It really sucks that it’s so cost prohibitive for most of America to travel outside of the country. Maybe if people were able to see how other places really live Americans might care more. I don’t know. Of course, I have friends who can travel, can afford it, and they go on Disney cruises and to all inclusive resorts and never leave. When we’ve had the money we’ve left the country and made it a point to show our son what life is like for the people serving him breakfast and cleaning the room we stay in. From what I’ve seen of Americans when I have been able to travel outside the US (a total of 4 times in my life, and not that far, Jamaica and Mexico), no one seems to notice and that “ugly American” thing is well earned sometimes.

Just a fair pay scale would be nice. I think companies have gotten away with this for so long because Americans have internalized the notion that “those people don’t need that much to live anyways”. Not realizing that while they don’t need 50K a year to be middle class(which is becoming barely middle class if you have a family), they do need a higher pay scale that works for their country. A higher pay scale here would eliminate some of the need/want for a 3 dollar t-shirt or 1 dollar socks too. I don’t know what the answer is, I’m facing buying new clothes and shoes for a kid headed off to school soon and I have little to spend(Seriously, I have about 125 dollars, fortunately he doesn’t need a winter jacket). Resale stores help a little, but you never know if they’ll have what you need. What then? It’s a shitty dilemma which makes me hate the Walton heirs more than I already do.