Good news, bad news: California announces $30 minimum wage, but it still puts workers at half the poverty level there.

Inflation is like a dog chasing its tail. Extremely annoying, difficult to stop, and there is no upside to the dog or its caregiver.

Los Angeles is pleased to announce it will be the first place on planet Earth to have a $30 minimum wage. I would have predicted Honolulu or London or Switzerland, but okay, let's roll with it. In fact, I’m 100% in favor of this. Minimum wages should be set by states and municipalities, not a bunch of octogenarians in DC who’ve never visited the place it would apply to. ("The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.[6]. " The US bill of rights, 10th amendment. Are we all on the same page now? (see Newsweek link below)

Okay . .. the second shoe drops: This year you need $110,000 to stay above the poverty level in Los Angeles County. Not just the city – the entire county of Los Angeles - all 4,752 square miles. This is up from $100,000 less than a year ago. (see LA magazine link below). I love math, so let’s crunch these numbers:

Inflation rate: Los Angeles had its cost of living increase 10%, year over year. Something for the rest of the nation to aspire to, no?

Poverty level: LA’s newest stab at a living wage puts workers at half the poverty level. Those with dreams of a better future will still need to be Doordash or Uber Eats drivers delivering “substances” as a side hustle. This why human Uber drivers will never go out of style. A robo-taxi isn’t going to bring narcotics to your door or offer tips on which street corners are popular after 11pm.

Still, this is better than Nancy Pelosi introducing a bill to make $30 the minimum in every state. As a tactic to keep factories and offices from fleeing to Biloxi, Mississippi. For the record, I also think it’s a bad idea for Nancy Pelosi or Donald Trump to set other policies which apply both to LA and Biloxi, on things like legal pot, how far from a church a topless bar has to be, milk expiration dates, and what type of stove I can legally buy.

So bring on the $30 Los Angeles minimum wage. San Francisco is sure to pick up the ball and run with it. Followed by Palo Alto, Santa Monica, and the state capitol, Sacramento. And with California’s 10% inflation rate, politicians can hold press conferences and introduce NEW bills in 2026 to raise the minimum to $33.50.

You’re perpetually screwed in California if you DON’T already own a home. You will never keep up. Only land and gold and Netflix subscription rates outpace general inflation. Forget about investing in eggs. If bitcoin was the future Taco Bell drive-thru workers would demand to be paid in it, but they don't because it regularly crashes 50%. Fanboys need to solve that problem, if they want to be taken seriously.

I’m not moving to LA, or Biloxi. No place is safe. The national debt was $34 trillion this time last year. It’s $37 trillion now. A new debt limit bill is before congress: it will add another $4 trillion to the debt ceiling. Don’t kid yourself that we won’t get there in the blink of an eye. As long as the national debt goes up 10% annually, we’re completely screwed.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Los Angeles Votes for $30 Minimum Wage - Newsweek

$100K a Year Is Now 'Low Income' Here as Costs of Living Soar - LAmag