No Problem

Walter E. Williams, who's made a pretty good living for himself telling White Conservatives that they don't have to worry about racism any more, writes a new article, er, telling White Conservatives they don't have to worry about racism any more.

But in amongst that cheery news is this passage.

Most jobs start with wages higher than the minimum wage, which is currently $5.15. A man and his wife, even earning the minimum wage, would earn $21,000 annually. According to the Bureau of Census, in 2003, the poverty threshold for one person was $9,393, for a two-person household it was $12,015, and for a family of four it was $18,810. Taking a minimum-wage job is no great shakes, but it produces an income higher than the Bureau of Census' poverty threshold.

I suppose for me the idea that a couple making $12,016 is out of poverty is worth exploring a bit. Not for Mr. Williams though; while he would distrust government solutions to any problem you could name (save military problems), he's pretty content to accept the government definition that couples making over $12,015 are out of poverty.