Thread by @OvernightOnline

To those who support #FightFor15, increasing the #MinimumWage and reducing #IncomeInequality: By 2025, the wage would have to be ~$20 to equal the $15 asked for when this began.

That's why we need to stop talking about a "minimum" wage and start talking about an #AmericanWage.

An #AmericanWage is the wage needed to provide for the basic needs of American life.

It clarifies to people of any political alignment or value system, that wages are meant to provide a standard of living adequate to all Americans.

Yes, cost of living varies by state. But the purpose of the #AmericanWage is to establish a baseline for what your wage buys, not an arbitrary number lacking the consideration of determining what that wage buys.

Yes, a worker in West Virginia needs less than someone in New York.

But we need to change the framing of this discussion away from "minimums", who The Right makes paints as an unsympathetic lot (in spite of how many vote for them). They distract from the purpose of this wage by intentionally mischaracterizing the kind of people who live on it.

An #AmericanWage is clear, above reproach, and capable of being flexible by state, but undeniable about meeting what it provides. But what is theminimum standard for American life? How can we provide, preserve, and predict the needs of the present and future working population?

We start by looking at the core needs of human existence and expanding from there - just as the foundation fathers did in the Declaration of Independence.

Life: People need to be able to afford complete access to health care and yes, to be able to have children if they wish.

Liberty: People need enough money that they can make choices. This means being able to save money so they can quit a bad job, get out of a bad situation, & retire with dignity. When everyone works for Amazon or Walmart, nobody has choices. Without choice, Liberty does not exist.

Liberty also means the ability to communicate, the ability to travel freely. People need to be able to reach the world around them. Travel needs to be accessible. So too, does access to telephone and internet services. Without these things, the basic need to belong is not met.

The Pursuit of Happiness: many conservatives believe a minimum wage is about survival and feel that Happiness should not factor into survival. But ask anyone if their wages ought to provide less than a minimum degree of Happiness and not one person will say yes.

By the standard of constructing a society based on the principle of meeting the essential needs of an individual as it relates to the self and not the other, we acknowledge that an #AmericanWage must include some minimal standard of weekly leisure time and activity.

Some will say this standard is not feasible. They do not know how much money our nation has. They instead go by the cautionary looks of news personalities and conservative pundits, who profit from protecting the rich.

But we know this is a lie by the simple application of math.

According to the CIA, there is a total of $80 trillion USD in the world. This, in addition to the great amount of real estate and other assets owned by Americans.

If divided evenly among the US population, that amounts to more than $250,000 in cash for every citizen.

While we don't need to adopt the principle of equal distribution of wealth to achieve these goals, I point this out to clarify to anyone doubting the US economy can handle the standards of an #AmericanWage: Yes it can. Yes we can. And yes, we should.

Let's highlight some basic needs that should be guaranteed (this should not be seen as a complete list):

- Housing for you and your family
- Access to healthy foods
- Clean Water and Air
- Complete & preventative health care
- Retirement savings
- Transportation & Communication

- Clothing, and basic hygeine
- Access to a complete education to reach your full potential
- Access to adequate legal representation
- Representation and Labor Rights in the work place
- Sufficient weekly rest and personal time

Can anyone say life without these things would be sufficient?

If not, then we have to set aside any frustration or feelings a person is less deserving than us and build a society which grants an American Standard of living to guarantee that we all will always have our needs met.

It's the right and moral thing to do. And it establishes a baseline that protects each of us from any difficulties they life may throw our way.

We are a nation with $80+ trillion to our name and I promise you, we can afford it.

I believe an #AmericanWage. And you should too.

$240,000*

(A typo-ridden mess that this is, I didn't want this to be seen as bad math!)

Apologies for the hasty manner in which this was written.

Twitter can get a bit funky after you chain so many tweets together. I was in a hurry to post before it crashed and I lost everything!

Thanks to all who read, reached out, and shared this with others. It means a lot!