on either side exactly?

not bs and u just proved my point...second income was needed for all the material middle class things most middle income families do spend for now...I could continue the list...middle class families had a $100 antennae on their house that lasted 5 years and not a $100 plus a month cable bill...most middle class families had one 19 inch tv not a 60 inch tv that cost over $1000.00 along with two other TV's and now for the killer...most middle class families didn't have all those things that cost like that cause they were smart enough to spend for equity in their homes...

that correlation is ridiculous...that thinking is part of the new entitlement generation's philosophy...cause the bottom line is if Wal Mart closed most of those workers would NEVER get off food stamps anyway...the way employment has been for the last 6 years better quit hating on Wal Mart...as a society we are now blaming Wal Mart and not taking any personal responsibility to acquire the skills and education needed to find a better paying job...one being on food stamps is now all Wal Mart's fought for one choosing to work there...sorry, I have to laugh

Sam Walton "earned" his wealth unlike many of the corporations bought up by the wealth stealers working with the gov't to regulate most into bankruptcy so they could be taken over for pennies on the dollar.

He didn't build that....remember?

Very few build anything any more that succeeds thanks to regulation preventing small business in favor of large corporations as gov't picks winners and losers

Look at GM and Detroit in general and you can't help but respect a family owned business that prospered in our present crony capitalist environment.

See how you like prices when everything is controlled or regulated by gov't favored corporations and gov't itself.

Just look at what they are doing/have done to healthcare and education!

If any worker want's a job that pays $15 p/h then they should go find one. They accepted the pay when they were hired. Adjust to it and stay with it and it will come.

Misdirection is the oldest trick in the book for a con or theft.

Gov't is very good at it as a whole, but liberals have honed it to an art form...... so nothing ever changes for the better as gov't creates the problems, then offers the solution..... always gaining more control.

Gov't is comprised of lawyers, bankers and corporate CEOs. You expect something that's good for the people?

As long as people are focused on the result rather than the cause, there will never be a solution, only more problems, more gov't control, and more laws and regulations...... the real problem to begin with!

The trouble with your logic is that you think government is an entity that stands on its own. The government is owned by the bankers and ceo's and writes the laws for them. It is a revolving door between big business and government.

Well you have the context correct but I don't agree on the conclusion. Your conclusion is but the symptoms, not the root cause. The root cause is based on what now passes for education that trains good little citizens to consume, consume, consume. Try this for a start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GorqroigqM&list=SP77CE8943362CB9B0

Well I see that the state run indoctrination system is working very well. Do you really believe that dribble? Responsibility and what is referred to as education is an oxymoron. Does anyone today really understand education? And what is responsibility, is that term even possible to understand in today's environment?

Very informative video.

And the trouble with your logic is a complete misunderstanding of the form of government we have. The problem is not with government, but in the perception of government. Servant or leader, which is government?

". . . it would be a dangerous delusion were a confidence in the men of our choice to silence our fears for the safety of our rights: that confidence is everywhere the parent of despotism: free government is founded in jealousy and not in confidence; it is jealousy and not confidence which prescribes limited Constitutions to bind down those whom we are obliged to trust with power: that our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which and no further our confidence may go; . . . In questions of power then let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." - Thomas Jefferson

"Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty! I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt." - Patrick Henry

We were so justly forewarned but have instead chosen to sleep or trade freedom for perceived safety. Are you safe?

Bull,those two sets of Gangsters have long since made Common Cause!
A Herd of Swine feeding at the same Through!
Filled with the Lifeblood of any productive Citizen!
Worse than the Mafia,at least the Mafia doesn't pretend it is acting in the Public's Interest!

Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power." Benito Mussolini

state run indoctrination...laughable...those that use such claims are usually the guilty ones of some kind of indoctrination themselves...dribble my ***...would not trade my college education that has led me to be able to provide a successful life for anything...do u really want to admit to having a problem in understanding "personal responsibility"? It is a kindergarten concept...even in todays world.

Now what would lead someone to believe a college degree would be involved, but if the indoctrination is continued, enough intelligence is lost to qualify for a masters.

But over the long term, a college education does show that one is a good little citizen capable of following the required programming. Sort of along the lines of Ayn Ryan's "The Fountainhead" and Howard Roark, good for fundamentals but gets in the way of critical thinking and real education.

And nowhere was there an "I" in regards to responsibility, but thank you for proving my point, their is no understanding and no it is not a "kindergarten" concept, perhaps that is the problem. Today's world and the modern generations have no understanding beyond the "kindergarten" level.

If you really want to understand education, then look at the old "Harvard" of the 17th and 18th Centuries (yes Harvard was more than 100 years old when this country was born) or look at the original William and Mary that Jefferson helped to establish.

Mexico has the right idea on education.
They realize many folks will be just cogs in the machine.

Basics,reading, writing, math and a little Mexico history. All done in six years of free school.

If the child wishes, their parents can pay for furthering the kids education.

You can be certain. Parent paid education and the child doesn't act da fool.