Even though I’m a participant in the New York State Minimum Wage Challenge and believe the challenge is well-intentioned, I largely agree with the D.O.’s criticism.

The Challenge is designed to highlight difficulties of living on minimum wage – that is, $9 an hour, $360 a week, $18,720 a year.  It raises awareness about – and builds political support for — the “fight for 15.”  The organizers and participants are sincere.  All this is good.

Even so, participating in this effort is unsettling.  It’s artificial; perhaps unintentionally disrespectful to struggles of fellow citizens who work year-round, often more than 40 hours a week.  My living on $97 for one week does not begin to approach the experience of low-wage workers.  Neither does it involve real sacrifice.  It simply cannot.  I have a home, car, health care, savings, and much more.  There’s no possibility that I will be unable to meet our electric bills, pay our mortgage, or miss our daughter’s play because I have to work.  If my car breaks down, I have AAA.  If a family member has a serious health problem, I will not have to choose between staying home to give care and keeping my job. I chipped my tooth last week and the next day I made an appointment with my dentist… Today it was fixed.   My insurance covered the cost.

So, what do I make of this experience? I have to recognize the ironies of someone like me signing up for a week of “sacrifice.” There’s no sacrifice!  There can’t be.  I have a level of security and privilege that renders such sacrifice impossible.

Where does this leave me?

Angry… Angry that the families of so many hard-working people do not have parallel security. Angry that our politics and economics keep moving more of our fellow citizens away from that security as wealth and power become increasingly controlled by fewer and fewer people.

In solidarity… Supportive of the struggle for living wages, full employment, investment in all our children, fair taxation, debt-free college and advanced vocational education, dignified retirement, and decent housing and health care for all.  Respectful of the unions, citizen organizations, activists and everyday Americans who are allied in bringing more balance and humanity into our economy and politics.

Eric Kingson, professor of Social Work at Syracuse University, is a Democratic candidate for Congress (N.Y.-24 — Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne and western Oswego counties).

Published on March 11, 2016 at 12:32 pm