If we raise the minimum wage nobody will even be able to buy a hamburger at McDonalds.

[erronis]

17. And I'd love for some of the $15/hour wage complainers

To try working one of those jobs that "aren't worth" this barely reasonable wage.

Hey, Rep. Brotherly Love or Sen. Well Todo - how about you show the world how easy it is to flip burgers or haul trash or any of the other thousands of these types of jobs that are hard work for 10% of what you make as a salary (guessing here). I'm thinking you'll find these jobs a hell of a lot harder in many ways than your little cushy-butt one.

To make it easy, just do it for six months. Eight hours every day, schedule is not fixed, minimal benefits (if any). All your congressional salary and other forms of income (dividends, non-recorded loans, asset sales) will be held in a independent trust until you complete your six month probationary period. Your spouse's multimillion salary/wealth is also not allowed to find its way to you.

You'll give up almost all of your possessions (but you'll get them back): cell phones, laptops, sharkskin suits, patent leather shoes. You won't want this stuff anyway where your going to have to live.

You'll have to find new digs that fit into that $15/hour. And you won't have any limousines or friends slipping you a few thousand every day like you do now. If you have children, they need to live with you and you need to supply childcare. You might be able to find a used car but be prepared to use public transport from your new digs to your inner-city job - you might want to give yourself a couple of hours each direction.

If this becomes too onerous please consider looking for another job to help pay for childcare, since you won't have any time to spend with your preciouses.

When you complete this little personal experiment (liken it to a holistic Esalen retreat in the real world), let's see how you vote against a $15/hour wage.

I know I couldn't live on that (and I'm unemployed.)