Minimum Wage poll

[Ray From Cleveland]

Right wingers SAY that jobs will be lost, but they aren't. Jobs increase when the minimum wages go up because there's so much pent up demand for goods and services.

Yes, prices will go up, but not as much as you're suggesting. It increases the cost of producing a burger by 10 cents to raise the burger flipper's wages by $1, so the increases in wages have a tremendous impact on the employees, and yes, wages all along the line will go up, because ALL OF THESE WORKERS NEED RAISES TOO.

The wages of all working people need to go up. Companies have managed increase every cost in their processes EXCEPT wages. Rents, property costs, equipment, insurance and materials have all gone up, and businesses survived. Wages COULD have gone up but the bosses didn't have to raise the wages so they didn't. It's time for some catch up for workers.

There is no "pent up" demand for goods and services. Where did you dream that up from? Goods and services have always been there and plenty of them. If they are not, people turn to the internet which is yet another threat to brick and mortar establishments.

Yes, raising minimum wage by one dollar will have little impact on pricing for places like McDonald's. That's because McDonald's sells 600 big macs a day, 2,000 french fries a day, 2,500 beverages a day, 800 breakfast sandwiches a day. However Earls Hardware store doesn't sell 400 hammers a day or 300 boxes of screws a day. Earl's Hardware will take a much harder hit than McDonald's.

The OP's scenario is $15.00 minimum wage. So think of how much higher prices will be. The reason people go to Walmart is because they can walk out of Walmart with a shopping cart of supplies for about a hundred bucks. That's in comparison to walking out of a store that sells American goods with only a half a cart for a hundred bucks.

People will buy less products because the prices would be much higher. I don't see that as a good thing. All you really did was increase the cost of living.

we have a demand side problem. solving simple poverty fixes that part of the equation, nothing more.

Ray believes in a "supply side" economy. Ray missed the class on "demand". Supply and demand are the opposite sides of the same coin. Republicans have trained their minions to pretend that "demand" doesn't exist, and "if you build it they will buy it". None of which is true.

I recently went through a two year process of post-retirement financial review and consolidation, the goal of which was to maximize my post-retirement income. But during this review period, my basic month expenses and my basic month income were an exact match. No wiggle room, no savings, no emergency fund. Over the two year period it took to complete the process, around the time my savings were exhausted, my laptop died. Then my one and only TV died. And finally my vaccuum cleaner went just as the cat started his spring shed. At the end of the two year process, my base income is now $75. a week less than I was making when I was working. And I was able to take a chunk of the capital and buy a new laptop, two TV's - a 32" smart small TV for the sewing room, and a 55" inch home theatre for the living room. I had my bicycle tuned up and tricked out. Bought a lot of peripherals for my new media, including an android box, ChromeCast, wireless printer, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. I got my sewing machines tuned up and I'm looking at buying a new embroidery machine. And I bought some new bedding. Since July, the boxes have flowed into my apartment. I purchaseed locally, where possible, but always on sale, for value.

Going forward, the increased income means that I can now go to the weekly luncheons with friends more than once a month, and to entertain in my home, offering friends a nice wine with dinner. And since I live in wine country, I'm can tout my favourite local winery, which is very good but a bit pricey. I can join my friend's bowling league - I couldn't afford the $80 a month with no wiggle room in the budget. So the local sporting goods shop, restaurants, bowling alley, and computer store, and of course, Canadian Tire store, have all benefited from the release of my "pent up demand", and my increased income going forward.

That is the law of supply and demand. That is why putting more money into the hands of millionaires isn't doing jack shit for the economy. There are millions of households all over the USA, households dependent on food stamps and Section 8, who, if they had an increase in income, would release all of that pent up demand, and the economy would grow organically.
But the pump that is income must be primed.

When you stated people had a "pent up demand" it's implied that they wanted products they couldn't buy because of availability. I still don't understand your story because first you said your expenses equaled your income, and then stated you went on a spending spree with some sort of capital that materialized in your story.

People often hold back on buying things they don't necessarily have to have. I'm doing it today. The computer I'm on now is going on eleven years old. My car going on ten years old with 105,000 miles. It's not all that unusual.

My computer wasn’t old. It was dead. Would not turn on. Same with my TV. The TV was 10 years old. I don’t own a car.

The capital didn’t “materialize”, it was always there but tied up. I didn’t think I’d need it. My husband had a few years to go before he retires. Divorce changes everything. So after I retired I had to re-organize my finances to maximize income now, instead of 5 years from now.

That's fine and dandy, but there is no overall "pent up for demand" for products or services. If you need something, you either buy it or you don't. If you can't afford it, you just do without if possible or borrow the money to get it.

Your failed view on this is that if people have more money, they are more likely to spend. That would be true if prices didn't increase at the same time. But a huge minimum wage increase would do exactly that--increase the cost of products and services. So you are no further ahead than you were before the MW increase.

 

[Uncensored2008]

I read that currently 2.7% of US workers are paid minimum wage. Elsewhere I read that 42% of US workers make $15/hr or less. So, if we raised minimum wage to $15/hr, we'd have 42% of US workers working for minimum wage. Which left me wonder what reformers see as the ideal percentage.

0% only for trolls; for others a Federal Minimum Wage based on a 20% wage based on their congress critters salary and 25% from their two senators.

