"I live in New York and have never lived without family or a roomate. Am I living below adequate living standards?"
"You bet."
You're missing my point I think. My point was that according to this guys "Living Wage", the wage-earner should be able to have his own apartment without having to share. I was explaining that I am not the least bit disadvantaged and I have always had a roomate. If I can do it, someone working at wal-mart can do it too. His idea of a living wage would be astronomic and leave 25% of the US unemployed.
I agree. For single people, a roommate is not a sign of poverty but of common sense money management.
Those who feel deprived can move to an area where a roomie is not necessary to afford a reasonably nice place to live.
A higher percentage of people their own homes in the U.S. than any other time in the our history.
The increased housing prices are a reflection of demand. The cheaper places are not available due to floods of immigration, which have forced each level of apartment renters and home buyers into a level higher than they ordinarily would have paid if the pressure from below was not present.
This is not Wal-Mart's fault. It is a reflection of lack of national political will and consensus about controling immigration (legal and illegal).