Summary
Elon Musk faced backlash from his followers on X after advocating for importing “super talented engineers” to address a shortage in the U.S. tech industry.
Musk likened hiring top foreign talent to building a championship sports team and argues that there is a shortage of talented and motivated American engineers.
Critics argued there’s sufficient U.S. talent being overlooked or underpaid, with some pointing to widespread tech layoffs.
Musk dismissed claims of low wages or training gaps, maintaining a need for exceptional engineering talent to advance innovation.
No I get that. I actually had some guy who did comissions for me and I found him insanely cheap. I didn’t understand how he could charge so low for what I was asking, until the bill came and I saw he was in a South American country where the exchange rate basically meant that when all was said and done; 20 bucks from a North American client was like a couple hundred down there.
What I doubt is being able to find any building on American Soil that you can afford the rent on while working minimum wage. Especially since most entry level jobs will actively prevent you from qualifying for full time benefits no matter how much you work.
Minimum wage in massachusetts is $16/hr or 33,280.
Here’s a furnished room for rent, 995/mo aka 12k/year - well within minimum wage budget above, just a hair over 33% of gross. https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/apa/d/roslindale-995-furnished-room/7813596105.html
here’s another, 1100/mo https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/apa/d/somerville-roommate-situation-br-avail/7813966888.html
689/mo room for rent (lowell but still possible to find minimum wage jobs near lowell.) https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/apa/d/lowell-brazilzian-room-mates-furnished/7807989802.html
975/mo https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/apa/d/everett-private-bedroom-975-month/7811735244.html
There’s no shortage of rooms for rent that are affordable for a single minimum wage income. You’re just not living on your own. Isn’t the trope that 4-6+ immigrants all live together in one house? because that’s what they do to minimize housing expenses. You don’t need a great home to survive or thrive or to even raise kids… because the listings above that we consider actually end up being less finding a random stranger on the internet and more extended family focused where you find family or friends of family who have immigrated to the US and already live in an area. Here in MA that is a mixture of different cities depending on what cultural group you’re from.
Now let’s take a look at a poorer state like Georgia. 7.25/hr minimum wage, or 15k/year. This one will be harder but I suspect people will largely make way more than that since walmart pays closer to 10.
$175/mo https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/roo/d/atlanta-atl-marta-furn-mid-age-man-free/7810363955.html
$400/mo for a trailer (eww, but doable… 4800 a year) https://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/apa/d/thomaston-mobile-home-for-rent-in/7810137528.html
495/mo atlanta highway loop https://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/roo/d/red-oak-great-room-available-in-college/7813455844.html
That being said, there are some cheaper places out there. $250/mo (incl utilities) in the heart of the city for a room but women only https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/roo/d/atlanta-seeking-cool-roommate-for-old/7813271349.html
Some (likely) gay dude wants a gay dude to move in $350/mo https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/roo/d/decatur-sharing-accommodation-with-gay/7814264684.html
If there are situations where you can split a rental even there for that cheap… how can anyone even argue that it isn’t at all possible to survive on minimum wage?
I get that most people do not want to live with strangers or anybody at all if they can help it but it’s a much better option than being homeless or living in a country where you will be paid a couple hundred bucks a month.
I meant at 7.25, but hey a state where the wage is more than double would work, and kinda dodges the point. I mean 16 an hour is more than I make in my state and I do not make minimum here.