[K C Muffin]

Bubba - I'd be more than happy to take a 50% pay cut if that would decrease your insurance costs. Fact is, it won't. The reason is because your insurance costs are largely and heavily regulated by the State. And the State allows the rates to increase because all costs are raising. Truth be known, there are only about 40% of the insurance jobs there used to be. That's due to increased vision of the insurance Gods about technology. I'm sitting right here on a laptop I carry with me 100% of the time. If I'm needed, anybody can reach me by Email or phone (which is also computerized). So. I'll take my 50% if you'll give up 50%. Oh, but wait a minute - I've honed my craft for more than 20 years.....so an employer is more than willing to pay me what I ask...........see the difference?

At Mickey's, they first have to teach them English (and they don't do a good job of it), then they have to teach them the use of the grills and the rest of the mechanics. Why would I (if I were a McD's owner) want to pay more to train them and watch them go to another employer or town?

I'm salaried, so I work 80 to 90 hours a week, counting all the time I spend in the evenings and weekends with files, Emails, and phone calls. Do you know many people that do that? Or do you know more who put in their 8 hours and walk away?

Isn't that what it's all about - working hard (smart), not just expecting to be paid whatever with no skills? Perhaps if the minimum wage were done away with altogether, you'd see a high responsibility level among the lower paid - because they'd see the benefits of staying in one place for a couple of years and honing a skill.