Reply #65: I know.

[KitSileya]

According to Norwegian standards, one wouldn't be able to live decently on minimum wage in America, simply because Americans have to pay for so many services that Norwegians get covered by the state - paid for, in most cases, by those with high salaries.

As for living frugally, I know about that. Even tho' I am a well paid high school teacher with a Master's Degree, I have had to live extremely frugally up until now. I only got my job this school year, and Norway is notorious for its equality in wages, which makes higher education pay off a lot less than in most other countries. My salary is only 1,5 times the minimum wage, but I have student loans, and entered the workforce 10 years after those who usually earn minimum wage in Norway.

The Norwegian taxation system is incremental - you pay 28% on the first 200,000, 36% on what you earn above that, and top taxation kicks in at about 450,000, when you pay 50% on everything earned above that sum. That makes it easier for those earning little, but of course there is still national debate on poverty. No matter how well off the people in general are, there are still some considered poor. However, Norwegian poor (or even European poor) is quite different from American poor, and American poor is quite different from African poor, but perhaps not as different as the first two. That's not something most Americans are willing to realize. If Oprah can shed some light on this issue, more power to her. I am not going to scoff at getting the message out just because I don't like the messenger. That smacks too much of hacking of my nose to spite my face kind of tactics.