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RE: For Crying Out Loud, Poor Shaming Won't Fix Hunger
I agree with you mostly, and you've got a great way with words! However, there are plenty of people who are well suited to working as clerks in a store or doing other jobs that just don't pay that well. Some folks are disabled and can't work, though people tend to have a little more sympathy for them. As the studies show, most families that get assistance with food do have at least one person who works. Something's wrong when people can't live on their income, and it's not something wrong with the people.
Generally, I've found that low wages have more to do with public policy decisions than how economics works. This is something I learned from one economist I've been following, Dean Baker at the Center for Economic Policy and Research (CEPR). He's been compiling data for more than a decade to show that policy choices over the last 40 years in the United States have been designed to redistribute income upwards.
I agree with you that some people are more suited to simpler jobs than others and that doesn't mean they should be paid so little that they require assistance from the government. Along those lines, I'm exploring the idea that a currency that operates independently of the government might actually be fair enough that government assistance won't be required. I'm thinking that if banks aren't the issuers of the currency, as in fractional reserve banking, then the temptation for self-dealing is vastly reduced. Just a thought, anyway.
I appreciate your compliments about my use of words. Writing is something that I really enjoy, so it's always nice to get feedback.