Eliptic - a good name for you - your arguments go round in circles, I think I might just put you on ignore.
411A,
Under this 'reasoning', the FAA might then be responsible for the alleged inability of lower paid First Officers to pay their bills, because they have a wife and a couple of children to feed.
I can see the validity of your arguments, there are many families whereby the main bread winner of all different vocations are on minimum wage where the partner then also has to work to maintain a decent standard of living.
However the responsibilities of learning to fly, the training and expense involved, the level of maturity and professionlism required does lead me to believe that reduction of cost should be achieved without the expense of ruducing a professional's salary to that of a non professionally quallified role.
I think the question should not be whether the FAA should be establishing whether the flight crew have enough to live on, but whether the FAA are establishing all flights when departing have a safely rested crew performing the duties. If the FAA establish that there is an issue in this respect it is their role to mitigate such circumstances, whilst I would very much doubt a directive on salary would be a consequence some legislation on greater rest times could be brought in ensuring that sufficient rest has been achieved especially those with secondary roles to suplement their income.
Those working a second role to suplement their income would be required disclose this and to have sufficient rest before their primary role is undertaken (Forgive me if this is already the case I am not a pilot). This would definately have a fincancial impact on the low cost carriers and because as a result more crew would have to be brought onto the books. I think it would then lead the management with a decision as to whether to prevent this extra employment of resources by reducing the requirement for a second employment by paying better.
It think it is a whole can of worms really as this could lead to the hiring process being biased against those with families etc.
My overall thought on this is that for the situation to be truly corrected the only way is for the passengers to start paying a more appropriate fare for the journeys involved so that professionals can be paid appropriately. Our objective as SLF is to get from A to B safely and I dont think alot of us have any idea of the logistics of flying and the implications of the beating down of ticket prices - SLF are not typically aware what happened with this model in Indonesia and what corners were cut to attain such low prices.