Comments

2

How much is a living wage?

3

Of course, you have to heckle Ted Cruz whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Right now, I’m wondering how far I could spit. But Jas is correct, if somewhat understated. He is soulless. But even worse, he feeds on this shit.

Always sad and tragic when someone meets an undeserved ending. So glad we got to enjoy Leslie’s work while he was here. It’s a tough business and so many disappear unbeknownst to the Great Audience. I’m grieving, but I’m also pleased and thankful he got his break. Rest well, Funny Boy.

Power Slap League? Holy fuck. What are we coming to? Oh wait. I know. Wheel of Misfortune – where instead of dollar amounts, it’ll be “Severed spinal cord” or “Lose your left arm.”

5

@2 If you had any contact at all with working-class people, you could ask one of them, and they'd tell you it's about three times the rent they have to pay.

Average rent in Seattle is around $2,300, so if you've got two people sharing an apartment and both are working full time, three times rent would work out to about $20/hr.

For a single-income household, three times average rent in the city is about $80k a year. A quick peek at Glassdoor suggests reporters and support staff at KUOW are being paid well below that.

6

@5 why not just say that instead of using some nebulous word that can mean different things to different people. I find that term to be deliberately opaque and discount any group that uses it.

8

Another sad day.
Rest in peace, Leslie Jordan, and victims of the devastating September 4th plane crash on Whidbey Island.

Clarence Thomas and its Ginny bitch, and the 5 of 6-3 neofascist majority of the U.S Extreme Court, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz ad nauseum deserve to get slapped--hard enough to knock out some of their teeth. Eat my shit Ted Cruz---I wouldn't have just heckled the son of a bitch. I'd have spat on him. RepubliKKKans bring out the worst in me because they're such horrible excuses for people.

9

@5
The single income figure matches my calculation of needing $80K per year to afford a $2,000 per month studio. (Parking, of course, is extra).
If $80K is not your starting salary, you’re screwed.

11

"remember when he called your wife ugly and then you nominated him? fuck you!"
lol 9001 internet points to Yankees fans for berating ted Cruz as he smiles and pretends he can't hear them

13

The obvious solution is to require Ted Cruz and Clarence Thomas to join the Slap Fighting League.

14

@12 That is still a very fuzzy definition of living wage. What all is included in the ability to "afford to live"? Does that include eating out a few times per week, shopping at Nordstroms and taking 2-3 international vacations a year? People's expectations on what constitutes affordability are vastly different. Beyond that has there ever been a time where someone working 40 hrs per week in a lower wage job could afford an apartment on their own in a major metropolitan area? This is public radio. I don't know that someone working in public radio has ever been a paid a "living wage" as defined above. It's fine to state that's what you want but the truth is not every job is designed to pay a "living wage", some are starter jobs, some are for people who want/need part time work and there are various other reasons. This new expectation that every job should allow you to afford to live in the most expensive city in the state is weird and unrealistic.

16

@14 Yes, of course a living wage means one on which a person can afford to raise children, or live a reasonably enjoyable life, and put away enough savings to feel financially secure. I have no idea why you'd think otherwise.

Yes, obviously there have been times, within living memory, where people working low-paying jobs could afford their own apartments. And cars, and vacations, and meals out. Again, ask around, you must be quite a shut-in not to have had conversations with people who can confirm this.

Working in media, even media that you sneer at as "public," has always been a professional career-track job, not unskilled labor or a "starter job," whatever that means.

And you know, it's not just workers who need a living wage, the rest of the economy needs it, too. If you begrudge those workers their entertainment and meals out and vacations, well, who's going to keep the theaters and restaurants and airlines and hotels in business?

Honestly I'm a bit baffled at the lengths you're going to defend the erosion of the middle class.

17

@13 dvs99: I'd be happy to slap Clarence Thomas, his Ginny bitch, and Ted Cruz for free. I have a feeling I'd be waiting in a line of people stretching from coast to coast.


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