[will_hughes]

"modest" doesn't mean driving Teslas and eating out every night.

It means being able to afford the basics: housing, food, healthcare, transport, and still being able to have enough left over to build a 'rainy day' (emergency) fund.

And the reason "modest" rather than "minimal" is because one is living, the other is effective slavery.

People who cannot afford for one moment to stop are people who are on the edge of disaster. Any (additional) misfortune that strikes - whether by their own actions or not - could send them from "surviving" to now being forced into debt, which while it might provide temporary relief, almost certainly means they are now in a downward cycle.

With a living wage, even if misfortune does drive them into debt - there's at least a better opportunity for them to work their way out.