If we do that, then we need to set a cap on federal employees that none can be paid a sum greater than minimum wage, including bonuses and retirement benefits.

A good Stasi agent like you would be happy with that, da Comrade?

Your last sentence is an example your brainwash was successful, in fact you got a deal since you only paid for what was a lite rinse.

Again Comrade, would you agree that federal workers, including STASI agents like you, should be paid no more than the peasants are, and should be given nothing more in pensions than are the peasants?

Yes, or no Comrade?

 

[Uncensored2008]

The $8.00 an hour worker may be making $15.00 after a law is passed, but the $15.00 worker will be making $22.00 or more after it's passed.

So, everyone would make more money! That's a good thing, right?

So if everyone in the country was being paid fifty bucks an hour how long would it take for the US/world economy to totally collapse?

Why would it collapse? We'd all be making good money. FTW!

You fricken loons haven't thought this through, have you?

DB is trolling, for reasons I cannot explain. He has lurched left, but not that far left.

 

[Uncensored2008]

[

My computer wasn’t old. It was dead. Would not turn on. Same with my TV. The TV was 10 years old. I don’t own a car.

The capital didn’t “materialize”, it was always there but tied up. I didn’t think I’d need it. My husband had a few years to go before he retires. Divorce changes everything. So after I retired I had to re-organize my finances to maximize income now, instead of 5 years from now.

You claimed you live in Canada. The Socialism of Canada is so superior to the free market in America, why are you not living in luxury?

 

[danielpalos]

In any system, there will be people who are an excellent and natural fit and will flourish, while others will not. Capitalism is an example.

In a perfect capitalist world, there would be no need for a minimum wage. But this is certainly not a perfect world, nor is it close.

A strong safety net is good social insurance against electoral revolution. It isn't ideal, but it's worth the price in the long run.
.

What does minimum wage have to do with a safety net?

It depends on your definition of "safety net".

Mine includes a certain standard of living while working full time.
.

Yeah. We've all got our 'standards'. Why do you feel justified in forcing yours on others?

we have Representatives to Government to fix Standards for our State or the Union.

 

[danielpalos]

In any system, there will be people who are an excellent and natural fit and will flourish, while others will not. Capitalism is an example.

In a perfect capitalist world, there would be no need for a minimum wage. But this is certainly not a perfect world, nor is it close.

A strong safety net is good social insurance against electoral revolution. It isn't ideal, but it's worth the price in the long run.
.

What does minimum wage have to do with a safety net?

It depends on your definition of "safety net".

Mine includes a certain standard of living while working full time.
.

16 year old children should never make a wage which allows them to make rent on a condo, cover a car payment, groceries, utilities...etc.
Let’s see if you can connect the dots.

They have to apply for emancipation first.

 

[danielpalos]

In any system, there will be people who are an excellent and natural fit and will flourish, while others will not. Capitalism is an example.

In a perfect capitalist world, there would be no need for a minimum wage. But this is certainly not a perfect world, nor is it close.

A strong safety net is good social insurance against electoral revolution. It isn't ideal, but it's worth the price in the long run.
.

What does minimum wage have to do with a safety net?

It depends on your definition of "safety net".

Mine includes a certain standard of living while working full time.
.

Yeah. We've all got our 'standards'. Why do you feel justified in forcing yours on others?

I'm just pointing out the obvious.

If you like the every-man-for-himself approach, great. We'll see how that plays out electorally over time. I have my guesses on that.

That's my point.
.

We have Government for a reason. Only true capitalists can go without Government.

 

[dblack]

In any system, there will be people who are an excellent and natural fit and will flourish, while others will not. Capitalism is an example.

In a perfect capitalist world, there would be no need for a minimum wage. But this is certainly not a perfect world, nor is it close.

A strong safety net is good social insurance against electoral revolution. It isn't ideal, but it's worth the price in the long run.
.

What does minimum wage have to do with a safety net?

It depends on your definition of "safety net".

Mine includes a certain standard of living while working full time.
.

Yeah. We've all got our 'standards'. Why do you feel justified in forcing yours on others?

I'm just pointing out the obvious.

If you like the every-man-for-himself approach, great. We'll see how that plays out electorally over time. I have my guesses on that.

That's my point.
.

We have Government for a reason. Only true capitalists can go without Government.

The white knight is talking backwards.

 

[danielpalos]

In any system, there will be people who are an excellent and natural fit and will flourish, while others will not. Capitalism is an example.

In a perfect capitalist world, there would be no need for a minimum wage. But this is certainly not a perfect world, nor is it close.

A strong safety net is good social insurance against electoral revolution. It isn't ideal, but it's worth the price in the long run.
.

What does minimum wage have to do with a safety net?

It depends on your definition of "safety net".

Mine includes a certain standard of living while working full time.
.

Yeah. We've all got our 'standards'. Why do you feel justified in forcing yours on others?

I'm just pointing out the obvious.

If you like the every-man-for-himself approach, great. We'll see how that plays out electorally over time. I have my guesses on that.

That's my point.
.

Flood the nation with low iQ, disgusting wetbacks and you’re certain as to where things are headed huh? It’s a perfect plan for you beggars...right?

stop losing money on border policy and raise the minimum wage. we get what we are willing to pay for.

with easier border crossing access, their "better and brighter", could try their luck in our markets while their Poor, "move up" locally.