FROM THE HEADLINES THE FIGHT FOR 15 The campaign to raise the minimum wage to 15 an hour began in 2012 The Service Employees International Union SEIU supported it Workers from fast food chains such as McDonald's and Taco Bell took part in several protests for higher wages and the right to join a union On November 10 2015 the protest became a daylong strike that involved thousands of workers in cities across the country It included restaurant workers as well as low paid hourly employees in other industries such as home care childcare nursing homes hotels and delivery services Unlike previous rallies the November 10 protest had a political and economic purpose Demonstrators gathered outside the Senate in Washington DC and outside local city halls to influence politicians at the federal and local levels They protested at the Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee Wisconsin Workers pledged not to vote for presidential candidates who did not support the Fight for 15 They indicated they would hold voter registration drives to increase the number of workers who would use their influence in the 2016 election Opponents of the 15 minimum wage pointed out that many cities and states already had a minimum wage higher than the federal level of 7 25 They also argued that low wage jobs in industries such as fast food chains are not intended to be a
lifelong career Business owners indicated they could not afford to double the minimum wage to meet the demands of the workers As a result jobs would be cut Supporters of raising the minimum wage marched on November 10 2015
THE INVISIBLE POOR In 1962 Michael Harrington wrote The Other America a book that shed light on what it was like to be poor in the United States The book became a classic work with a lasting influence In it Harrington describes what he calls the invisible poor These were the people who lived in rural areas where tourists did not visit or in miserable slums in isolated parts of cities He THAT THE POOR ARE INVISIBLE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THEM THEY ARE NOT SIMPLY NEGLECTED AND FORGOTTEN AS IN THE OLD RHETORIC OF REFORM WHAT IS MUCH WORSE THEY ARE NOT SEEN 5 argues that clothes made the poor invisible since inexpensive clothing was easier to afford than food housing or medical MICHAEL HARRINGTON THE OTHER AMERICA 1962 care Even though people looked well dressed they were poor because they did not have enough money for other necessities Fifty years after Harrington's book was published many of the poor were still invisible but for different reasons A 2001 US Census Bureau survey reported that many Americans with incomes below the poverty line had
comfortable living conditions They lacked enough money to meet some of their basic needs such as nutritious food and adequate clothing But their homes had sufficient living space with air conditioning refrigerators stoves microwaves washers dryers and televisions Most had cell phones computers and cars Did this mean they were not poor The results of the survey sparked controversy Many people argued that government HARRINGTON S THE OTHER AMERICA handouts had allowed poor people luxuries they had not worked for and would not otherwise have been able to afford They believed government spending on Fifty years ago Michael Harrington changed Americans view of society At a time when people believed most Americans were part of the comfortable middle class The Other America showed nearly one third of the population lived in poverty In 1999 Time magazine listed The Other America among the top ten most influential nonfiction books of the 1900s Harrington's work is credited as a spark that helped ignite the war on poverty Harrington however placed the responsibility on US society He said The fate of the poor hangs upon the decision of the better off If this anger and shame are not forthcoming someone can write a book about the other America a generation from now and it will be the same or worse welfare financial support for those in need should be cut Others pointed out that items such as cell phones refrigerators and stoves are necessities not luxuries
